#58c… he was about to turn around and walk away because of 58c…..

[bringbackgoth]

Smh, at gas station when this homeless dude walks in, asks if getting a cup of ice water costs anything and clerk is like “yea it costs 58c to pay for the cup” 😒

I don’t do cash generally but I’ve kept my cash tips in my wallet and I was like “hey…” and fished out a buck for the dude.

They’ve never charged me for a cup of ice and I get one almost every day to fill with the drinking water I keep in my car. They should be ashamed.

Like… I’ve got $60 to my name but if a man can’t afford water??? You bet I’ll do my best to help him.

[chuffyfan87]

Hiding. Part 58c

"I don't want him to hurt her all over again."

“And you think it will?”

"She thinks she knows what he was like but her image of him is idealised nonsense. I knew what he was really like."

“And what was that?”

"An irresponsible idiot who couldn't commit to anything for more than five minutes."

Charlie nodded. “Would you like me to make myself scarce for a bit?”

"Stay nearby. Just in case."

“I will.” He smiled.

Kate took a deep breath and walked into her daughter's room.

Duffy was still snoozing, curled up on her side.

Kate didn’t want to disturb her so just sat down beside her.

After a while Duffy sensed she was being watched. "Charlie?" She mumbled.

“Try again.” Kate said quietly.

Duffy slowly opened one eye. "Mum?"

“Hello Lisa.”

"Where's Charlie?"

“Outside.”

"Oh." Duffy scrunched up her face as she tried to wake up a bit more. "You ok?"

“Yes honey, are you?” Kate reached over and stroked her daughter’s cheek.

"Sore." Duffy grimaced.

“Would you like me to ask the nurse to get you some more pain relief?”

"No, I'll be OK."

“Are you sure?”

"Don't fuss." Duffy paused, her features settling into a frown. "Charlie told me."

“Charlie told you what?” Kate frowned, she didn’t know what Lisa was talking about.

"Emily."

“Ah!” Kate sighed. “I didn’t mean it the way it came across."

"Really?" Duffy replied, unconvinced.

Kate sighed. “Yes."

"Hmm..." Duffy sighed.

“I worry about Emily and want what’s best for her just like you and Charlie do.”

"We're her parents. Remember that."

Kate sighed but didn’t say anything.

"Can't help interfering can you?" Duffy muttered.

“I wasn’t trying to!”

"It just comes naturally to you."

“Lisa, I want what’s best for Emily! I want her to reach her full potential.”

"And I don't?"

“That’s not what I meant!”

"Of course it isn't. You can't let me make my own choices."

“Yes I can.” She replied.

"Really? Since when?"

Kate shrugged. “You’re all I had. Which means I wanted to always protect you even when I couldn’t.”

"You threw dad out, not me."

“Because he neglected you.”

"It wasn't his fault."

“You were three years old!”

"One mistake and that's it?"

“You could’ve died!!”

"I loved him and you sent him away."

“You almost died! I’d have been an irresponsible mother if I hadn’t!”

"You didn't have to insist he never came back though."

Kate sighed, “I was protecting you.”

"By not letting me make up my own mind?"

“You were a child.” Kate sighed, “I’m not going round in circles here, Lisa!"

"I'm not a child anymore and haven't been for a long time now!"

Kate reached into her bag once more and took the crumpled letter. She handed it to Lisa. “I’ve kept this from you until now.”

"What is it?" Duffy asked, utterly confused.

“A letter from your father.”

"What?! Why now?" Duffy asked, her hands trembling slightly.

“I don’t know, it just seems right.”

"How long have you had it?" Duffy asked as she began to carefully open the envelope.

“A long time.”

Duffy slowly removed the letter from its envelope. She began to read it.

Kate watched her, a comfortable silence between them. “Lisa, what does it say?”

"That he's sorry. That he never meant to hurt me."

“I’m sorry I kept it from you for so long.”

"He says he hopes we're both happy."

“I did love your father.”

"There's an address..." Duffy whispered, chewing at her lip.

“I see.”

"He might not even live there anymore. Especially as its been... How long since you received this?"

“I can’t remember exactly.”

"Has it been months, years, decades?"

“A decade.”

"That long? Mum!"

“I’m sorry! I was just trying to protect you.”

"Protect me? Run my life for me more like!" Duffy shot back, her voice rising fast.

“Lisa calm down please.”

"No, you lied to me and kept this a secret for so long. I will not calm down!"

“Lisa please.”

"No! He wanted to see me and you refused to give me the chance. What are you so afraid of? That I'll like him better than you?!"

“I’m afraid of him hurting you! Again.”

"He didn't hurt me, you did!"

“He nearly killed you through his irresponsible actions!”

"It would have been fine if I hadn't gotten sick."

“You were a child! Children get sick. You don’t leave your children!”

"He was young and made a mistake." Duffy replied sadly.

“Maybe so. But he neglected you and I nearly lost you.”

"I puked on the carpet. You make it sound so much worse than it was."

“You don’t remember, do you?”

"Remember what?"

Kate shook her head.

"What?" Duffy repeated.

“You nearly died.” Kate whispered.

"How?"

“You threw up and choked. I found you, on the carpet, you were blue.” Kate whispered.

"I... I don't remember that..."

“You were so young!” Kate sighed, “I wasn’t going to let him hurt you again! If I hadn’t have come home when I did, I’d have buried my only daughter!”

"He couldn't have known that would happen though." Duffy replied weakly. She didn't want to believe it was true. Her father loved her. He wouldn't have meant her to come to harm.

“He didn’t mean to hurt you, I know he didn’t but the truth was, his decisions almost cost his daughter her life.”

"Why did you never tell me?"

“Because I know how much you loved your father.”

"What do I do now?" Duffy asked, her head was spinning from it all.

“I don’t know.”

"I want to talk to Charlie."

Kate smiled sadly and nodded, “I’ll go and get Charlie.”

"Thank you."

Kate stood up and left the room to grab Charlie. He was by the nurses station, talking to Anna, the young nurse Kate had met earlier.

"She's asking for you Charlie." Kate told him as she approached them.

“Thanks.” He turned around and smiled at Kate, “Everything ok?”

"Not really." She replied sadly.

“What’s wrong?"

"We discussed her father."

He sighed, “I take it that conversation didn’t go as well as you’d hope?"

"I told her the truth."

Charlie smiled sadly and squeezed Kate’s shoulder gently. “You did the right thing.”

Kate sighed and moved to sit in one of the chairs.

He sat beside Kate, “Let me go and talk to Lisa and then we’ll talk, ok?”

"OK." She sighed.

He squeezed her shoulder again before getting up and going to see Duffy.

Duffy looked up as Charlie walked in. "I'm sure she's already told you everything." She remarked sullenly.

“No she hasn’t. She told me she’s told you the truth.”

"She says it's the truth. I'm not sure what to believe anymore." Duffy sighed as a tear trickled down her cheek.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked her cheek.