I see Nav and my dad laughing their whole voices out. I hide behind the wall. As my father isn't he supposed to be beating up Nav instead of toasting to their... whatever they do. I don't want to eavesdrop my dad's conversation but I have to or else I'd be superficially selfish if I didn't. For my dad's sake.

"Frank this is my main man Owen." He tells my dad "Owen this is Frank the new meal ticket."

"The one who brings home the bacon" Owen says. Bacon? What bacon? Are they talking about what I'm think? Are they talking about drugs? No way my dad would never ever do such a despicable thing he is as noble as a knight. They are probably talking about they rest of the equipments that have still not arrived.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you." I watch aggressively as they shake their hands with pure pleasure.

"Look man the stuff will be arriving tonight. So you better come up with a good excuse to tell your wife why you came home late." My dad has been lying to us this whole time about working late.

"Relax I've got this covered I'll just use the same old excuse that I had to lock up she'll buy it she always does. It works all the damn time." They laugh at my mother's expense how could he? Not this time Frank. I feel betrayed my dad is laughing with the person that almost had me killed last week. What's going on? Was my dad the one that sent them to scare me with guns? Maybe I'm just overthinking this. Nav is my dad's landlord after all. My mind and heart bicker about staying here and listening to they strategy I know they are going to discuss one soon or leave adults conversations to adults conversations. I go with my mind and leave the garage before anyone sees me.

My head can't wrap around the idea of my dad being someone's meal ticket other than his own family's. Does he even know what that is? I think he does. Why am I even going every possible explanation of what bacon could they be talking about and why does my dad has been lying to my mother and I. I want to tell my mother when i get home but i cant I know how talkative she is. She'll just blurt the news to my dad and that is not something I would appreciate so I will remain quiet and go undercover just to gather all my answers then I'll tell my mom. That is going to be a hard one to pull but I've got this.

"I've got this." I say to myself. I past Julie's street without realizing I swear I saw a girl just like her going in that white plank house maybe it was not her and my mind got the best of me again I roll my eyes at my despair. Way to go Dale!

"I can't believe him." I say aloud a few old people stare at me talking to myself as if I'm some lunatic if only they knew what I'm going through. What am I going through? Loss? Lies? Trust? I'm losing myself in the mystic ales. I need to put myself together my mother can sense problems from afar, I know her she might be writing a list of the things she can do just to discover what my dad is hiding I may need to find that list and apply the small tips in my investigation plan more like a plotting scheme. I never thought that I'll be sitting down on a bench not far from my house investigating my dad this is beyond mortifying and it's a disgrace but it has to be done he left me with no choice but to go through with my procedure and confrontation wont do me any good if he is already puffing lies on my mouths face.

My parents are something else. I bet my father knows that my mother is starting to get suspicious and my mother knows that my father is doing something he is not supposed to do. They know! they just won't kiss and tell and I'm exactly like them. When I think of my family it's like I'm watching a comedy show what family investigates each other? Oh yeah a family that keeps secrets I guess. Why am I answering to myself? I groan to myself. I gulp down the half bottle Julie drank up. Man up and go home.

"Why are you late?"

"I passed at dad's." Dale what is wrong with you!!!?

"The workshop?"

"No! No not the workshop sorry I've got a lot on my mind."

"Anything you'd like to talk about?"

"No. It's just school stuff."

"Okay put your bag down and come help me set up the table. Okay?"

"Sure." I vaguely promise her.

"Oh and Dale" I turn sideways to face her.  "Don't expect your father tonight he's working late." My bloods begins to boil another lie. I just nod.