Top Dog

Ike nodded as he took in my words before his eyes grazed back to his book.

“Have fun,” he said. “But not too much.”

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my purse before heading out the door. Climbing into my car, I wondered what kind of trouble Ike thought I could get into at a dentistry banquet. I shook my head and started the car. I was determined to be pleasant for my father’s sake, and so I pushed Ike’s irritating behavior to the back of my mind.

I drove to my father’s house and pulled into the driveway. I saw him standing on the porch waiting for me with his hands in his pockets. He stood with his shoulders hunched over a bit now. As a teenager, I’d thought the world of him. I thought he was the best and strongest man alive. But some things happened that made me view him differently, and when Mom died , it rocked his world.

He never stood quite as tall after that night.

I stepped out of the car and smiled at him, but his eyes were across the road. I turned around and looked at my brother’s house and saw a strange car parked in the driveway. It was black and polished, with tinted windows and chrome accents. It was a very expensive car; one I knew didn’t belong to Hollis.

I always thought it was weird that my brother had bought the house across the street. But after Mom died, I was glad he had. He was there to check in on Dad a few times a week, and it gave Dad some family nearby if he ever decided to reach out to one of us. He never did, but the option was there.

“Nice car,” my father said.

“Do you know whose it is?” I asked.

“Grant’s back,” he said plainly.

I felt my world tilt as his words permeated my mind. He said it so calmly, like that horrible day all those years ago had never happened. Like he hadn’t thrown Grant out of our home to fend for himself after treating him like total garbage.

I took a deep breath and tried to act like my father’s words had not affected me.

I tried to look like I hadn’t thought about Grant nearly every damn day since he’d walked out of our lives. I tried to look like I hadn’t wondered endlessly where he’d gone, what he’d been doing, and if he’d ever thought about me. I tried, and I failed miserably.

My father narrowed his eyes at me slightly, and I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, are you ready to go?” I asked, wanting to get as far away from my brother’s house as possible.

The entire evening was an exercise in restraint. My father insisted that he drive, and I resisted the urge to ask the questions swirling around on the tip of my tongue. But the biggest question of all was one I knew would strike up an argument between us.

I still harbored some resentment toward my father for kicking Grant out all those years ago after falsely accusing him of being involved with me. Tonight was not the night to bring it all up.

It didn’t stop me from thinking about it though. “You look great tonight,” my father said, breaking my reverie.

“Thanks, Daddy.”

“You and Ike getting along okay?”

“We are. He’s at my apartment while his gets fumigated.”

“He’s staying in the guest bedroom, right?” he asked.

“Daddy.”

“Sweetheart, you’re my little girl.”

“No, I’m not. I’m twenty-six years old, and I live my own life.”

I avoided my father’s gaze as we continued to dance to the music.

“I know you don’t get along with Ike.”

“No, I don’t,” my father said.

“But he is a nice guy.”

“Nice, but not good.”