"By filling up my calendar so I have no time for anything else. Even if she didn't do that, I still won't have much time to see you. Haverhill gives out tons of homework and the tests are more like college exams. When I went there I studied for hours a night and even more on the weekends. And they have all these activities and events outside of school that they expect students to attend."
"We'll find a way to see each other. I promise."
"But I don't want to go back, even for just a few months."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I need to find a way to convince my mom to stay here until I graduate. After that, she can do what she wants. She'll probably marry her rich boyfriend and go repeat the life she had with my dad."
"Are they that serious? I thought they just started dating."
"They did, but he's already given her a credit card to buy fancy clothes for all the events he goes to. That means he sees a future with her."
"A credit card means they have a future?"
"I know, it's crazy, but that's how it works. Money is love in that world. It's one of the reasons I don't want to go back there."
"Is your sister like that? Is she like your mom?"
"No, she's more like me, except that she doesn't like upsetting our parents. When she was still living at home, she did whatever they told her, and only dated guys they approved of. She doesn't listen to them as much now, but they also don't see her enough to know what she's doing. The guy she's with now isn't rich. He works in finance so he'll probably make a lot of money in the future but he's not there yet."
Danny pops his head in the room. "Sorry to interrupt but I have a test in my next class and I'm going to be late if we don't leave."
"I'll be right out," Brook tells him. She gives me a kiss. "I'll come by later tonight."
"Could you spend time with Jake instead?"
"You don't want to see me?"
"I do, but he needs you more than I do right now. You have a way of making people feel better, and Jake really needs that."
She smiles. "Then yes, I'll go see him. And I'll see you tomorrow."
When Brook's gone, the nurse comes back in. I ask her to get me some crutches so I can try walking. Now that Jake's back, I want to hurry and get home. Jake will feel better when we're home. I just wish home wasn't how my dad left it. I don't want Jake seeing it that way. I don't want him seeing the blood everywhere. But I'm not sure how to get it cleaned before he sees it.
I'll just make sure Brook's there when we get home. She'll make us both feel better.
Chapter Twenty-One
Brook
"Need some help?" Danny asks, holding the door open for Dean as he gets out of the car.
"No, I got it." Dean adjusts himself on the crutches, then starts heading to the house.
"Wait." I hurry to the door. "I need to unlock it."
It's Friday and Dean's finally out of the hospital. He was supposed to leave on Wednesday but the wound on his neck got infected so the doctor made him stay a couple more days. After school got out, Danny and I went to the hospital and picked up Dean, then we went and got Jake.
The timing is perfect. We'll show Dean and Jake what we did to the house and then the team's coming over for a short welcome home party before they head back to school for the game tonight. Dean doesn't want to go to the game. He said it's because he's tired but I think it's more about him not being able to play.
"Is this the right house?" Jake asks, looking at the lawn.
"I mowed it," Danny says, walking beside Dean. "Weeds attract mice and I hate mice."
I smile, trying not to laugh at Danny's made-up mice story. We've been working really hard to keep this a surprise. Last night I almost slipped up and told Dean but caught myself before I did.
"Why do you care about mice?" Dean asks Danny. "You don't live here."
