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“I’m not.”
“You’re what? You’re staying?”
“Yes.”
“I…what about London?”
“I let them know there was a family emergency. Once you leave for school, I’ll decide what to do.” He picks up his pen and points it at me. “No parties and no boys.”
“I—” I laugh, because everything about this is absurd. My dad shipping my mom off like a misbehaving child and now pretending like he’s parented a day in his life. “I’m nineteen, Dad.”
“And you’re living under my roof. I want you home by eleven p.m., every night.”
It’s a terrible thought to have, but my first is that maybe it wasn’t so bad living with a functioning alcoholic who mostly slept.
“I could move out.”
“You could,” he agrees. “But I’m not sure how you’ll afford BU and an apartment. How much do you make at the community center? Fifteen dollars an hour?”
“You’re threatening to cut me off?”
“That’s exactly what I’m threatening. You asked me to do something, remember?”
I scoff. Anger is eating away at any exhaustion. “I’m going to change, and then I’m going to the lake.”
He nods, already looking back at the papers. Must be something for work. “Be home by eleven.”
My teeth grind as I pass him and head for the stairs. I pause, hand on the banister. “Are we able to visit her?”
“I’ll ask.”
Because of course he didn’t already. I shake my head, then head upstairs to put on my swimsuit.
I arrive at the lake an hour later, a large iced coffee in hand.
Madeline and Tory are lying out on striped towels in our usual spot.
“No Jess?” I ask, pulling my towel out and spreading it in the sand.
“She’s baby-sitting,” Tory replies. “Or nannying. Is there a difference?”
Madeline shrugs.
I shed my shirt and shorts and then lie down on the soft towel, inhaling the scent of lavender from the laundry detergent. Take a long sip of coffee. Chances are high I’ll fall asleep lying here.
I must doze off because the next thing I register is commotion. Male voices join our group. I rub my eyes and slide on my sunglasses, still squinting. The usual crowd has appeared, including Chris, Wes, Josh, Adam, and Charlie. Along with a couple of other guys I don’t know as well, Brian and Noah. They drop their stuff near us and then take off into the lake, swimming to the floating dock a little ways offshore.
“I hooked up with Chris last night,” Madeline announces.
Tory glances at her, sliding her sunglasses down her nose. “Last night?! And you’re telling us now?”
“I was processing. I’ve known the guy since we were kids.”
“Was it good?”
Madeline hesitates. “Yes.”
Tory laughs. “If you had to think about it, no, it wasn’t.”
