AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After we disconnect the call, I stride with stiff legs to my car and climb into the driver’s seat, where I pause to breathe in deeply through my nose and exhale in big gusts out my mouth.
In. Out. In. Out.
Doesn’t help.
“Fuck you! You piece of shit greedy dick-nosed scumbag!” My fists pound the steering wheel with each curse and insult.
I only stop when I accidentally set off the car alarm.
Just when I start to get centered in my life, my father has to ruin it. And the ridiculous thing is if Bill Lamont had just been a slightly decent human being, he wouldn’t have had to fight me for this money.
Because by every account, he was the one who urged my mother to cut off contact with her parents when they didn’t approve of him. Instead of trying to be a better man, someone Wai Po and my grandfather could respect, Bill got their daughter to ghost them.
Not that I’m giving my mother an out, but she’s always let my father lead. And if he’d suggested mending bridges, she would have done it. After my brothers and I were born, my grandparents likely wouldn’t have fought against the match.
But no. Neither my mom nor my dad ever reached out to Wai Po. Not in over thirty years.
And now he wants her money?
I’m still a swirling cloud of anger when I walk in my house, but I stifle the turbulent emotions enough to crouch down and give my dog the love and affection she deserves for being the most adorable doggo in the world.
“Sweet piggy puppy,” I murmur to her while giving her belly a thorough scratching.
The sound of guitar strings drifts to me from deeper in my house, enticing me toward the soothing noise. I know what I’ll find at the end. And that only makes me eager to seek the origin out more.
I find Charlie on the back deck, sitting on the steps that lead to the yard. His body curves over the wooden neck of the guitar. He’s not playing a song at the moment. His fingers twist the little nobs I think are used for tuning.
Despite spending a decent amount of time around musicians, I still have little clue how their instruments work.
The random, directionless strums he makes should be annoying. But to me they sound comfortable. Casual. They show me Charlie is relaxed enough here to fiddle with the hobby that makes him happy. He’s not rigorously practicing to become some huge music star. He’s just having fun.
I need more fun.
I need more Charlie.
“Hey.” His voice pulls me out of my head, and I realize I was staring off into the distance while listening to him. “You’re home. How was work?”
Anger still thrums in my veins, not as strong as before but enough to have me holding back my words. Worried I’ll end up snapping at Charlie though he’s done nothing wrong.
Instead of answering, I settle onto the step beside him. Close enough that my leg and hip press against his. That our arms brush.
“Is something wrong?” He keeps his voice careful, his hand releasing from the guitar to cover mine where I’ve left it resting on my knee.
I shouldn’t be doing this. Demanding comfort from him with my body. The man is already doing enough for me. There’s nothing in our contract about being my emotional support beam. But I don’t move away.
“Not really.” Whatever my dad comes up with, I’ll prove he’s lying. All this means is more frustration and headaches. But the course forward hasn’t been derailed.
Pig trots past us, bumbling her way into the yard until she finds a mangled rope toy and drags it over to us. I grab hold of one end, playing tug-o-war until I trick her into loosening her hold. Once I have possession of the toy, I send it flying across the yard, and her stocky legs work overtime to chase after it.
“Let’s do takeout tonight and watch one of those K-dramas,” Charlie offers, not pushing me on why I’m not okay.
I snort. “One of those K-dramas? You say that like you didn’t watch every second of the last episode with me. And I heard you groan when I turned the TV off instead of starting the next one. You’re a K-drama fan too. Just admit it.”
“Guilty.” He strums a dramatic chord. “I can’t get over the way they stare intently at each other for five minutes straight.” Charlie gazes at me now, making his eyes overly wide until I can’t help laughing. “And damn, they know how to make a cliffhanger.”
“So true.” I sigh. “You can play a little longer. I’m not hungry yet.” Besides, watching Pig do a happy roll in the middle of my lawn helps dispel some of my annoyance.
“You don’t mind?”
