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I blanched, his words a slap to the face. “What the hell did you just say to me?”
“I said this is why Mom left. You neverlisten.”
“She didn’t leave me. I leftherbecause she was cheating on me.”
“Because she was miserable,” Wally snapped. “Because you were always working, always going back to serve another tour even though you promised you’d spend more time with the two of us.”
“I don’t know what poison she told you, but I continued to serve so I could earn a paycheck to put food on the fucking table.”
“She didn’t want that. Neither of us did.” Wally’s eyes were wet with the threat of tears, but his lip was curled up with pure anger. “She was so fucking lonely, Dad. But you didn’t know because you were always gone. I can’t tell you how many nights I walked in to find her crying. She missed you so much, but you couldn’t be there for her because the job was always more important. It’sstillthe most important thing to you. You basically live at the office, and you don’t give a fuck about what I want.”
“How the fuck did we make this about me?”
“Because it’s always been about you, Dad!” he exclaimed. “It’s always been about whatyouwant. You want me to go to medical school. You want me to become a doctor. Did you ever stop and think about whatIwanted?”
“Listen here, you ungrateful little—”
“Jesse?”
I turned, startled to hear Vivian’s voice drift into the kitchen from the hall. She stood at the kitchen entrance, hiding behind the tall steel of the refrigerator. Vivian looked between Wally and me, concern written into the tight line of her lips.
“Did we wake you?” I asked softly.
She nodded.
“Sorry, Viv,” Wally mumbled. “We’re done talking now.”
I turned back to face him. “No, we’re not. Far from it.”
“Yes, we are.”
I inhaled deeply. I didn’t want to lose it in front of Vivian. “I didn’t work hard and come from nothing just so you could throw everything away.”
Wally didn’t scream. He didn’t raise his voice. Instead, an intense calm took hold of him. “You know what? I’m done.”
“Done? What do you mean you’re done?”
He gestured vaguely about the space. “With all this. I’m going to pack some of my things and stay with a friend.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I think you’ll find that I am.”
I crossed my arms. “Fine. Leave. About damn time you moved out, anyways.”
“I’m glad we can at least agree about that.”
“Good luck paying rent on a fry cook’s salary.”
Wally’s mouth dropped open like he was about to throw back another snipe, but he closed it and stomped past me. I heard him shuffling in his room, no doubt stuffing a bag —which I wanted to mention thatItechnically bought for him— before trudging to the elevator and getting inside.
“Sorry Viv, but this is exactly what I told you he was like. Good luck dealing with him.”
The penthouse, once consumed with noise, was now uncomfortably quiet.
Vivian stood there staring at me.
“What?” I grumbled.
