AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ATLAS
“Atlas...” My dad hesitatesin the doorway of his house, his eyes wide with shock. “What... What are you doing here?”
What am I doing here?
That’s a really good question. One I’ve asked myself a hundred times during the five hour flight to Boston.
“Can I...” My words trail off as I gesture inside.
“Yes, of course.” He swings the door the rest of the way open and moves to allow me to step inside the house.
I look around the foyer, from the beige walls to the wide staircase that leads to the second floor. It looks exactly like it did the day I left. And even though I spent most of my childhood in this house, I can’t say that it truly ever felt like home. At least not after mom left.
“I apologize for just showing up like this,” I start, turning when I hear my father close the door behind me.
“Don’t apologize. This is your home, too.”
I take a moment to study my father. He looks good. Happy. We look a lot alike. Same hair. Same eyes. Similar build, though he stands about an inch shorter than me and has a few pounds on me. He’s sporting a full, neatly trimmed beard that covers his dimples that match my own.
“Like the beard.” I rub my chin, feeling my own beard starting to fill in. Guess that’s what happens when you don’t shave for a few days. And while normally I rock scruff for a couple of days, I can’t say I’ve ever let it get this long.
Guess you could say I really don’t give a fuck right now. In fact, I’ve given very little fucks about anything since shit with Barlow imploded a few days ago. It was bad enough that I let her walk away to begin with, but then to blow up on her the way I did at the club... Honestly, I don’t know what came over me.
Okay, so that’s not entirely true. Seeing her kiss that guy, fuck, it did something to me. Snapped the last thread holding me together.
I haven’t seen her or Brennon since. Hell, I haven’t been home since the night of the club. I checked into a hotel next to the airport and that’s where I’ve been hiding out. I called off work and emailed my professors, telling my boss I had a family emergency so I wouldn’t be fired and requesting my teachers email me my assignments. I couldn’t bear the thought of running into Barlow so I stayed at that hotel until I got the balls to buy a ticket and board the fucking plane. I don’t know why I thought coming home would magically fix the shit show I’ve made of my life recently, but something told me I needed to be here. So, here I am.
“You like it?” He grins, mirroring my action by reaching up and rubbing his chin. “Eve’s been hounding me about growing it out. She loves facial hair.”
I don’t try to hide my grimace at the mention of step mommy dearest.
Don’t get me wrong, Eve has always been very kind to me, but I’ve never been able to get past the fact that she broke up my family. That her and my father’s affair is the reason I no longer have a mother.
“Suits you.” I nod, not really sure what else to say.
“Are you hungry? Eve has dinner going but I could make us some sandwiches?” he offers.
“No, I’m not staying long.” I watch his expression fall. “I just thought... I was hoping we could talk.”
“Of course. Come on, we can talk in here.” He nods his head before leading me into his home office which sits right off the foyer.
He takes a seat behind his desk while I slide into one of the leather chairs that sits opposite him, crossing my legs at the ankle before tangling my fingers in my lap.
I don’t know why I’m so fucking nervous, but I feel like a teenager that’s royally fucked up and is now awaiting his punishment.
“So,” he leans back in his chair, “what did you want to talk about?”
“Mom,” I say after a long beat of silence.
He nods slowly, not at all surprised.
“I was wondering when this day would come. I’ll admit, I thought it would have been years ago.”
“I just want to know why you did what you did,” I cut him off before he can say more. “And why, when she left you, she felt like she had to leave me, too.”
“Atlas.” He blows out a slow breath. “There is so much about this situation you don’t understand. Things, that at the time, I didn’t think you were old enough to understand. I kept telling myself, one day, one day I would explain it all. But when that day finally came, you were no longer willing to listen.”
