Hollow (Heaven Hill Generations #4) - Laramie Briscoe Page 0,41
family members. It never fails that when you think you’re making progress, another person gets hurt. It’s the cycle that seems to never end, but Dalton, I want it to. Between my issues and your issues, we’ve got to figure out a way to make Walker believe he’s loved.”
“He knows he’s loved,” Dalton argues.
“He does, but we’ve got to make him a priority.”
Dalton makes a noise. “I don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to do here, I’m trying to make sure he has a mother.”
I run a hand over my face. “It’s such a horrible situation, D. Somehow we’ve got to be able to make sure all of us are on the same page and getting the same help. Hearing him cry like that? For so long my emotions have been turned off. I felt that.”
“I felt it too. We can’t fail him, Mandy. We can’t.”
“I know, but what kinda position am I in to help him with his problems when I can’t seem to get a handle on mine?”
“You will get a handle on them, and as a family we’ll face anything that comes our way head-on.”
I want to believe everything Dalton says, but after what we’ve been through, I just don’t know.
“We’ll get through this,” I tell him.
But I’m not sure if I believe it or if he does either.
Walker
“Do I have to go?”
Dad sighs, rolling his head around on his neck. He does that when he’s irritated or stressed. Judging by the way he’s cracking his knuckles before he reaches into his pocket for his cigarettes, he’s both.
“Yes, you should go. You know Doc Jones, and she’d love to see you.”
“You mean she’d love to know what’s going on in my head,” I mumble.
“Sometimes we need to tell other people what’s going on in our heads.”
“Mom didn’t,” I argue.
Dad stops at a red light and looks over at me. “And you know where she is right now.”
That’s not fair, I want to shout, but part of me knows he’s right. Instead I curl up on the passenger side of the truck, hoping to make myself small and invisible. Maybe if I do, he’ll ignore me, just like she did for so long.
We don’t talk anymore. I’m assuming he’s taking me to the home Doc Jones has been in since she broke her hip, and that’s confirmed when we pull into the parking lot.
“I don’t want to go in there.” I try again.
“Walker, we don’t always get what we want.”
“Obviously.”
“Hey!” He reaches out, grabbing me by the arm, pulling me so he can bend down and be on eye-level with me. “I know things have been tough for you. They’ve been tough for all of us, but this attitude is doing nothing for you or me. Talk it out, and get it gone tonight.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” I grit my teeth as I seethe, looking at him. “You weren’t there. You don’t know what it was like.”
“That’s why we’re doing this.”
He pushes me into the building, heading for the elevators. Once we get in, I stand as far across from him as I can. It’s childish, I know, but I don’t want to give him the benefit of being right.
“You can be pissed off at me all you want,” he says as we get closer to our floor. “But you’ll treat Doc Jones with the respect she deserves. You got that?”
I nod.
“Answer me.”
“Yes, sir.”
I ground my back teeth together, irritated he’s acting like a father now, not when I needed him to. The elevator dings, and he motions for me to get off in front of him. As we walk to Doc Jones’ room, I drag my feet.
I’m gonna hate this.
The three of us have been staring at each other for almost an hour. I was hoping if I refused to speak they’d let me go. Doesn’t look like that option is on the table right now.
Doc Jones finally decides to say something. “Walker, why don’t you tell me why you’re so angry?”
“I’m not angry,” I retort, even though my hands are fisted where they rest in my lap.
“Everything about you reads angry, Walker. Do you want your dad to leave? That way just the two of us can talk, or do you want to let it all out with him here? I can promise you there’ll be no repercussions. What’s said here will be done once you leave that door.” She points to the entrance of her room. “Now why are you so angry?”