The Summer I Learned to Dive - By Shannon McCrimmon Page 0,51
the road ahead. He put his hand up to his forehead and rubbed it across his face.
“Is it your dad?” I pressed. I was probably taking it too far, asking too many questions, but I wanted to know. I wanted to help. He looked at me quickly and then back at the road.
“It’s nothing. Just stay out of it,” he said abrasively.
“I’m sorry,” I said somberly. “I just want to help,” I added quietly.
He sighed. “I appreciate it but there’s nothing you can do. That phone call…that was not the first time I’ve gotten a call like that. It’s one of thousands. He’s too drunk to drive home. So you know what?”
I didn’t answer him.
“They call me to come pick him up. It’s a regular thing, picking up my drunk dad and putting him to bed. So when I say it’s nothing, I mean it because it has become such a routine that it has become nothing,” he said, his voice raised. He hit the steering wheel with his fist and cursed loudly. I flinched. He saw me and immediately put his hand on my shoulder.
He pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned the engine off. “Finn, I’m sorry I scared you,” he said looking at me.
“It’s okay,” I said trying to smile, trying to shrug it off.
“No, it’s not. I’m just mad and it wasn’t fair to take it out on you. It’s just so frustrating sometimes.”
“I don’t know what to say or what to do,” I said.
He lightly touched my hand. “You don’t have to say anything. You’re being a good friend right now by listening.”
I placed my hand on his and clasped my fingers around it. He smiled at me. “Let me get you home before your grandparents worry.” He started the engine and started driving. He turned the radio up, loud enough so we couldn’t talk. He didn’t want to talk about it and I needed to respect that. Nothing more was said until we reached my grandparents.
“I’ll see you Monday,” he said as I unbuckled my seat belt and opened the car door. I looked at him confused. “Nine o’clock, right?” He asked double checking.
“Yeah, I didn’t know if you still wanted to,” I said.
“Of course I do. I’ll see you later,” he said. I smiled at him and closed the car door. I walked toward the front door and turned around. He was in his car waiting for me to get in the door, watching me get in the house safe and sound, protecting me. It hurt knowing I couldn’t protect him from what he was about to deal with.
“Did you have a good time tonight?” Grandpa asked me. He was sitting in a chair, reading the newspaper. I sat down across from him on the couch.
“It was fun,” I smiled.
“You danced a lot with Jesse,” he added.
I blushed. “Yes.”
“He’s a nice boy,” he continued.
“I know,” I smiled too broadly. I couldn’t help it. I liked Jesse and had no way of containing those feelings for him.
He laughed noticing my red complexion. “Don’t get embarrassed.”
“Grandpa,” I pleaded. “I’m going to bed,” I said before the topic could be further discussed.
“Are you two going out again?” He asked loudly.
“Yes,” I sighed as I stood on the stairs. “We’re going to Dixon Park in a couple of days.”
He nodded in approval. “Good,” he said. I walked quickly up the stairs, embarrassed that I had just discussed my love life with my grandfather.
Chapter 14
My mother left me a message telling me that it was time I came home, that it wasn’t my decision to make anymore. I deleted it immediately. I knew I could not avoid her much longer, but I still wasn’t ready to talk with her. There was no sense in it — she felt the need to shelter me from two loving people who are the only link to my father even if my father was still a mystery to me. I tried to get my grandparents to divulge more about him, but most of their comments were vague and short answers to my questions.
I heard Nana and Jesse talking downstairs. I looked at the clock, it was a little before nine. He was more than punctual. I took a quick shower and pulled my wet hair up into a pony tail. I came downstairs to find the three of them in the kitchen. Jesse was drinking chocolate milk.
“There’s the sleepy head,” Nana said. I smiled, but didn’t say