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“And?”
“You’re going to love this.” My sarcasm wasn’t nearly as strong as I’d hoped. Everest’s special blend was really working its magic. I melted against the slats of the swing like butter, resting my head against my big brother. “She’s ten weeks away from giving birth, so he’d need to hold on for at least that which doesn’t sound like a possibility anymore, however, Cedar basically said he can fuck off as she wants nothing to do with him.”
He shifted and crossed his feet at the ankles. “Figured she’d say something like that.”
I smacked his leg. “So why did you have me reach out? I ruined a possible good thing by telling her.”
“What good thing? Like with a guy?” He took another long drag and leaned his head back, blowing smoke circles above his face.
“Yeah.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“Landon knows Cedar, they’re good friends, so I flirted with him in order to have him introduce me to her.”
“Weird, but sure.”
“I didn’t know of another way to do it without dropping it on her. You didn’t exactly give me an easy task.” I snatched his smoke and took a long, meaningful hit. “But after a bit, I fell for him.” A dry laugh fell out of me.
“For this Landon?” Everest laughed.
“Yep, it actually happened. Then he found out I used him and wants nothing to do with me.”
The swing moved gently, and rather than feel pissed off about Landon, I felt a sense of calm, which shouldn’t have been anywhere nearby. What the hell was in Everest’s cigarette?
“We’re pretty simple, us guys, just apologise.” His voice sounded like he was miles away instead of right beside me.
“You make it sound so easy.” I rolled my eyes into the back of my head. “As it was, I was in the middle of an apology when you called today, but I don’t know if it did any good.”
“A cliffhanger ending, eh? I wanna know how this works out for you, Little Aspen.” He rubbed the top of my head.
Cringing for a split second at hearing my birth name, I stared out to the road. “Well, likely nothing good will happen. I screwed up big time, and it’s over.” I handed him back his cigarette, drifting away into sweet memories. “For a moment though, watching him with his friends and family, I realised how much I missed being a part of that.”
“You miss the commune?”
“No, but yes. I miss the people, the gatherings, and all the fun.”
“I don’t. I rather enjoy the solitude and doing my own thing.” He looked down on me. “Selfish, right?”
I shrugged, not thinking it was at all. “What were you saying about you not being his biological child? You’d mentioned something earlier in a phone conversation.”
“You’re going to love this…”
Before he could elaborate, a sun-kissed woman poked her head outside. “Excuse me. It’s best you come in, Mr. Stewart.”
Everest reached for my hand. “You ready?”
“Not even remotely.”
Reluctantly, with heavy feet, I followed him into the house-hospital. There was a sizeable waiting room at the front with a small kitchen. Looking down the hall there were six rooms, three on each side, with a door leading out to the back. All the room doors were open, and according to the name list on the wall, only one had an occupant - that room held my dying father.
“I’m good here,” I whispered to Everest. “Of all the things I want to experience in my life, watching someone die is not on that list. But I’ll just stay here. Out of sight.”
Everest shrugged, patted my shoulder, and sauntered down the hall. Against my better judgment, I walked as close as the door and leaned against the wall. There was an undeniable stench in the air, and I covered my mouth and nose.
In the room, a chair scraped across the floor. “Hey, Dad.”
The voice coming out of my father had changed. It was rough and dry, and barely recognizable. Maybe it wasn’t him, and they had the wrong person. “Ever, ma boy. Cedar?”
