Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 107352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
All kinds of things came out of storage. They had watched their mother decorate for years, so they all knew where everything went. When Griff brought Tatum an enormous Rubbermaid box and asked her to do the kitchen, she cried and hurled herself into his arms. He hugged her back and whispered into her hair that they would never miss another holiday. She nodded a lot, and because I’d bought a box of tissues for the kitchen, I had her blow her nose until the tank was empty. I got a hug after that.
They simply needed permission, and bam, instant warmth, instant decorations, instant stark, sterile home gone, cozy happiness unlocked. I was in awe. All that restraint because they’d been worried about each other and their father.
“You have to talk to each other all the time,” I stressed once we were all sitting at the dinner table.
No one said a word.
“People,” I grumbled.
“Sorry,” Darwin said breathlessly. “I will. Talk, I mean. I won’t not say what I want anymore. I promise.”
“Good,” I said, taking a sip of my water and then glancing at Griff and Tatum, and then back to Darwin, noticing he was staring at me again. “What’s going on?”
Griff cleared his throat. “We haven’t been at the table at the same time since before Mom left.”
“Oh. Okay.” I looked at each one. “Is it all right?”
“Yes,” Tatum said, voice soft and thready. “I like the music too.”
I was old-school, so my iPod got hooked up. I had no idea how to stream anything, but it worked well with the pricey audio equipment in the living room.
“I don’t hate this,” Darwin assured me, “but I haven’t made my mind up completely.”
“I’m sure John Coltrane appreciates that,” I told him.
I passed the pasta bowl around, the sauce, and then made everyone take a serving of salad. I was surprised they did it without complaint. Apparently, Caesar was all right. There was crusty garlic bread too that they all liked. I was pleased they were all eating so well.
“Nash?” Griff said.
“Yeah, buddy?”
“Are you not drinking wine because you think I’m an alcoholic?”
“Yes,” I answered honestly, because that was the only way it could be between us.
He nodded. “I’m not, though. I promise I can stop. I’ve never drunk any of Dad’s bourbon or Mom’s wine because both of those are disgusting.”
“Well, tomorrow while you’re cleaning your room, I will be getting rid of all the wine. And so you know, while you were crashed on the couch, I went through your room.”
“Okay.”
“And after checking the toilet—”
“That’s dis—”
“The back, dummy, not the bowl.”
“Oh,” he said, surprised.
“Yeah, he didn’t think you were making jailhouse hooch,” Tatum chimed in, and we all turned to her.
“What? That’s how you make booze in prison. In your toilet.”
“Seriously, what is she watching?” I asked Griff.
He started laughing.
“But I also examined all your hanging rods, and nothing.”
“People hide stuff inside there?”
“Yep. In light fixtures, in the ceiling, which, you don’t have tiles in your room, so that wasn’t an option. But I looked in your drawers, under your drawers, everywhere. And you’re right, there’s nothing there.”
“I told you, but I get why you had to see for yourself.”
“We’re not friends, you get that, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I am your guardian. I will take care of you. That’s my job, and I like it.”
“You do?” Tatum asked.
“Yes, ma’am, I do.”
“You said you would never leave what’s yours,” she confirmed.
“That’s right.”
“So you would never do what Mom did?” Griff asked me.
“I would have made you guys go with me, and maybe that would have been a mistake. And maybe because your mom trusted your dad, she didn’t worry as much.”
All three sets of eyes locked on my face.
“That’s what I think.”
“She was going to have a baby,” Tatum said softly. “It means we’ll have a half brother or sister we’ll never know.”
Darwin turned his head away and wiped at his eyes.
“I haven’t been a great big brother, but I’m gonna change, and I would be careful with a baby,” Griff promised as his eyes filled.
So much grief and pain. “I know you would be, and I know you’re a good brother,” I assured him.
He winced. “How do you know?” His voice broke as he sniffled.
“Because today, both Darwin and Tatum wanted to come with me to pick you up at the police station. And yes, they had to because I don’t know who I can trust in this town, but before I said they had to, they both insisted on accompanying me. They wouldn’t have cared if you weren’t a good guy to begin with.”
His eyes went to Tatum first, then at Darwin, who were both crying. “I’ll be great from now on, you’ll see.”
They nodded.
Griff’s attention was suddenly focused on me. “And you can drink wine, okay?”
“We’ll figure it out, all right?”