I woke up the next day with a banging headache, I was still feeling a bit light headed because of the wine so I wanted to prepare some coffee, Lucia was still sleeping but my father was nowhere to be found.
I made a hasty cup of coffee and I drank the black liquid in a hurry, I tried to recollect what had happened the night before but all that was in my head was the kiss that Carl gave to me, I smiled as I remembered how it had felt like and how he had looked so surprised to see me act that way.
I started to clear the bottles and the leftover food from last night that were lying about the place, I started my cleaning from inside the trailer and I did it quietly so that I would not wake Lucia.
When I was through with the inside, I went outside to do the remaining cleaning there but what I saw made me stop in bewilderment, I saw some of my neighbors passed out on different tables and some were on the floor, I sidestepped past a body that was sprawled on my stairs and I began to search for my father who was likely to be among the ones sprawled on the floor because of his drinking problem, I had been guilty when I purchased the wine for him but I felt that there was actually a need to celebrate so I had overlooked it and now I have to suffer the consequences.
I eventually found my father with his head on the table sleeping peacefully, I proceeded to wake him up gently without much force but he refused to budge, I gave him a hard smack on his shoulder and he jumped into consciousness.
"What is it? Where am I? Who am I?" My father asked the three questions as one, he looked confused with his bloodshot eyes and sleepy face.
I learnt that move from my mother and it was the most effective way to wake him from a drunken sleep.
"Father, it is me Diana" I saw recognition on his face and he began to speak more calmly.
"Good morning my dear, you are up so early" he rubbed the side of his head as he spoke.
I wondered how many cups he must have drank last night or should I say bottles because he was a heavy chugger.
"I had a migraine and it's not that early anymore, dad" the time was already past ten and my father exclaimed when he saw the time on his watch.
"Half the day already? What am I doing with my life?" my father lamented but I was not in the mood to talk about his day.
"Let's get you some coffee first" I pulled him up and I dragged him towards the door, he followed me with his hand always rubbing his eyes.
"Thank you my dear" my father said as he drank the coffee, he was not in his pool of vomit so that meant that he was reducing his intake of alcohol, even though it was bit by bit.
"Where are you heading to? You sounded as if you have an appointment today" I throbbed him to tell me about his plans, nothing could go past my eye without me asking the required questions.
"I have an appointment with Julian's mother, Madame asked me to come over today and it's like she wants to give me a review or something" my heart skipped when he said the word 'review'. I had been dreading the day that Madame would report me to my father.
"What review? I assure you that I am well behaved and I have never broken any plate in that house" I tried to clarify my name before my father got the news from Madame.
"You are so funny, it is not going to be a bad one because she would have sent you packing instead of giving you a weekend to enjoy yourself, I believe that you are well behaved and your mother will be proud because she raised such a beautiful looking girl with virtues" I smiled as he complimented me but his words could barely only comfort me, I was still as anxious as I had been.
"Can I come with you?" I asked him out of desperation, he shook his head with a smile.
"If you come along, who is going to take care of Lucia? Besides, she told me that she wanted to see me personally so it might not even be about you" my father went to the sink to wash his face so I went outside to clear the mess that we caused the night before.
I took my time clearing up because some neighbors were still crashing on the tables and the floor, I woke them up one by one and some of them would just go straight to sleep again, one of them puked again as I woke him up and I had to wash the vomit off the table, by the time I was done with what I was doing it had already been an hour. My father opened the door looking all smart and clean, he had combed his hair and had taken some time to look extra presentable today, he wore a confident smile and he was about to leave before I halted him with my questions.
"You are leaving already?" I asked in a terrified voice, he was still smiling but he was not stopping for any reason.
"Yes".
"You didn't even eat breakfast, you never go anywhere without breakfast" I reminded him of his golden rule but that didn't work either.
"Lucia made me breakfast, she was awake and you were busy so she made me a sandwich" he was almost at the entrance of the trailer park and I could see a sleek black car parked some distance away from us.
"Damn you, Lucia" I said under my breath and my father turned to face me.
"She didn't do anything wrong in serving her father's breakfast, you need to stop worrying and just enjoy your weekend… who knows if you will be able to enjoy yourself like this again?" he gave me a quick hug regardless of the fact that I smell like puke and alcohol, he waved me goodbye from the back seat of the car and I saw Raymond wink at me seductively, I stood in that spot even after they had left… trying to understand why Raymond would do such a greeting and he was even in front of my father.