I've always thought it wasn't my business why our dads hated each other, but now it's affecting my friendship with Drake. I need answers, and I know Mom is in the backyard.
"Who says you are?" she asks innocently.
My mouth drops. "Dad told me I wasn't allowed to leave the house!"
"No. He said you can't go see the Goths."
"Which is pretty much the only place I ever want to go." Really? You mean I could secretly meet Drake somewhere?! "Mom, Uncle Alex is your best friend. WHY does Dad hate him?"
I fold my arms. "Well, I've got time."
"I don't. I need to get dinner going."
"What?! Ten seconds ago, you were happily whittling away at that block of wood."
"And I was about to stop when you walked up."
"Mom, don't lie." I uncross my arms.
Mom looks sad. "No. They're not dangerous, but..." She puts her hand on her mouth and runs inside.
I fist my hands into my hair. Okay, so at least I got out of her that it might have something to do with being dangerous, even if they're not. So, basically, I got nothing out of that.
I stalk Mom the entire time she's cooking, but she won't tell me anything. Even if she did, I'd wonder if she was lying. I've since discovered she can do that really well. Mom doesn't utter a word.
Frustrated, I go upstairs. Just as I'm about to head back down, I catch the two of them talking quietly. Freezing in the hallway, I listen.
"We don't need to tell her anything. She's just a child. She doesn't need to know."
"Graham, she's not a child anymore. She just wants to know why she can't visit the Goths anymore."
Dad's voice sounds angry. "Because when she's over there, she's also around him. And she looks too much like you for my comfort level."
"Are you listening to yourself? Alex is married. And he loves Laura. And if that's the case, why can't the boy come over here?"
Dad answers immediately. "Because he looks just like him! I can't stand looking at him, and I don't want him in my house!" I hear the chair getting pushed back.
The chair gets pushed under the table, and my heart beats faster, afraid Dad is walking right toward me. However, I hear him speaking again. "She'll come around. I understand why she's mad at me."
"Tell her why, Graham. She needs to know, and I'll eventually crack and tell her anyway. Don't make us lose her due to this."
"We're not losing her. We're saving her." Huh?
I don't get to think anymore about what I just heard because I have to back up along the wall and pray Dad is about to go exercise outside. As long as he heads straight out and doesn't turn his head, he won't see me.
That's what happens. Even though he enters the hall, he doesn't turn around while I hold my breath. I carefully climb the stairs again, my appetite gone.
As I digest everything I just heard, the 'his dad loves my mom' theory is the only one that matches. The fact that Dad said that I look too much like Mom proves it.
"You've gotta be kidding me!"
"Don't even go there," Uncle Alex said to Dad.
Well, my subconscious did.
Dad was flipping out that Uncle Alex drove me home. He said he'd have rather I rode with a stranger.
Dad is crazy. This idea is crazy, but what if I'm right?
He's afraid that Uncle Alex will want me since he can't have my mom. How insane is that? But on some level, it fits. Too well. Now, I just have to see if Drake uncovered anything.
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Fun pic:
Stop it! No! No more babies! Not right now!
The way I've done the aging, it's possible that if Graham and Brielle do have another child, it'll be born and aunt or uncle.
Really Bri. You want to put it all on Graham? This whole situation is of your making but Graham needs to explain things.
ReplyDeleteYep. Noticed how all she does is avoid any confrontation? Yeah, you do. Graham would probably do a better job of explaining it anyway. Bri would probably lie before telling the truth, making things worse.
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