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Thenot impressedlook appeared on my dad’s face, and his verbal response was equally as unimpressed. “Hmm.”
Right.
I couldn’t do this tonight.
“Can I help you guys with something?” I asked brusquely.Stay on target. Stay on target.“I have to go in and do a little work and then I need to get some shut eye.”
My mom’s voice was as distant as ever. “We just wanted to check in about tomorrow.”
Tomorrow.Fuck. What was tomorrow? My planning had let me down. I didn’t have anything scheduled with my parents.
At least I didn’t think so.
Still, I didn’t blink or look at her blankly or give that away. “What time are we meeting again?”
“Nine-thirty.” Her throat worked, giving me the first glimmer of emotion. “At Billy’s place.”
It took everything in me to not react.
Fuck.Tomorrowwas Billy’s birthday.
I didn’t know how I could have forgotten.
Not when we did this every year.
“I’ll be there at nine-thirty,” I told her gently. Be there to celebrate Billy’s birthday as a family. Well, thatwemeaning me, my mom, and my dad. My brother, Jeff, didn’t bother to show up. Bailey’s dad was older, a product of my mom’s first marriage.
But he was also an asshole, and a shitty father.
He’d borne about ten years of my dad—and I’m assuming my dad’s hard press of responsibility—before he’d taken off. Whether he couldn’t stand the pressure or that the burden had increased for JeffafterBilly had died and caused Jeff to take off, I didn’t know.
All Ididknow was that my dad had been full-court press for as long as I could remember. And Jeff had been all about avoiding any responsibility for at least that same length of time.
I also didn’t know if the pressure and the avoidance would still be there if Billy had lived.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
My dad was my dad.
But…my dad was also a product of his circumstances.
“Good, BR.” My dad patted me roughly on my shoulder. “Don’t be late.”
I nodded.
I wasn’t late.
Not ever.
Because of that full-court press from him, the responsibilities driven home and driven deep. Because my parents turned and walked away, leaving me at the trailer to work without a second thought, even though it was nearing midnight.
Bailey had called twice and texted three times, ordering me to bed.
My parents…
Billy’s birthday was tomorrow.
