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52
PETAL
“But Rake,maybe he has a point?AmI distracting you? Throwing you off?” Petal asks when I finally get my ass up to the apartment.
I take her by the shoulders and look her right in the eye. She needs to know how serious I am, more serious than I’ve ever been in my life, and that I mean every word I’m about to say.
“Baby, I’ve made excuses for my father all my life, but his going after you is the end of the line. I’m not accepting his bad behavior any longer. I’ve put up with him to keep the family peace, but what he just did has made me realize I can’t keep letting him get away with bullshit, not if he’s going to drag you into it.”
Her eyes are wide with concern. “I just want to be sure, Rake,” she says, “I mean, would he really say that if it wasn’t true, at least in some regard? I know we already discussed this but I can’t be responsible for jeopardizing your career.”
I take her hand and bring her to the sofa. Betty’s in the kitchen but is smart enough to leave us alone to do our thing.“First off, practice today was great. No issues.But—if there were an issue, which there is not, with my head not being in the game, it could happen for a variety of reasons. Hell, the position of the fucking moon in the sky could throw a guy off if he let it.”
I give her a second to take this in.
“So, if and when issues come up, we address them. We don’t let them hold us back. No one can ruin my career but me. No one can make me successful but me. If I have a problem, no matter what it is, it’s up to me to address it. I can, and I will. Do you get what I’m saying?”
She gives me a half smile. “You’re saying I can’t fuck you up, that you can do that all on your own?”
“Yeah. Something like that. My dad was way off base for approaching you the way he did. I plan to have a very clear conversation with him to let him know that.”
She waves her hands. “Well, I don’t want you to get into some kind of fight with your dad.”
I shake my head. “It’s not that, Petal. I just realized today that I’ve needed to have a come-to-Jesus with him for a long time. You might be the catalyst that brought it to light, but you are not the reason it’s needed. He just revealed his true colors. Actually, maybe he showed his true colors a long time ago and I was in denial about it.”
She puts a hand on her chest. “I’ve seen all kinds of family drama in my life. I’d hate to see you guys estranged.”
If that’s how things play out, so be it.
“Petal, I can’t control the man, but I can draw boundaries with him, and a big one will be to stay away from you until he can treat you with respect. And I’d like for you to quit thinking about us breaking things off.”
She grins and I know she’s about to be her usual smart-assed self. “I’ll think about it.”
“Thanks, smarty pants.”
She goes to the kitchen for a couple beers, and I watch her cute ass under her blue jeans. When she comes back, I point at her feet.
“Did you know you have a hole in your sock? You need me to get you some new socks?”
She juts her chin. “A little hole in one’s sock is no reason to throw it out. I can get at least a few more years’ wear out of this sock. And look, the matching one is still just fine. You should see some of my old underwear?—”
“No, no, no. You are not wearing old underwear, baby. I gotta draw the line somewhere. I love that you’re thrifty, even when you don’t have to be. But bad underwear is just… bad.”
“Well then, what about my period panties?”
Oh God. She’s really going there.
“I… I have nothing more to say about the matter,” I sputter.
Seriously. End of panty conversation.
“Well, what aboutyourunderwear?” she asks.
I crane my neck to see around the corner and whether Betty is listening, but she’s humming while stirring multiple pots on the stove.
“What the hell is wrong with my underwear? I wear the same boxers that practically every other guy walking down the street does. There’s not a lot of variety for men to choose from.”
She drums her fingers on her chin. “I could swear I saw the other day a loose piece of elastic on one of yours. So I guess you have to throw them out now.”
