When it was only the room full of “acting like they’re not listening people,” Vito and his family, I said, “There are a lot of things that I like about you, Vito. A lot. But there are a few really major things that I hate. Every time that I see you, Birdee’s nowhere in sight. A few days ago when Birdee almost died—and she really did almost die. Think bleeding out in a horror movie with blood spurting everywhere almost dying. I got to talk to one of two friends that Birdee has. She said that you have texted Birdee twice. Twice, Vito, in months. Was that whole thing with Mable, Romeo and the other girls just a show? Did you act all ‘fatherly’ with her because you knew you’d be under heavy scrutiny? Or did you actually care? Because if you actually care, I’m going to give you one piece of advice. Try harder. Because if you don’t, I’m going to encourage her to cut you off, because she knows damn well and good that she’s not your priority.” I leveled him with a scathing look. “She had the chance to put her own father down as her emergency contact, and she didn’t. She put me down, a man that’d just literally assaulted her with his words. But still, I’m better than you.”
“You yelled at her?” Vito asked in indignation.
“Yeah, and I busted her door down to do it. I was pissed as fuck, and I yelled at her when I shouldn’t have. I’ve spent the last few days trying to apologize, and it was when someone called me to tell me that she was about to die that I got to finally apologize for being the biggest asshole in three states. She forgave me, because she’s one of the best people I know. But you? You’ve been messing up for most of her life, Vito.” I looked at his wife then. “And you’ve been letting him.”
Grace looked down at her feet, a look of shame crossing her features.
“All of you have misjudged her.” I looked at Cody. “You started something a few months ago. Something that I have a feeling you all three should be bonding over. Yet, here you are with only Mable. That’s how it’s been since. You both put on this false sense of camaraderie, then dropped her when it was no longer convenient for you.”
Cody looked sick.
“We could’ve been having this conversation at a funeral home right now,” I said. “Over her dead body.” I looked at the three tight members of a family that Birdee should’ve always been a part of and added, “By some miracle of God she’s still here. But not for long. At least in name only. If I have to keep seeing you hurting her, I’ll cut you out of her life like the bad infection that you are. And I’ll give her everything she’s ever wanted. I’ll make sure she is so happy that she doesn’t ever think of you. I’ll give her kids. I’ll build her a house. I’ll give her all the love I have in my soul to give. And she’ll never think of you. She’ll never wonder why you’re not there. She’ll never see you and be sad. She’ll never have the chance to be anything but happy because I’ll be there. I’ll give her the life you all should’ve given her from the start.”
A sniffling from the door made me realize Mable had come back.
She’d likely heard it all.
And seeing she was back and Romeo was on his way in, I took my leave.
As I got closer to Mable, she said, “Will you ask her when’s a good time for us to come over?”
“It’s not now,” I said. “She needs some time to process. She only has a finite capacity to process all of this, and she has much bigger things on her plate right now.”
“I’m going hunting,” I heard Cody say as she started to march out the door behind me.
I thought about telling her there was nothing worth hunting for right now small game wise that would be worth going out into a possible storm for but kept my mouth shut.
“Cordelia…” her mother called.
I didn’t hold the door for Cody.
I walked right to my truck that was pulled up next to the door and got in.
I shivered at the heat that blasted me in the face.
“Fuck, it’s cold.”
“Always is this time of year.” Birdee turned to me with a half-smile that fell off her face. “What was that, Creed?”
I pulled into traffic, and my tires slipped a little bit before they caught traction.
Slippery slope, and I didn’t just mean the driveway to get out of the diner.
Twenty-Three
Due to personal reasons, I’m evil now.
—Birdee to Creed
Birdee
“What was that, Creed?”
He started off in his truck, and the tires slipped.
He eased off the gas lightly before they caught traction, and he began driving again.
“Do you want me to give it all to you now?” he asked.
