“It’s my phone,dimwit.”
“Ouch. Easy on the namecalling,ouch.”
I pull my phone out of my back pocket, seeing Dad’s name appear on the screen. Weird. He doesn’t usually call me during the day, though it has been a couple ofdaysnow.
“Hey,Dad!”
There’s a pause before he says anything so I pull my phone away to see if I have service.Ido,hmmm.
“Hey Jelly-Bean,” he finally says. His voice is weird. He’s doing that thing where he pretends to be happy when something is wrong. I think he forgets I’ve known him myentirelife.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that while Mom and Dad tried to keep the bad parts of life away from me—until Mom left—I was constantly studying them, watching, learning how to keep things from people so I wouldn’thurtthem.
“What’swrong,Dad?”
“Now, why are you going to go ahead and assume something is wrong because a dad wants to call his favoritedaughter.”
“Dad . . .” I place my finger in my ear, avoiding the gust of wind hitting meface-on.
“Jelly-Bean, I lost thehouse.”
“You, what?” I shout at him out of utter shock, feeling a coldness run through every nerve-ending in my body. It’s almost like the water from this morning. I’m frozen and don’t know what to say or ask—where to start. “Daddy, what happened?” I gravitate away from Liam, not wanting him to hear theconversation.
“I lost my job, baby-girl. It’s only been a week, but finances weren’t good when I had a job, and I’ve missed two mortgage payments, so losing this job was kind of the final nail in the coffin,youknow?”
“I’ve only been gone a week though!” I remind him because I had no clue we were in trouble. We had savings, I thought—or so hetoldme.
“I know. I didn’t want to worry you, not with this big opportunity you have out there in Maine, but I didn’t want you to call the house phone and wonder why it won’t be answered again after the nextfewdays.”
“I’ll help you. I’ll give you whatever I make so we can save the house. You name it, I’ll do it. How much is the mortgage?” It’s the very least I can do after he worked overtime for four years to pay my college tuition, and now he’s unknowingly enduring my biggest lie I’ve ever told him, making this situation a million times worse. We’ve lived in that house since I was a baby. There’s no way it can just be takenfromus.
All throughout this life-shattering news, I’m keeping my eye on Dylan, and I can also see Liam keeping his eyeonme.
“Julia, I don’t want one penny from you. I’ll figure somethingout,okay?”
“No, Dad, it’s not okay. What are you going to figure out? How long before you have to get the house cleaned out? I’m coming home.” The staggering questions and statements shoot from my mouth without thought, but he has been there for me every day of my life, and I can’t let this all fallonhim.
“Julia, I will not get in the middle of you and a career you have been working towards for four years. You’re out of your mind, sweetheart. I want you to stay in Maine, and I want you to kick butt with that internship. Do you understand?” I can’tdothis.
I feel explosive because I can’t keep this lie in any longer. “Dad,” I belt out, hearing my voicecrack.
“Are you outside or something? I can hardlyhearyou.”
“Yes, I’moutside.”
“Okay, well, I don’t want you to get in trouble at work, so give me a call when you get out of the office tonight. I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. Ipromise.”
“Dad,” I say again, softer this time. He may not have evenheardme.
“Jelly-Bean, it’s going to be okay. I’ll talk to you tonight.” I should just say it—tell him I lied, tell him I’m just as bad as Mom. He deservestoknow.
“I have to tell you something, Dad.” I catch a falling tear, wishing Liam was not standing behind me. Not only can I not walk any further away without losing sight of Dylan, but I’m being forced to prove my worthlessness in thisworld.
“Later, sweetie. Get back inside, please. I love you. We’llbefine.”
“Okay,” I whisper, being acoward.
“Bye, now.” I pull the phone away from my ear and stare at the empty call screen. I am soawful.
