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“Dad, can you get me some juice?” Serena asks me.
“Manners,” Laney reminds her as she walks toward the door.
“Please,” Serena immediately adds.
“Of course.” I smile, then follow her into the kitchen. “What kind?”
“Grape! That’s my favorite.”
“One glass of grape juice comin’ up,” I singsong as she hops on a stool.
“What do you want? You can’t be here.” Laney’s strained, hushed voice from the living room has me focusing on her conversation. “Go.Now.”
“Who’s that?” Serena asks.
That’s a goddamn good question.
“Be right back. Stay here.” My voice turns stern.
“I’m not leavin’ until I—”
“Dad?” I ask when I see him across from Laney.
“See my son,” he finishes.
“What’re you doin’ here?” I cross my arms, then firmly stand next to Laney.
“You didn’t think my only son returnin’ to town wouldn’t make its way to me, did you? I had to see for myself.” He straightens his tie and bores his eyes into mine.
“Well, here I am. Now you can leave.”
The amused expression on his face makes me want to shove my fist in it.
“You’re done playin’ around in the hay fields, huh? Finally ready to be a dad and husband?” He crosses his arms, firmly planting his feet as if to say he’s not going away that easy. He’s used this intimidation tactic my entire childhood, but it no longer works on me.
I step closer, pulling Laney out of the way so I’m face-to-face with my piece of shit dad. “I know what you did. So take your schemin’, lying self off Laney’s porch and go drive into a ditch. You’re the reason I left in the first place, and you know it.”
“Don’t blame me for your actions, son. If you truly loved her, you could’ve come back to check on her. Then you would’ve known much sooner that you had a child.”
“Don’t talk about my daughter. You’re nothin’ to her.” My teeth grind so hard I feel a piece chip off in the back.
“Who are you?” Serena comes up next to me. I curse under my breath at her for not listening and staying put in the kitchen. Laney tries to intervene, but it’s too late.
My dad kneels with a conniving smile. “I’m your grandfather.”
“Go,” I tell him harshly. “You’re not welcome here.”
Serena pulls on my shirt. “Why not?”
Swallowing hard, I tell her the truth. “Because he’s the reason I left.”
My father clears his throat. “I’m the reason she lives in this house and goes to an elite private school.”
Laney gently takes Serena’s hand. “Go to your room, sweetie. I’ll be right there.”
“But, Mom—”
Laney gives her a firm look. Serena nods and then walks away. Once I hear her feet echo in the hallway, I turn toward Laney.
