I scrub a hand down my face as Peaches curls into a ball at my feet.
“Now, boy, we need to talk about this.”
My insides pinch when Mama picks up a piece of card from the coffee table beside her. I squint my eyes, trying to figure out what it is… until I notice the QR code and sigh. My concert ticket.
“Dad found this on the floor, next to your trash can. Please tell us it just fell off your mirror.” She waves it in the air, and I glance at Dad, wondering why he was in my room.
He raises his hand. “I was only putting laundry on the end of your bed.”
“You guys don’t have to do my laundry for me,” I mutter.
“Oh, stop.” Mama frowns. “He did a load for everyone, cleaned out all the baskets, so just say thank you.”
I sigh. “Thanks, Pop.”
He nods, then glances at the ticket and raises his eyebrows at me. “You weren’t gonna throw that out, were ya?”
With a soft groan, I cover my face with my hand.
“He was,” Mama says to Dad before turning on me. “Boy, what is wrong with you? This could be your chance to get her back. You have to go.”
“She doesn’t want me, Mama.” I drop my hand to frown at her.
“That’s not true. She said she wasn’t ready.”
I flick my hand in the air. “And what makes you think she’s ready now?”
“I don’t know, but you can’t keep moping around here. You have to go and do something about it.”
My eyebrows wrinkle as I release a sharp sigh and look to Dad for help. But he’s siding with Mama on this one.
Shit.
“Your time off work has already been approved. You are going to this concert.”
I open my mouth to protest, then internally kick myself. Shit! I totally forgot to speak to my boss about not needing the time off anymore. How the hell did I do that? As soon as I got to work, I got busy and it slipped my mind. Shit!
“Look.” Mama sighs. “You know I love you. And I know that I can’t boss you around like I used to, but… Tyrell, you will regret it if you don’t go. You have been miserable all summer, and I can’t stand it! You keep smiling and trying to pretend that you’re fine, but you’re not. You’re not happy, boy. And it’s breaking your mama’s heart.”
“Mama, come on.” I cringe, hating the way her eyes are starting to glass with tears. “Please, don’t. I just…”
“Just what?” Dad asks after my words turn into yet another heavy sigh.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Son.” Dad shuffles in his chair. “You can’t keep going like this. You’re breathing and you’re going through the motions each day, but you’ve lost your spark. We can feel your constant tension and unrest. Now, we’re assuming that it’s just about Dani breaking up with you. But is there something we’re missing here?”
Closing my eyes with a sigh, I figure that I’ve just been given the perfect opportunity and I have to fucking take it, because I may not get a better one.
“I can’t stay in Dallas.” I hold my breath and force myself to look between them.
Their expressions are both unreadable, dammit.
Just keep going. Get it out.
“I love you. All of you. So much. And I get that family loyalty is very important, and I really want to be there to support you all.”
“But…,” Mama prompts me.
