Page 122 of Turning Back

Chapter Thirty-Three - Quin

The door buzzes.

I don’t get up.

It opens and closes.

I stay right where I am. Sitting in a chair, looking out the window in the second bedroom. It’s dark out now. I didn’t watch the clock today. I forced myself to stay in here where there is no chance of glancing up above the fireplace and seeing what time it is.

Three o’clock came and went hours ago.

I can see Rochelle’s reflection in the window when she finds me. There’s just enough light seeping through from the main room so I can see her clearly. She leans her hip against the door and waits.

I do not move.

“I see you made some changes to the living room,” she finally says. “It looks nice,” she says. “Very homey now.”

“I did,” I say. “And homey was what I was going for.” But we can talk all about my new décor later. “

Where’s Adley?”

She holds up the key to my apartment. “With Chella. She gave me Smith’s key to your condo. Did anyone call you?” she asks.

“No,” I reply.

“Why didn’t you show up?”

I take a deep breath and exhale. “Because I wouldn’t be able to take it.”

“You’re her father, Quin.”

I turn around, so angry that she’s so clueless. “I don’t need a fucking DNA test to tell me that, Rochelle. I have been telling you she’s mine for weeks. I know she’s mine. There was never any question in my mind that she was mine. And for the record, I never thought you cheated on me. Give me a fucking break, OK? I know you better than that.”

Her face scrunches up. Like she’s not sure what to make of that outburst. “Then why did you ask for a test? Why walk out angry? Why, Quin?”

“I didn’t need the DNA test, Bric did. And the reason I didn’t show up wasn’t because I can’t handle the truth. I stayed home because I couldn’t…” I sigh. This is harder than I thought it would be.

“Couldn’t what?” she asks.

“I didn’t want to see Bric’s face when he found out she was mine, OK? I couldn’t do it. I don’t want to hurt him, but he forced me. He was fucking everything up, Rochelle. Can’t you see that? He never loved you.”

“So you say,” she says.

“No, I know. Bric likes to pretend he’s invested, Rochelle. And this time his little fantasy got out of hand. Those lies?” I shake my head. “I wasn’t mad at you for that. I knew you’d never do that if he didn’t fill your mind up with his stupid bullshit. He manipulated you. Just like he manipulates everyone. It was all him. And I know I’m the easy-going one here, I get it. But I have to draw a line somewhere. So I did. Those lies were it for me as far as Bric is concerned. I asked for that test to bring him back to reality. He walked out, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” she says softly. “He did.”

“I knew he would. And even though I feel bad because I know somewhere, deep inside him, he feels bad tonight too, I also know it won’t last. He will be right back to the way he was by tomorrow. He’s gonna go to the Club, fuck a girl, get drunk, and pretend all this never happened. You just watch.”

“So you hate him now?” she asks.

“Hate him?” I laugh. “I didn’t go through all that bullshit because I hate him. I love him, for fuck’s sake. But he’s got to learn that people are real. They’re not objects. They’re not things to manipulate. I didn’t do this to hurt him. I did it to help him.”

We think about this for a little bit. She comes over to me and sits in my lap. “Well, I guess we’ve got him all taken care of. What about us? Where are we now?”

I shrug. “I dunno.”

“You don’t know?” She scoffs at me. “Either we patch it up, Quin, or we go our separate ways. And I’m not talking about leaving town with Adley, so don’t say ‘Let’s patch it up’ because you’re afraid I’ll take her away. I won’t.”