“I don’t want my son involved in that mess.”
“He’s been your son for like five minutes,” he argues.
“He’s been my son his entire life. He deserves better.”
“And we didn’t?” He’s growing angry, and that’s the last damn thing I need while my family is still in this house.
“We did, too,” I say, looking him directly in the eye. “And you should be happy that I’m here to make sure he doesn’t go down the same path we did.”
He snorts, a sound of derision that makes my entire body tense. Is he doubting my ability as a father or questioning my dedication to Alex altogether?
“There’s no saving him, just like there was no saving us.”
And that’s where he’s wrong. He’s partially right. Many people around here don’t make it out, but I did. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure Alex does too.
“She’s never going to leave here,” he mutters.
“You’re not really giving her a choice since you’re selling the house out from under her.”
The door to Alex’s room opens, gaining my attention.
“You ready?”
He nods, his eyes darting to Cooper for a brief second. The kid is smart, assessing the situation, checking his surroundings for danger. It makes me proud and sad he’s had to do it all at the same time.
“Go wait in the truck for your mom.”
He walks outside without hesitation.
Cooper, thankfully distracted by his cell phone, doesn’t even notice when Tinley walks out of her room with a packed bag, and we leave him in the living room without a word.
“He’s going to trash the house again,” she mutters as we walk to the truck.
“Maybe not.” He will. “He knows he wants it to sell quickly, and more damage would hinder that.”
She sighs, not taking my reasoning as gospel. She knows her brother better than I do after all.
She melts into the passenger seat, eyes fluttering closed as if getting away from the house finally gives her the permission to relax that she’s been waiting for.
She doesn’t ask where we’re going or argue when I pull up outside of the house I’ve rented. She’s bone-tired, both mentally and physically exhausted.
“I’ll make sure Alex gets to school and home from practice every day,” I tell her as I turn off the truck.
“Whose car is that?” Alex asks, not making a move to climb out.
“That’s—” I look over at Tin, deciding what the best approach is. I hate that I used to know everything about her, and now, even though many things are familiar, she’s still so much a stranger to me. “It’s a rental until I can get your mom’s car looked at.”
Tinley frowns, but she doesn’t open her mouth to argue.
The silver car parked in the driveway isn’t a rental, but I know she wouldn’t just readily accept it. I don’t think I’m getting away with an argument either when Alex jumps out of the truck and pointing out to her that it’s her favorite color. I know I’m in for it when she rolls her head on the seat and glares at me.
“It’s for him,” I specify before she can argue. “He wants you safe, not stranded someplace when the car won’t start. Yes, it helps you too, having something reliable, but it’s also for him.”
Her mouth snaps closed, but I still don’t feel like I’ve won.
“Come on, let’s get you two settled.”
The house has three bedrooms, something I know Tinley doesn’t miss. It’s also fully furnished, a short-term rental probably used more for people attending conferences or needing an escape from the grind of their daily lives.
Alex is excited about the huge television in the living room and the pool table on the enclosed back patio, but Tinley seems unable to take her eyes off the bed.
“You can take a nap. I’ll stick around long enough for you to get some sleep.”
Her eyes dart to mine.
Please ask me to stay.
“If I go to sleep now, I won’t sleep well tonight,” she says instead.
“Check this out!” Alex hollers from somewhere deeper in the house before she can tell me to leave. “Did you see this?”
I grin at his excitement, leaving Tinley standing in the bedroom she’s selected, grateful my son just gave me the opportunity to hang out with them even if it’s just for a little bit longer.
“Have you never played one of these before?” I ask as I join Alex in the game room. His eyes are wide as he looks down at the pinball machine.
“Do you have any quarters? They had one at that little pizza place, but some ass—some jerk broke it before many people got to play it.”
“Doesn’t require quarters, just pull the lever back.”
We spend thirty minutes in the game room, Alex entertained by the game before Tinley joins us. Her hair is wet from a shower, piled on her head.