Charloft
monthly expenses
Joyce had never had a head for numbers. He loved his wife with all his heart no matter what his provocations, but the woman could not add or subtract her way out of a paper bag. This would have been fine except...neither could he.
He could hear his wife downstairs and Moira chattering away about her day, about her dolls (she was obsessed with something called "Monster High") about her friends.
"Paul?"
"Just a second."
"Paul-"
He bit his lip, "Just a second Joy! Jesus! I'm working!"
The voices quieted as he made a list.
House- Too expensive finished paying off second mortgage.
Car A- 650
Car B- 780 (He had to get a bureau approved vehicle.)
Insurance for Cars- 300 and 500 respectively (Fucking Bureau)
Gas
Electric (He'd have to have a talk with his daughter about leaving the lights on in her room-)
"Paul? You done yet?"
He counted to ten, "No."
Cable Bill with Premium Channels (Fucking Showtime. Worse, Fucking TruBlood.)
Internet
Food
Gasoline
"Paul Honey-"
"Not Now Joyce. Jesus Christ what do I have to do to tell you I'm working?"
The noises downstairs quieted as he went back to his list. Is that it? He checked it again before allocating his meager salary to each part of their budget. Rubbing at his eyes, he slid money back and forth until he came out with satisfactory figures that would let them keep the clothes on their back. He was pleased with his numbers, particularly when he found some money for Moira to have a toy budget-
"Daddy-"
"What do you fuck-" His anger died instantly when he saw his daughter in the doorway. Small with curly brown hair and the biggest green eyes he'd ever seen, she was peering anxiously through the door clutching her favorite of her dolls-the vampire who wore pink.
His resolve broke when he saw the big green eyes fill with tears, the head droop, the chubby cheeks pale, "...Moira.."
She sniffed, "...Baby c'mere. Daddy didn't mean to yell..."
"Mommy said to tell you that Andy's here and that she made sammiches and that she made your favorite and that you should come down and talk to Andy because he's over here for something that's not business for once."
The shame in the room filled him. He clawed at it for a moment, father and daughter staring each other down before he drew in a breath, "...Will Draculaura be joining us for lunch?"
Moira stared at him, "....She doesn't know. She doesn't like it when people are rude."
"I'd like her to join us." He collected his budget and shoved it angrily into his desk, "...She's very good at encouraging you to eat your salads."
Moira had more of her mother's looks then his, but standing in the doorway, doll in one hand, arms on her hips she looked his very image, "...Ask her nicely."
She held out the doll to him. You've got to be fucking kidding me... but the shrink
(dammit, he'd have to add that back into the budget) said that the reason Moira had been stuttering was because of her family's arguing. He'd managed to curb his temper and the problem had disappeared but...
Sighing, he took the dolls small plastic hand in his fingers, "...Miss Draculura, I would be very grateful if you could join us for lunch. You could take your umbrella and..." his throat clenched, "Count Fabulous and convince my lovely daughter and your dear friend to eat her veggies."
Moira looked from him to the doll and Paul prayed Andy didn't walk up the stairs.
"She says she'd be delighted to come."
He loved her smile. It lit up the room and the dreary taxes and budgets that adults had to do. It was all about dolls and toys and imagination with her.
He was never that young.
Grinning, he scooped her up, "C'mon squirt, let's go to lunch."
--------
Andy Gray didn't know what was more perfect. Joyce Norris, setting out placemats and cooking sandwiches (PBJ for Moira, no crusts, Ham and Turkey for Her, Pastrami and mustard for Paul, Pepperoni for him) or Paul walking down the stairs with his daughter in his arms singing a jingle from a children's show.
They finished at the bottom of the stairs where he watched his partner put the girl gently on the ground. "Man." He rose, shaking his hand, "You lead the good life."
"Yeah." Paul looked exhausted, "You wouldn't believe how much it's costing me."
Joyce had never had a head for numbers. He loved his wife with all his heart no matter what his provocations, but the woman could not add or subtract her way out of a paper bag. This would have been fine except...neither could he.
He could hear his wife downstairs and Moira chattering away about her day, about her dolls (she was obsessed with something called "Monster High") about her friends.
"Paul?"
"Just a second."
"Paul-"
He bit his lip, "Just a second Joy! Jesus! I'm working!"
The voices quieted as he made a list.
House- Too expensive finished paying off second mortgage.
Car A- 650
Car B- 780 (He had to get a bureau approved vehicle.)
Insurance for Cars- 300 and 500 respectively (Fucking Bureau)
Gas
Electric (He'd have to have a talk with his daughter about leaving the lights on in her room-)
"Paul? You done yet?"
He counted to ten, "No."
Cable Bill with Premium Channels (Fucking Showtime. Worse, Fucking TruBlood.)
Internet
Food
Gasoline
"Paul Honey-"
"Not Now Joyce. Jesus Christ what do I have to do to tell you I'm working?"
The noises downstairs quieted as he went back to his list. Is that it? He checked it again before allocating his meager salary to each part of their budget. Rubbing at his eyes, he slid money back and forth until he came out with satisfactory figures that would let them keep the clothes on their back. He was pleased with his numbers, particularly when he found some money for Moira to have a toy budget-
"Daddy-"
"What do you fuck-" His anger died instantly when he saw his daughter in the doorway. Small with curly brown hair and the biggest green eyes he'd ever seen, she was peering anxiously through the door clutching her favorite of her dolls-the vampire who wore pink.
His resolve broke when he saw the big green eyes fill with tears, the head droop, the chubby cheeks pale, "...Moira.."
She sniffed, "...Baby c'mere. Daddy didn't mean to yell..."
"Mommy said to tell you that Andy's here and that she made sammiches and that she made your favorite and that you should come down and talk to Andy because he's over here for something that's not business for once."
The shame in the room filled him. He clawed at it for a moment, father and daughter staring each other down before he drew in a breath, "...Will Draculaura be joining us for lunch?"
Moira stared at him, "....She doesn't know. She doesn't like it when people are rude."
"I'd like her to join us." He collected his budget and shoved it angrily into his desk, "...She's very good at encouraging you to eat your salads."
Moira had more of her mother's looks then his, but standing in the doorway, doll in one hand, arms on her hips she looked his very image, "...Ask her nicely."
She held out the doll to him. You've got to be fucking kidding me... but the shrink
(dammit, he'd have to add that back into the budget) said that the reason Moira had been stuttering was because of her family's arguing. He'd managed to curb his temper and the problem had disappeared but...
Sighing, he took the dolls small plastic hand in his fingers, "...Miss Draculura, I would be very grateful if you could join us for lunch. You could take your umbrella and..." his throat clenched, "Count Fabulous and convince my lovely daughter and your dear friend to eat her veggies."
Moira looked from him to the doll and Paul prayed Andy didn't walk up the stairs.
"She says she'd be delighted to come."
He loved her smile. It lit up the room and the dreary taxes and budgets that adults had to do. It was all about dolls and toys and imagination with her.
He was never that young.
Grinning, he scooped her up, "C'mon squirt, let's go to lunch."
--------
Andy Gray didn't know what was more perfect. Joyce Norris, setting out placemats and cooking sandwiches (PBJ for Moira, no crusts, Ham and Turkey for Her, Pastrami and mustard for Paul, Pepperoni for him) or Paul walking down the stairs with his daughter in his arms singing a jingle from a children's show.
They finished at the bottom of the stairs where he watched his partner put the girl gently on the ground. "Man." He rose, shaking his hand, "You lead the good life."
"Yeah." Paul looked exhausted, "You wouldn't believe how much it's costing me."