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“In the basement, watching the movies I rented for them.”
She smiled, kissed his cheek, and said, “Such a good boy.”
His answering smile was stiff and lacked his usual warmth, but she didn’t seem to notice. Marlene kicked off her high heels and picked them up, holding them clutched to her side, before going to the fridge to grab a bottle of Sprite.
Daniel watched her until she left the room. He wore another dark expression, similar to the ones that had crossed his face when he heard Adam had given me the bruises.
“Everything okay?”
“Sorry. Yeah.” Daniel shook himself, and then slid into the breakfast nook across from me. I wanted him back on my side where I could feel him near. But it was more than just the table causing the distance. That was plain to see.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, he sighed. “I think she’s still in denial about rehab. She acts like if she just attends a few AA meetings and drinks nothing but soda for the next week, we can all pretend she didn’t fall off the wagon, Grandma and Grandpa won’t take the kids to Florida, and everything can go back to normal again. But that’s not how it works, and I’m not ready to make nice with her. I’m still pissed.”
“Ah.” Here was my chance to be there for him now. “Does she know that?”
He laughed, a sharp noise that wasn’t like anything I’d ever heard from him before. It was almost nasty. “Yeah, she knows. I haven’t exactly been her sweet, steady Danny since I got back. I’ve given her my uncensored thoughts.” Daniel’s mouth tightened. “To which she replies with shit like, ‘At AA they say your attitude is to be expected, and I just need to be patient with you while you work out your anger toward me.’” His jaw snapped shut, and he snorted.
“My mom’s therapist is always telling her stuff like that, too.”
“She sees one?”
“Yeah. She’s abused Valium for most of my life. There was an incident in her childhood, a trauma—” I grimaced. “You don’t want the details. What I’m trying to say is my mom’s a denial junkie.” I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work. “She used Valium to deny I was gay, but she’s in recovery now.”
Daniel’s brows quirked. He huffed an almost-laugh. A few quiet beats passed. “As much as I don’t want to say this, I think you should go now.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry, but it’s time.”
I didn’t want to go. I still hadn’t managed to convince him to let me help, other than by taking over Bobby’s care. But I’d stayed for over an hour, and it felt like his mom’s interruption had broken the spell. Daniel was stiff again now, and his expression was guarded. If he didn’t want me to hang out any longer, then I had to respect that.
As he walked me toward the front door, Daniel’s hand moved down to the small of my back. “Excited for classes to start tomorrow?”
“I guess. Anxious more than anything. Got any advice for me?”
“Not really. You’ll be fine.” Daniel’s lips set in a straight line, and he cast a glance over his shoulder back toward the kitchen. “One of the classes I needed to move forward with my degree is only offered in the fall. Looks like I’m going to miss it.”
“What’s that mean for you?” I asked.
“It means my graduation is pushed back. Again.”
“I thought the board of your dad’s company was eager for you to get the degree and start working?”
“They are. But, funnily enough, Mom’s addiction doesn’t give a shit about that.” Daniel clenched his jaw tight. “Anyway, enough about her. I’m glad you came over today.”
“Thanks for inviting me.”
“Will I see you again soon?”
My heart jumped. “Do you want to?”
Daniel laughed, his lashes lowering on his cheek. “Yeah, I do.” He took hold of my hand and twined our fingers together. “I think you’re right. I do need people around that I can count on. Is that you, Peter?”
“It’s me,” I assured him. I’d makesureit was me.
Daniel walked me out onto the front porch.
About five hundred feet out from the house, a field stretched down to the bend in the river. Closer to the water, I could see a circle of benches had been cut from massive logs. In the center was a large black mark of scorched earth, marring the green lawn with the remnants of a previous night’s fire. I aimed my camera and fired off a few quick shots.
