by Sheri Duff
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
I don’t want to go to school today. Jack hasn’t been to school for the last three days, which makes him ineligible for the game this weekend. My dad and the other coaches are mad as hell. I could care less about the stupid football game. I’m more worried about my boyfriend.
My boyfriend. I don’t even care that he’s been to jail. I don’t care why or how or when or how long. I want him back. I need to know he’s okay, and the only one that might have that information is Alicia.
I find her sitting at the island in the kitchen, scanning her tablet. Both dogs are under her chair. They don’t move when I enter the room.
“Can I ask you something?” I say quietly.
She puts her reader down. “He’s fine.”
“Is jail the secret?” I can’t bring myself to say the words jail and Jack in the same sentence. It doesn’t even seem possible.
“Yes…that’s why your dad didn’t want him around you.”
Alicia informs me that Jack’s stepdad Billy had left his mom, but not before taking everything she had and beating her up—again. “That’s part of the reason he didn’t play football his sophomore year in Kentucky,” Alicia says. She stands and starts putting food together on a plate.
“I didn’t know he didn’t play last year.” I pour myself a cup of coffee.
“Billy beat up Jack’s mom. Jack beat up Billy.” Alicia hands me the vanilla creamer.
I pour the creamer into my coffee, which is more cream than coffee.
“After Lily and Sissy bailed him out of jail, I helped Lily find support systems out there, and he survived. The kid has been through too much crap. And he still has court. He put Billy in the hospital.”
“How do you do it?” I sit on the bar stool at the island.
“Do what?” She pulls a breakfast burrito out of the microwave and sets it in front of me.
“Work with messed up families. I mean, you see so much bad stuff. I don’t know how you do it and keep a smile on your face. It’s like that baby on the news a few weeks ago. The mother’s stupid boyfriend killed him. He shook that baby so hard it killed him. Who was watching out for that baby? Crap, his mom was doing drugs.”
My father bangs into the room before Alicia can answer. “I’ve had enough of your shit, Massie Trask. Go to your room. I’ll be up in a minute. You and I are going to talk.”
I don’t care anymore. I really do hate him. I fall off the bar stool and it crashes to the floor. My legs feel weak. I have to get out of here. This time, I’m never coming back.
Alicia stands in front of me to block me from leaving. She gently places her hand on my shoulder. I allow my body to relax but only for a moment. I won’t stay long. Once I find my hole, I’ll run right up the middle.
“No, Joel,” Alicia says in a calm voice. “You need to get your crap and find a place to stay until Massie’s mom gets home. You can’t walk into a room, hear half of a conversation, and explode at your daughter like that. Joel, she’s your daughter. You’re supposed to take her side.”
“But you were the case manager for that baby,” he says.
I sink to the floor. I can feel the acid rise to my throat.
“She didn’t know that, Joel. Like you didn’t know that telling your daughter the boy of her dreams had a date for homecoming would shatter her.”
My father stomps out of the room. “I can’t do anything right.”
Alicia pulls me up from the floor.
“I’ll go,” I say. Alicia doesn’t need this. “I can stay with Vianna. Her mom won’t mind.”
“No, you won’t. This is your home too.”
I nod and go to my room. My father marches up to their room and Alicia follows. They stay in quarantine for the rest of the night.