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“Honestly, I don’t really know, but his wife is doing bad things with the guy who lives next door to them,” I answer, accepting the invitation to snuggle into his body when he lifts up his arm to make space for me.
“You ever been out of Colorado?” he asks.
“Never.” I look up at him, wondering what he thinks about that.
He laughs back at me and kisses the top of my head.
“You know nothing about this world, Shan. You could have watched a documentary. You can travel the world from right here on this couch with that thing.” He eyes the controller that’s in my hand. “And you chose to watch this shit.” He laughs again.
“Hey, I’ve been enjoying it.” I swat his leg feebly with my hand. “And I do know about the world actually. I used to read all the time before my mother died.” The smile drops off Troj’s face.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine,” I interrupt him before he starts to feel guilty. “I rarely get the chance to talk about my parents actually.”
“You wanna talk about ‘em now?” Taking my hand, he strokes over my thumb with his.
“My mom died a few years ago. Actually, it had happened the day I first saw you at the river.”
Troj links his fingers into mine and squeezes me tight.
“My uncle disagrees with hospitals and modern medicine. I can’t help thinking that she might have been saved if he did.”
“And what happened to your dad?” he asks me, his brows knitting together thoughtfully.
“I never knew my father, he wasn’t from the reserve,” I admit, staring down at our hands so I don’t have to make eye contact with him. My uncle and aunt never talk about the fact that my father wasn’t from the village, but it’s hardly a secret. My skin has always been a little paler than the others, and the fact my mother was never married is all the evidence anyone would need.
“What about you?” I’m curious to know more about him, and I shift my body so we’re facing each other, keeping his hand in mine. “Do you have parents?”
“My mom died when I was seventeen,” he sighs. “OD.”
My head shakes with confusion, “I don’t understand medical terminology, like I said, our people don’t care for doctors.”
“She overdosed, on a drug called heroin,” Troj explains.
“That’s really sad.” I squeeze his hand, hoping it will bring him the same comfort he just gave me. “She was never much of a mother, me and Autumn had been fending for ourselves long before she left us.”
“Autumn?”
“I got an older brother, he’s a member of the club too, but he’s a Nomad.” He must note my blank expression because he goes on to explain. “It means he doesn’t stick around one club, he moves around a lot, goes where he’s needed.”
“And your father?” I push for more.
“He’s alive, but he’s never been there for me. He drives trucks for a living, shows up from time to time when he needs to be bailed out of something. He didn’t bother to show up when it mattered, so he’s kind of irrelevant to me. But I always help him out because I know what it’s like to have no one to depend on,” Troj shrugs his shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, suddenly feeling bad for bringing the subject up.
“What you sorry for? None of it’s your fault.” The smile he gives me makes me relax again.
“Anyway, I got all the family I need right here now, at this club.”
“And how did you end up here?”
“Fighting brought me here, I don’t know if you heard but I’m kind of a big deal.” His smirk makes me giggle, and he takes it as an opportunity to strike. Rolling himself on top of me so his still wet hair tickles the skin on my neck.
I’m unable to prevent the yawn I make, today’s been a busy one, and it must be getting late. There’s never much to do down at the village during the evenings so I’m usually asleep early.
“You’re tired, come on, we'll go to bed.”
