All I Never Wanted by Katie Klein

Author:Katie Klein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Katie Klein Books

ELEVEN

On Tuesday one of Maggie’s workers didn’t show up for his shift, leaving a register unmanned, which wouldn’t have been too much of an issue, except she had a phone appointment with one of our distributors. She’d missed a dairy shipment and was running low on milk. She asked if I could cover the front until she could get things straightened out.

I left the store forty-five minutes later than planned, arriving at Fairhaven an hour later than usual. I didn’t have time to change, and inhaled my last four Mentos on the drive over before realizing I forgot to buy a new pack before I left.

“Afternoon, Trent,” Valerie said. “Running late today.”

“I know.” I scribbled my name on the sign-in sheet. “It was unavoidable.”

“Well, fair warning. It’s not looking like a good day.” She nodded toward the visitation room and unlocked the door for me.

Crewe was sitting at our table, arms folded, and Summer was in her chair by the window, legs tucked beneath her, hair hanging loose, falling in waves past her shoulders. The air seemed thicker than usual. Charged. Maybe it was the scowls on both of their faces—angry for having to wait. A heavy silence blanketed the room.

I wasn’t sure who to apologize to first—who I’d inadvertently offended more.

“Sorry. Something came up at the store.”

“It’s dinner time,” Crewe reminded me.

“I know,” I replied, pulling out the chair across from him. “I thought I could get here faster. So . . . what’s new since Sunday?”

“Your girlfriend is being a bitch to everyone,” he announced. “Oh, wait. That’s nothing new.”

“Fuck you,” she replied, erasing furiously.

His eyebrows lifted, as if to say: “see what I mean?”

“Anyway,” he continued, “I had an unexpected visitor yesterday.”

“On a Monday?”

“He made an appointment.”

“Who?” I asked, mildly curious.

“Coach Callahan. And guess who has a spot on the team next year?”

“You?”

“Can you believe it? I don’t even have to try out! He’s going to give me the spot I earned last year. Isn’t that awesome?”

Summer laughed before I could answer. “And how much did daddy have to pay to make that happen? Platinum sponsorship? New stadium seating? Lights for the ball field?”

“Are you going to start this shit up again? I already told you! He didn’t have to pay anything,” Crewe argued. “I deserve a spot on the team.”

“Crewe is a great baseball player,” I added, defending my brother. “He’s made the team every year.”

“I’m not saying he isn’t, but when someone makes an appointment to see you to deliver news like that, you can be sure as hell phone calls were made. The real question is, what kind of kickback did Coach get for letting you on the team without a try-out?”

“You’re just jealous,” Crewe said.

Summer scoffed. “You’re right. I’m jealous because I don’t have Mommy and Daddy’s bank account coming to my rescue every time something goes wrong.”

“You’re jealous and you’re bitter because your best years are going to be spent sitting under a tree in a mental institution. If they ever let your sorry ass out of here,” Crewe said.

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