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Was she really in love with me? How could she lecture me about the treatment of some woman I’d just finished screwing?
Did she really fucking forget?
TWELVE
“‘Do you think we can be friends?’ I asked.
He stared up at the ceiling. ‘Probably not, but we can pretend.’”
~ Priya Ardis
HELEN
I stood in the hallway trying to breathe. But I couldn’t. My mind was going crazy.
He remembered. Shit. He remembered!
Not only did he remember what I did, he was acting weird. Just like I knew he would, so I could only do one thing…lie. I had to pretend as if I didn’t remember. Yes, it was cowardly. But what else could I fucking do? Pretending was easier for both of us.
“Are you alright, Gummy Bear?”
I jumped, not realizing he was right beside me. He frowned, his head tilting to the side slightly, eyeing me carefully. Before he could question me, I spoke up. “Hi, Dad, sorry. I’m just a little...” I didn’t have the word, so I just skipped over to more important matters. “Don’t call me Gummy Bear!”
“Why not? You love gummy bears.” He laughed at me. “When you were little, you would inhale a bag like your life depended on it, and your cheeks would get so big—”
“Dad!”
“Okay! I promise not call you Gummy Bear…to your face.” I knew that was the best he could do, and he still wasn’t going to keep that promise. “Don’t glare at me. I’m so glad to be home.”
He opened his arms to me. Smiling, I hugged him tightly, feeling him squeeze back. “Ah! Dad!”
“HA!” He laughed at me before letting go. “As if your little arms could put a dent in me. Don’t you know I’m made of stone?”
I made a face at him, crossing my arms as I reminded him, “Just wait, Dad, those bones of yours are aging quickly.”
His scowled at me, his brown eyes narrowing at me. I stared back at him, and out of nowhere he stuck his tongue out at me.
My mouth dropped open; “Did you just—”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Come on, we don’t want to keep Grandma waiting,” he said, adjusting his tie.
Shaking my head, I walked down the hall with him, resting my head on his shoulder. “Dad, you’ll support me in anything, right?”
“Hell, no.”
> “What?” I stopped. We’d only made it five steps.
He said seriously, “I’ll support you in almost anything but if you tell me you plan on leaving the family and joining a comic book cult, I’d smack you over the head.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “Where does one find a comic book cult?”
“You laugh, but I lived long enough to know not to doubt the stupidity of some people.” He nodded to himself, and he looked like he had really thought about it.
Exhaling, I shook my head and took his arm again. “You are ridiculous, Dad.”
“Me? When you were seven you said you were going to run away to comic-con if I didn’t take you.” He chuckled, shaking his head.
I grinned, remembering. “You had fun with me! You even got into an argument with a Wookie.”
