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“Dad.” Caleb walks into the living room, his face looks angry, even his walk to the door is like a raging bull charging forward.
“Hey son, I stopped by your house, but you didn’t answer. Figured you were up here at Ali’s.”
Caleb holds on to my waist and gives me a squeeze before he grabs his coat and heads outside, closing the door behind him.
“That’s not good.” Madison whispers as she peeks out the window.
I can’t help but do the same. Caleb looks just like his dad, except his dad has white hair.
“What’s the story there?” I sit down on the couch and everyone else crowds around. The only sound I hear is the fire crackling. No one speaks. They all just look at each other, debating who is going to answer my question.
“Mr. Taylor blamed Caleb for Lucy’s death, because he was never home, leaving her alone a lot because he was working to provide for them. Well, he never apologized. Caleb resents him for not being there when he needed him. They always had a strained relationship.”
Travis opens up and my heart hurts for Caleb. To have your father blame you for something you had no control over is fucked up.
“He hasn’t spoken to his family in four years. His mother wouldn’t stick up for him and his sister had kids and was always too busy.”
“So, he had no one.”
I shake my head and hold back the tears.
“He had us, he had Ali. He wasn’t alone.” Madison speaks up.
The argument outside increases in volume and hands are being used excessively.
“You weren’t there for me dad, I needed you and you left me too.”
I overhear Caleb’s painful admission as he opens the front door, wiping his boots and leaves the door open as he strolls right past us and into the kitchen.
“So, which one of you is Julia?”
Mr. Taylor walks into the house and shuts the door. He doesn’t look fazed by his argument with Caleb. I go to stand up but I freeze mid-air when Caleb’s angry yell fills the room once more.
“No, you don’t get to talk to her.” Caleb strides back into the living room pointing at his father. He gets right in his face, but Mr. Taylor doesn’t back down. I sit back down, and Madison places her hand on my knee.
“If she means more to you than Lucy did, I want to speak with her. She is a famous author for Christ sake, why would she go for someone like you?”
My heart leaps out of my chest, anger consuming my eyes as I hear the way his father is talking to him. I stand up and rush over to Caleb as he lifts his hand ready to swing. I place my hands on his chest and tilt my head up.
“No.” I whisper, hoping and praying he doesn’t do something he will regret.
I am not the only one who jumps into action. Travis is looming over Mr. Taylor and Connor is rounding the couch. Each one of us is trying to prevent an altercation. Once I feel Caleb relax his body, I turn around, keeping my body pressed against him. If he wants to get to his father, he has to go around me. I will be the brick wall he needs.
“Mr. Taylor, I do not appreciate you coming into my home and talking to him like that. You have no idea who I am or what my morals are. And if you think so little of me just because my paycheck has a few extra zeros then so be it, frankly I don’t give a shit what you or the rest of the world thinks about me. People have been judging me for as long as I can remember. But I care about your son. I love the fact that he still has a sliver of hope that one day he will find himself and let himself love again. I love that he is cracked. It only means he is repairing himself to be even stronger than before. Now if you would like to speak with me, we can do it another day.”
He stiffens as he takes in the room. Everyone has their shoulders back, all eyes on him, and the tension is high. I can’t even breathe right.
“You have no idea who Caleb is.”
“I don’t think you know who Caleb is. Goodbye Mr. Taylor.”
I open the door and wave him out. Slamming it shut as he walks onto the porch. Caleb rushes to me and grabs my face as he smashes his lips to mine.
“Oh fuck, are we going to have another fuck session?” Connor grabs ahold of Madison who nods her head repeatedly.
“I hope not because I don’t have a girl with me.” Travis sighs.
Caleb pulls back and laughs, “No.”
