AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know. I saw you. You looked good out there.”
“Thanks.”
He had put his shirt back on before we left the park, but I still had it on my mind to ask him about the scar.
We walked up the steps to the porch of my house. He said, “I’ll see you at school on Monday.”
“Wait. Can you come in for a minute?”
“Uh, yeah. Okay.”
When we walk inside. I say, “Hey Dad.”
“Hey, dear. Hey, Stewart.”
“Hey, Mr. Bailey,” Stewart replied.
“What are y’all up to?”
“We just left the park,” I responded. “Where’s mom?”
“She had to run to the store. She’ll be right back.”
“All right.”
I continue back to my bedroom with Stewart following me. I step inside, close the door and say, “Okay, dish.”
“What are you talking about, girl?”
“When I was watching you play, you took off your shirt, and I saw something on your chest. What is it?”
“It’s nothing, Tess.”
“No, don’t brush me off.” I walked closer to him, grabbing at his shirt.
“Tessie, stop,” he said, laughing.
“No. Let me see it.”
“No,” he said, pushing my hands away. “I don’t want you looking at my man boobs.”
I chuckled. “Stewart, it’s me. Let me see.”
He caved. He always caved to me, but I could tell he didn’t want to. I was almost bothered that I felt like I was making him do it, but I wanted to see it.
He pulled up his shirt. He said, “It’s just something else that makes me look hideous.”
Amazed, I placed my hand flat on his chest over the scar. “What happened?”
“It was a surgery I had when I was like three. It’s not a big deal.”
“Well, it’s not bad, and it doesn’t make you look hideous.”
“Stop lying, Tessie. You’re always being nice to me.”
“I’m not lying. This scar makes you who you are.”
“Just like the birthmark on my face, right? All of it makes me a monster. You don’t have to pretend otherwise.”
