Page 114 of Saints & Sailors

I narrowed my eyes. “April⁠—”

“Twenty-second,” Scott finished for me. “I know. Ten days after mine.”

April twelfth. My father was born April twelfth.

This little fact made me feel close to him.

“Wanna tell me why you weren’t in school?” Scott brought up next.

Right, I wasn’t even supposed to walk in on my parents because I should’ve been in school.

“Dreux wanted to cut and go swimming for his birthday,” I explained.

“You two just friends, or is there more going on?” Scott seemed genuinely curious as he faced me.

At some point I needed to talk to Dreux, but there was no denying I wanted more of him. “Would you be upset if I said we were more than friends?”

Scott made a face, nudging me in the side. “You kidding? Dreux’s the only one around here allowed to date you.”

I couldn’t fight my smile. At least Scott approved.

A car came down the street and pulled in next door. The windows were down on the BMW and I could see Angela in the passenger seat and Dreux in the back. They stepped out of the car and René was leaning over the passenger seat to say something to Angela.

Beside me Scott looked on. “Be careful. He’s a good kid, and so are you. Just be smart.”

Angela made her way for their front door, but Dreux came our way once he noticed us. In his untucked gray dress shirt and loose tie, his shoulders sagged. His hands were in his black slacks as he came to a stop in front of us. René blew the horn as he drove off behind him, but Dreux didn’t budge to wave or glance back.

Scott whistled sharp and loud. “You clean up nice, kid.”

He did. Even if he wasn’t properly wearing his tie and his shirt wasn’t tucked in.

Dreux ducked his head, bashful. “Thanks, Scott.”

“Have a good dinner?” Scott asked.

Dreux gave a bitter smile as he shrugged. “It was the usual.”

Scott frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s whatever. We got to talking about baseball, and he says he’s going to make an effort to see me play my last season.”

“That’s something.”

Dreux loosened up. “It’s a start.”

Scott squeezed my shoulder before he stood up. “All he can do is try.” He looked between Dreux and me and smiled. “I’m going to head in. Have a good night, Dreux.”

Scott disappeared into the house. Dreux looked over at me and I looked down at my sneakers. I felt him come closer, leaving me no choice but to face him.

“Hey,” he said gently, giving a little wave.

His soft approach made me relax. “Hey.”

Dreux sat down on the step in front of me.

“Everything okay?”

My parents had hooked up, my mother was getting divorced, and Scott was still into my mother after all this time. Things were messy and complicated—fucked.