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Chapter Six
Dane
Instead of droppingAlissa off at her truck, I let her take my car. Her S-10 will be easier to load and move our things. My nerves are through the roof just thinking about telling my dad what we’re doing. I know he won’t be happy about it, and I’m hoping to God he’s not so pissed off that he fires the both of us. God knows that I won’t be able to pay for the house for long if I don’t have a job.
I park the truck and walk into the house. Mason is sitting on the couch watching tv. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s in the garage looking for the sander for the dining room floor,” he answers.
I go upstairs and throw all our clothes into bags. I also grab all the blankets and pillows from my bed. As I’m making my way down the stairs with my arms full of bags, my dad walks into the kitchen from the garage.
Seeing me with my arms full, he stops dead in his tracks. “Where in the hell do you think you’re going?”
Mason sits up on the couch, studying me and all the bags in my arms. I look at my dad and motion toward the front door with my head, not wanting to have this fight in front of my little brother.
Dad is on my heels as I walk outside. I toss the bags into the back of the truck and turn to see him standing on the front steps with his hands on his hips. When our eyes lock, he holds his hands out at his sides in a “what” gesture and starts walking over to me.
I reach out my hand. “Thanks for everything, Dad, but it’s time for me to go.”
“Go? Go where?” he asks, shaking my hand.
“I’m buying a house for me and Alissa. We’re getting married.”
He lets out a long breath and rubs his forehead. “Fucking Dan,” he breathes out.
I laugh. “Why didn’t you ever tell me how you stole Mom away from him?”
The stress and worry lines on his face ease away as he laughs and leans against the truck. “He tell you that?”
I nod and slouch next to him. “He said that you and Mom ran off and got married when you were my age.”
“He’s always been full of shit. I didn’t steal her away. He just gave up way too easily.”
I smile. “So, it’s true?”
He nods. “Yeah, I guess it is. One look was all it took from her, and I was a goner. I would’ve given up anything to have her, even my best friend. And it did cost me our friendship for a while. He didn’t talk to me again until you were born, many years later.”
I smile. “So, I guess you kind of know how I feel then.”
The serious expression paints his face again. “Look, Dane. This isn’t a joke. Marriage, buying a house—it’s serious, and I don’t think you’re ready to take all that on.”
“I can do it, Dad. You think I’m the fuck up around here, but I’ve watched you my whole life. I know what I’m doing. I know I can take care of her.”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t support this. You’re too young to get married. You shouldn’t be rushing your life like this. You should be thinking about graduating high school, going to college, and starting a career, not getting married and buying a house.”
I let out a sigh. “We both know I’m not going to college. I’ll be doing good if I can graduate on time, if at all. This is what I want. Why can’t you support me?”
“I’m sorry, Son. I just can’t.” He slaps me on the shoulder and walks back into the house.
A part of me is relieved that he didn’t try to stop me, but another part of me is disappointed because he won’t support me in doing the same thing he and my mom did.
I want to tell Mason goodbye, but I don’t want to walk back into the house. So instead, I get behind the wheel of the truck and drive back to town.
* * *
I unloadour things and drop them all on the living room floor. “Lissa,” I call out.
“I’m in here,” she yells from the bathroom.
