Episode 3: Jess

Jo Byekwaso

by Jo Byekwaso

Story

Jim, like most parents, tried and failed to understand his teenage child.

Over the past couple of months, Jess had become obsessed with a specific genre of superhero stories – “Dad, for the last time, they’re not ‘superheroes’, they’re ‘magical girls’!” – hailing all the way from Japan. There was one particular show that she was into, but Jim could never remember the name of it, and that, alongside Jess’ newfound teenage status, meant that Jim felt that he was slowly, but surely, losing sight of his daughter.

As the two were walking back to the car from the Macaulay Sports Centre, Jim noticed that Jess was humming a tune under her breath, said tune was one of many that he managed to recognise from her favourite show.

“By the way, Jess,” Jim began, “what were you doing up so early?”

Jess sighed, as though she were an overworked mother reminding her children to wash the dishes for the umpteenth time. “Dad, I told you, I was in line to snag some exclusive Starmaker Luna merch!” was her indignant response.

“Ah, yeah, that’s that show you like, isn’t it?” Jim recalled. “The one with the magic and talking animals and evil wizards?”

“Yes, that one!” Jess mocked, rolling her eyes at her father’s obliviousness.

“Don’t roll your eyes, Jess; it’s rude,” Jim scolded, causing his daughter to relent with a mumbled, “Sorry.”

As the two finally got to the car, Jim asked again, “So what’s this merch that was so important to you that you abandoned your precious beauty sleep?”

Though she side-eyed her dad for his comment about her ‘beauty sleep’, Jess answered his question. “The author of the original Starmaker Luna manga, Mako Ishikawa, re-released all eight manga volumes with special footnotes and addendums,” the enthusiastic budding gymnast explained. “They even come with signatures and a personal message from Mako! The reason I was up so early is that the competition took place at 3PM in Japan, which is 7AM in our time, but it was worth it, ‘cause I managed to snag a bundle!”

“Right and how much was all this?” Jim asked, causing his daughter to stall. “Because from what you described, I’m certain it cost a pretty penny.”

“. . . ee onths owance . . .”

“I’m sorry?”

“Three months allowance?” Jess said, more like asked, before plastering a smile on her face and hastily snatching the car keys off of Jim, wasting no time in entering the vehicle afterwards in the hopes that they could leave before what she said sunk in for her dad.

She wasn’t successful.

“Sorry, did you just say three months allowance?!”

© Jo Byekwaso 2023-08-23

Genres
Humor & Satire