Both Can Be True by Jules Machias

Author:Jules Machias
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Published: 2021-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

16

Chewbarka’s Person

Daniel

My heart sinks as the door closes behind Ash. She’s on my side. I want her here. But I don’t want her to see this meltdown.

Dad faces the front, exhales, and grips the steering wheel. He’s still wearing his wedding ring. He turns to face me. “What you’ve done today is not safe. You’re not biking home alone.”

“I’m not alone. Ash is with me.”

“I’m calling your mother.” He reaches for his phone.

“Do you want me to tell her about Grace?” I blurt.

Dad pauses. He presses his lips together.

“I actually did want to see you.” I smear at my face with my sleeve. “I didn’t come here just to ask about the dog. But please don’t tell Mom about her. She’ll get mad at me for being ‘irrational’ or whatever.” My drippy state isn’t helping my case. “I can get Chewbarka back to her owner. I don’t need your help.”

Dad takes another deep breath. I feel like a burden. “How’s school going?”

I blink at the sudden subject change. “What?”

“You got some bad quiz scores this week. You look exhausted. Have you really only had that dog since Friday?”

“You look at GradeFolder?”

“Every day.”

“Instead of, I don’t know, actually talking to us?”

“I called you every day the first week I was in the apartment. You answered your phone exactly once and gave me one-word answers.”

I hug Chewbarka.

“You’ve always hated talking on the phone. But that’s not what was going on. Was it?”

“I didn’t . . .” I didn’t know what to say. It seemed mundane to discuss my day-to-day life. To tell him about getting a typical B-plus on a science quiz. About doing my math homework. Missing Frankie. And if I couldn’t talk about the boring stuff, how could I talk about the important stuff?

“I’m concerned about you,” Dad says. “I want you to be happy. I can see that you’re not.”

“Then come home.” I sound petulant. “Mitchell’s a mess without you. He needs you around.” It’s easier than saying I need him too.

“We told you, this move knocks forty minutes off my commute each way. It’s practical.”

“Do you think we can’t put two and two together? Are you that hard up for free time that you literally abandoned your family?”

He closes his eyes. “Let’s not be dramatic. Nobody’s abandoning anyone.”

“Why don’t you just tell me and Mitch the truth? That you guys are getting a divorce?”

“Who said anything about a divorce?”

“Maybe Mom will when she finds out about Grace.”

Dad rubs his forehead the same way Mom does when she’s stressed. I wonder which of them picked up the habit from the other, or if they’ve both always done it. “Okay,” Dad says. “Fine. Sort out the dog situation on your own, since you clearly don’t want my help. But I’m not letting you two bike back home. It’s too far. I’ll drive you.”

“Our bikes and the trailer won’t fit in your car.”

“The trailer’s collapsible. We’ll put the back seats down. You can sit up front holding the dog. Ash is a little smaller, so she can squeeze in the back with the bikes.

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