Wanting Mr. Cane (Cane 1)

“He kept Kandy overnight, too, when things got a little hectic,” Mom added, and I wanted to cup my hand around her mouth and tell her to shush. The reminder was nauseating.

“Did he? That was really nice of him.”

“Yeah,” I murmured, but I avoided his eyes.

Dad put the phone on speaker and rested it on his lap. Then Cane’s voice came through the receiver, and I froze in my seat, staring at the phone.

“Cane!” Dad boomed lightly.

“Hey, if it isn’t Mr. Strong-O himself!” Cane boomed back with a light chuckle. “How are you feeling, man? You had me really fucking worried!”

Dad glanced at me when Cane cursed, but I just shrugged. I was eighteen now. Had been since September 23rd. He couldn’t protect me from curse words and violence anymore. And Cane was a grown man who could say and do whatever the hell he wanted. Like Dad knew that, he continued the conversation.

“I’m great, man. A little sore here and there, but I’m alive. That’s all that matters.”

“That’s right,” Cane agreed.

“Listen, Mindy told me you kept an eye on Kandy the other night…”

Cane hesitated for a brief moment. It wasn’t too brief, to the point my parents would wonder why he wasn’t responding, but it was enough for me to know that the mere mention of my name was bringing him memories of the night before.

“Yeah, I did,” Cane responded.

“I can’t thank you enough for that. Watching over my little girl.” Dad looked at me, and I forced a smile. “She wasn’t too much trouble was she?”

Cane laughed, but it was most definitely forced. “Not at all, man. She wanted to be there, was a little upset when I wouldn’t take her to the hospital right away, but she understood.”

Yeah, I understood, all right.

“That’s good. You know they’re going to have me in here for three more days?”

“Three? Seventy-two hours of torture, man,” Cane teased.

“Yeah, being in here isn’t the best, but they’re taking good care of me.”

“Well, I’ll come see you when I can to make sure you’re comfortable and so your ass doesn’t get too bored in there.”

Dad chuckled. “Bring beer. That’ll be all the entertainment I need.”

Mom sucked her teeth, playfully smacking Dad on the shoulder. “You know you can’t have beer while recovering,” she laughed.

I smiled, lowering my gaze.

“I’ll see you soon then, and thanks again for taking Kandy in and keeping her in good hands. I know that was a scary night for my girl.”

“Of course, Derek. Anytime. You focus on recovering, all right? Maybe you’ll get out of there sooner.” He was deflecting. He didn’t want to talk about taking me anymore. I was kind of glad. I wondered just what he was thinking whenever Dad said my name.

I was certain there was regret.

Dad was his best friend. Probably his only real friend. I wondered if he would get so consumed by guilt and remorse that he’d actually end up telling Dad all about it one day.

Would he be that bold?

Would he put his friendship on the line and risk ruining everything between them over a confession?

I thought about that for the rest of the night and even the next day. But those thoughts vanished as soon as the door to Dad’s room opened the next day and Cane strolled in, and following behind him was Kelly, with a bouquet of flowers.

It was clear to me then—with Kelly at his side—that he was never going to tell my dad the truth. He was going to bury it—pretend that what we did had never happened.

I watched him the entire time. He hugged Mom, so of course he had to hug me too, to keep things normal and casual. It’s what he always did when he saw us for the first time of any day. He couldn’t break the tradition.

When he hugged me, I sucked in a breath. His arms were tight around me, but not as tight as usual. His scent drove me crazy. He always smelled so good.

He pulled away, and I looked up into his eyes as Mom, Dad, and Kelly shared a conversation about the bandaged wound on Dad’s neck.

“You brought her here?” I whispered. “During a time like this?”

“Don’t start, Kandy,” he mumbled, placing his keys down on the counter. “She wanted to give her condolences.”

“She could have sent them. She didn’t have to come,” I whisper-hissed.

“Stop it,” he snapped lightly. “Please, Kandy, just stop it, okay? I—shit. I can’t. I can’t do this with you right now and you know it.”

Cane looked me hard in the eyes before walking around me and meeting beside Dad. They laughed and their voices boomed as Cane teased him about who the stronger person was now, but I couldn’t find it in me to laugh.

I couldn’t find it in me to accept what was unfolding right before my very eyes.