Ever the Same by BA Tortuga

Author:BA Tortuga [Tortuga, BA]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2015-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“We want to keep her here with us, Dixon. Not forever. Just for a year. One school year. She can go to private school here. There won’t be fights. There won’t be drama. You’ve got to figure yourself out. You can’t live with your parents forever.”

God.

God.

Dixon sat there on his bed, listening to Marcy and Bill, Ron’s parents, explain in their ever-so-exotic accents that he wasn’t capable of raising their granddaughter.

God.

“Guys, I don’t think—”

“Dixon. Listen to them.” His mom was in on it too. She sounded sad. He got it. She wanted him and Randi to stay.

“She has her own room. We’d love to have her—”

“What is this?”

Marcy and Bill were supposed to be just driving Randi home, staying for a couple of days. That’s it. Not… whatever this was.

“We just want what’s best for both of you,” Bill murmured.

“It’s an intervention, Bro,” Dalton said from the doorway. He could tell from the echo of his brother’s voice where he stood.

“An intervention?” So, Dad was here too, somewhere. Great. They should put him on television like a drunk. “I assume Dad got Randi duty.”

“He did.” His mom sighed. “He thinks we’re pushing.”

“You are. You’re wanting me to give my baby girl away. Have you lost your mind?”

“No.” Dalton was the one who surprised him, speaking up loud. “I graduate this year. As soon as I can, I’m leaving. I can’t be here to help, and Mom and Dad are getting older. You can’t expect them, or Audie, to take care of you.”

“I’ve never asked Audie to take care of me.” A sick oily feeling began to build inside him, a queasy worry that threatened to send him running for the bathroom.

“Who’s Audie?” Marcy’s voice was sharp. “Are you… have you replaced Ron?”

“No one could replace Ron. That’s not how life works.”

“Audie is Randi’s friend’s father. He and Dixon are good friends.” His mom sounded so prim. Worried.

“Audie’s a good man, and I don’t ask him to fucking take care of me. You don’t want to drive anymore, Dalton? Don’t.”

“What? You’re going to just bleed Mom and Dad dry like a vampire?”

“Dalton!” Now his mother sounded pissed as hell. “That is not what is happening, and you know it. You get your butt out of here.”

“You have to learn to function, Dixon, Son.” Bill sighed, the sound gusty. “You need to live. This is not living.”

It was. He knew what dead was. Ron was dead. Dixon might be blind, but he had Randi, his dogs. Audie. “What is it y’all want me to do, huh?”

“Let Randi move in with us for the school year so you can get some training, learn how to function.”

“No.” It wasn’t an option. Randi was the reason he was alive. She’d been gone all summer, and he already felt like someone had torn a hole in him. “She needs me as much as I need her, and you know it.”

“What are you going to do when she’s a teenager? What do you do now?” Marcy asked.

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