In the Light of Day

My dad shifts his right leg as he sits almost directly in front of me. He’s partially slumped in his coffee-coloured hotel chair, it’s an unreasonably comfortable chair. I say this only because I still can’t relax in the thing.

We’re on the balcony. The decor is a bit dated. The room has two full-sized beds, the normal two pillows lay snuggled underneath what can only be described as possibly 70’s green and white striped comforters. The carpet has a few burns from before it was a nonsmoking room but still looks alright. A chair, the same as the ones we are sitting in, is next to the bed and I shudder to think why.

“Uhmf, son--,” my dad starts and slightly adjusts in his seat.

“I’m not sure --,” I begin at the same time. I gesture for him to continue. He nods.

“Son, I’m not sure what to say. Why did you come here anyway? You know your mother and I take this trip once a month. I mean we have since before you and your sister were born. You never thought to come by before now.” He rubs his face harshly with one hand, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I wasn’t trying to interrupt anything if that’s what you mean. I--,” I say straightening up in my seat with my feet flat on the ground.

“Don’t be a wise ass. I know you weren’t intentionally trying to stumble upon anything. You’re not half as much of a creep as that. However, why you came at all is still a mystery.”

I stare at my dad and think about how to respond. Fuck it. “I think that’s horrifically ironic coming from you considering,” I say gesturing with my hands out to my sides.

He laughs, “I guess it is. Isn’t it?” He has a big shit-eating smile on his face that suddenly drops. “Still, why the fuck are you here?” Just then, we hear a thud against the wall in the room followed by a moan and the smacking of flesh.

It feels like all the blood has drained from my face and I can’t stop looking at where I think on the wall the thud happened. I keep staring. My dad yet again breaks the silence.

“So again, why are you here?”

I struggle but successfully pull my attention from the wall and look my dad somewhat square in the eyes.

“Carmen said that when you guys came by her house to drop off stuff for her kids. Mom was rummaging through her purse and left some medicine on the kitchen counter,” I retrieve it from my pocket and set it on the table. “She called me to see if I could bring it by.”

He looks at me, picks up the pill bottle. “Thank you. I’m sure she didn’t even realize it was missing. She always leaves something at your sister's when she visits," he visibly relaxes a bit. "Sorry, about what you saw.” He gestures a thumb back towards the door of the room. “It was never anything we wanted you kids to know about, not that we are ashamed but that it can be shocking and make you kids uncomfortable.”

He holds onto the arms of his chair and stood up. I watched him for a beat and then stood myself, following him towards the door. As we walk, I stare at the wall. A hint of cigarette smoke whiffs into my nose after my shoe lifts off the slightly crunchy carpet.

I reach for the doorknob ahead of my dad and open it for him. He nods and exits the room. I look back at the table and our chairs where we sat and close the door. My dad pulls out a key card for the room directly next door. “I’m a creep,” I say under my breath.

My dad turns, looks at me and puts his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t look so bewildered. Honestly, you’re 33 in the 21st century. This is nothing,” he laughs.

Before I can reply, I hear the click of the lock. The door opens and I am smothered by the fumes of ass, sweat, baby powder and what can only be described as lube. Sights and sounds flood me of fleshy bodies slapping together atop this room’s garish 70’s green and white striped comforters all laid out on the floor. While others are bound and gagged like festive Christmas hams. The glare of the light coming in from the partially opened patio doors and curtains almost obstruct my vision until a sigh occurs and there she is. My mother in all her glory taking a big one in the rear and another stuffed into her hand all the while another is suckling her. I turn to my immediate right running smack dab into the wall. My dad looks back at me his face shifts from pity to a smirk.

I bend over to hurl and hear him say.

“Well, geez you got an eye full, huh? Guess the cats outta the bag. Your parents are swingers.”

The door shuts. I am leaning against the wall I ran into. I run my forearm across my mouth, straighten up and stumble my way down the wall. With only the pungent sounds of ecstasy to guide me out.