Mine by Jennifer Suzanne

Author:Jennifer Suzanne [Suzanne, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Chris held the nail in place and hit it precisely on the head three times with his hammer. He stood back and placed his hands on his hips to admire the perfection of his work; with his attention entirely focussed on the straight shingle, he didn’t hear his foster father approach.

“Chris? What the hell are you doing, man?”

Chris jumped back, startled, and stared into the weathered, cold face of the man he loathed. It never occurred to him that he’d be there, even though he’d had no idea what his schedule was now or if he was even working. Charlie’s work habits had always been sporadic; sometimes there would be months at a time between jobs. Chris felt nothing but disdain for this man, with his same worn jeans, his long dirty hair, tied back in his signature ponytail, and greying beard. Chris towered over him now, but inside, he still felt small and unworthy in his presence.

“I told you, you need to stay away from here. I don’t want to call the cops, but I will.”

Chris looked right through him, not really hearing what he’d said. His mind wandered back to the basement, to the fear and isolation, to the times when he’d begged for this man’s love.

“Chris! Are you listening to me?!” Charlie yelled.

“What? Yeah, Charlie. I heard you.”

Chris shoved his cold hands into his jean pockets, looked at the ground, and turned his back to him. “I fixed the shutter,” he mumbled as he walked away.

Charlie hunched his shoulders as he trudged through the mud and leaves of his front yard and returned to the house, but then he remembered something and turned. “Hey, Chris? Saw Jess on the subway the other day. She looks knocked up. Is she?”

Chris turned and glared at Charlie, his face crimson.

Charlie shrugged and continued to walk away. He laughed to himself when he thought about what little losers the two of them had been when they’d arrived, how scared and weak they were. It was clear why their parents hadn’t wanted them; they weren’t strong, not like he was when he was a child. He was surprised they’d turned out as well as they did—made something of themselves, even. Chris had made all that money on computers, and Jess had joined the army—all thanks to his influence. He’d toughened them up so they wouldn’t fail in the world. Matter of fact, he still felt Chris should’ve given him some of that money; he and June had taken him in when no one else wanted him. He remembered the look on Chris’s face when he had said so a few years back. He shook his head as he headed back inside the house. Chris might be a man now, but he was still an ungrateful brat.

***

Chris sat in his truck around the corner; he blew on his hands and waited for the heat. His heart bashed against his chest wall at the gall of that man for even mentioning Jess’s name.

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