my life. I love her and I love her in a way that I got to tell you, Park… I wouldn’t care who her brother is, nothing would keep me from her.”
I watch a cover come over his face as he locks down his emotions. I know I scored a direct hit, and maybe it was an asshole thing to do, but I can’t help it. Parker can’t lecture me on love, when he’s afraid to take the plunge himself. I know what I have in Violet and I’m never-fucking-ever giving her up.
“What can I do to help you?” he asks after a minute.
“Not a thing. Violet and I are fine.”
“What about money? Jesus, man, this place is a dive,” Parker grumbles and the way he moves his hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck shows me how frustrated he is.
Parker is a fixer. He likes to swoop in and fix any situation. That’s who he is. The problem is, I wasn’t lying. Until this moment, I never realized it, but I really don’t have anything that needs fixing. I have Violet and we’re figuring out shit on our own. If I’m going to be really honest, this is the best I’ve felt about life… ever. I’m just having trouble reconciling the fact that people who were supposed to care the most about me, didn’t really give a shit. That along with the fact that they lied to my face for twenty years and let me think a man who hates me is my father has me messed up in the head. But I will work through that, too, and when I do, I won’t give a fuck about any of them. They aren’t my life now. Violet, and our future together, is.
I doubt Parker would understand any of that, so I say nothing.
“What about money?”
“We’re good. Tuition is paid up for both of us and I’m thinking of selling Lola to tide us over until I get a job.”
“Lola? Your car? Dude you love that car.”
“It’s just a car. I can get an old truck that’s reliable and make sure Vi and I have transportation because I don’t want her walking or on the bus in this neighborhood. I can use the money left over as a nest egg while we make plans. I promise you, I’m fine, bro.”
“You’ll tell me if you need money,” he orders, and I frown. “I mean it,” he snaps, when I don’t answer. “You’d do the same if the roles were reversed and it’d make me feel a hell of a lot better if I could help.”
I sigh. “I’ll tell you,” I respond, but I know in my heart, unless it’s something for Violet, I’m not going to say shit.
“Good enough. I’d like to—”
“Parker man, do you know who the old guy is that lives in the alley?” Cyrus asks, coming back into the house all excited.
“No, who?” Parker and I ask together, because it’s clear he’s someone if Cyrus’s face is anything to go by.
“That’s Rooster Cox. He used to coach in the Big Leagues man!”
“The fuck you say,” I whistle, and Parker seems just as shocked.
We all walk outside to talk to Rooster, and I’m doing it wondering if today can get any stranger. When I go outside and hear Ida Sue and Rooster arguing about if the egg or the chicken came first—I decide it can.
35
Violet
Two Weeks Later
“Where’s Mike?” Lindy whines and I turn away from my conversation with Camden to look at her.
It’s a rare day at Black Mountain when it’s not cold as hell and we’re outside on a picnic table, during break. Mike isn’t here today, he had to go into town and license the truck he bought after he sold his car. I’m feeling so guilty about it, but he won’t listen to me. It’s his job to take care of me. I can take care of myself, but I must admit it’s kind of nice that someone even worries about that stuff. All things considered, even without Mike being here it had been a good day—at least until Lindy showed up.
I rarely dislike people as much as I clearly dislike her. It goes beyond that she used to be with Mike, Lindy is just a bad person in general. I can’t find one redeeming quality about her.
“I don’t see how any of that is your business, Lindy. He kicked you to the curb, remember?”
“I need to talk to him,” she insists,