This morning is set to be relaxing, too, but I get a phone call as I’m brushing my teeth. I lean out of the bathroom and glance over toward my nightstand, surprised to see Aaron’s name on my screen.
I spit and rinse quickly before picking up the call.
“Big man, what’s up?” I ask, grinning widely.
We haven’t seen each other since we hung out at the bar, but he texted me the other day asking about my weekend plans. I feel like I’m forgetting something, but I never schedule anything on my weekends. That’s my time to party.
“Wayne, hey,” he says. “I’m on my way to work, so I can’t talk long, but you’re still free this weekend, right?”
“Yeah, you know me, man. Always keep my weekends free. Are we getting up to something?”
He chuckles on the other end of the line as I pull my shaving cream and razor out of my medicine cabinet.
“Cody, Travis, and I are going to go camping,” he says. “We’re driving down to Vegas this weekend. Not hitting the strip or anything, but I figured you might want to join.”
What am I, an idiot? Like hell am I going to say no to Vegas.
“Oh, I’m in,” I say, grinning excitedly. “When are we leaving?”
“Heading out tomorrow night,” he replies. “I’ll shoot a text to everybody.”
We say our goodbyes, and I decide against shaving. If we’re going out to Vegas, I want to look a little more rugged. Sure, he said we won’t go to the strip, but that doesn’t mean that weactuallywon’t. The lure of the Vegas lights is stronger than any of us are.
I can hear everybody else down in the kitchen, and I’m in a good enough mood to go down. We’ve only had meals together a few times, and it’s been awkward each time, but maybe breakfast will be easier. At least we all have the easy out of needing to start the day if things get awkward.
Then I hear laughter from the kitchen. It catches me so off-guard that I pause halfway down the hallway. I can’t remember the last time I heard my dad and Jenny laughing together. It must have been before Mom died.
I round the corner to find Dad, Jenny, and Mary making breakfast together, smiles on all their faces. Mary is at the stove scrambling eggs, Dad is grating potatoes for hash browns, Jenny’s making fruit salad. They look like a family. Like they all belong here.
I haven’t felt like I belong here since Mom died.
The sight hurts more than I expect.
“Wayne,” my dad says. “You're up early.”
Jenny and Mary turn to look at me in surprise, and it only serves to make me feel more alienated. I'm really not a part of this anymore, am I?
“Yeah, well, early bird gets the worm,” I say flippantly.
Dad hums in response, turning his attention back to the potatoes.
“There’ll be plenty for breakfast, if you want some.” He sounds a little hesitant, and I wonder if Jenny’s been hounding him to talk to me. “We're doing a roast for dinner, too. Are you going to be home tonight?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I'll be home.” It's all socivil, so stilted and awkward, and I fucking hate it. “Be gone all weekend, though. The boys and I are going camping, leaving tomorrow.”
Jenny stops cutting strawberries to shoot me a tense glance. The light in her eyes is decidedly distrustful, but she can't say anything about me going on a trip with my friends. I’ve done everything she wanted with the contracts she sent me.
“Should be fun,” Dad says, his eyes still on the potatoes as he mixes the seasonings in. “It’s been, uh… nice having you around. Jenny says you've been real helpful with stuff. It'll be a shame when you head back to Billings.”
I clench my jaw in frustration.
You could cut the tension between us with a knife, and I hate the distance in his tone. Am I not still his son? He can't even compliment the work I've done around here himself, he has to say thatJennytold him.
And he won't give up on getting an answer about what happened that brought me home in the first place.
“Yeah, well, keeps me busy,” I say tersely. “I’m glad Jenny’s been keeping you updated on everything I've been doing.”
My words are pointed and barbed, pushed between gritted teeth. I'm not going to tell him shit about my job, and I'm not going to pretend like everything is fine between us.
