“Yes.”
“And this is what you want?”
“Yes. Going to an ivy league school has always been a dream, and now I get to play football for one. They’re a good school dad. Their football program is one of the best in the country. They’ve placed in the top five over the last seven years. This is what I want.”
“Okay, then.” He nods.
I’m in complete shock. I was prepared for a fight. Now I don’t know what to say.
“I know I don’t tell you enough, but I’m proud of the football player you’ve become. I’m proud of the grades you get. I’m proud of you.”
A lump forms in my throat, and my eyes sting. “Thanks,” I choke out.
“I’m not the best father, and I’m a pain in your ass, and I know you probably hate me, but…I don’t want you to lose your dreams, Ford. That fear keeps me up at night. I didn’t know the website had been taken down, and your mom didn’t betray you. Jim called me last week, concerned about your relationship with Hannah. I know it’s too late, but I take back what I said. I’m sorry about Hannah.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
My dad rubs a hand behind his neck. “You’re welcome. Well, I guess I need to look into buying a house in Cascade, so your mom and I can be there during football season.”
I glance at my mom,and she’s smiling, tears still in her eyes. “Okay, then,” I say, finding the strength to smile. This is a win for my family, and I’ll take all I can get.
57. Siblings
Ford is gone five minutes before there’s a knock at my door. I should have pushed the desk back in front of it. I knew they wouldn’t leave me alone.
My mom peeks her head in the door. After vigorously washing my face, I pulled out my history book to study for the upcoming test. She looks taken aback, seeing me curled up on my loveseat doing homework. I guess that’s fair. The last time Ford and I broke up, she found me crying in the corner. She’s just an hour too late this time. “I wanted to see how you are?” she says, walking further into the room.
“I’m fine. I have a lot of homework, and I don’t want to fall behind.”
“Oh, okay. Do you need anything?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m good.”
“Okay, uh, dinner tonight is leftovers, so you can eat when you want,” my mom says at the door.
“Thanks for telling me.” She wants me to let her in and confide in her, but I can’t, not now, when the wound is so fresh.
Around five, I make my way downstairs to find something to eat. I need to keep up appearances that I’m fine, and fine people eat. My dad is sitting in his chair reading. I’m hoping against hope that he ignores me, but I’m never that lucky.
“Hannah, wait,” he says, standing up.
Shoot. It’s never a good sign when he gets out of his chair. I stop walking and turn around. “Yeah,” I say, trying to sound pleasant, but it has a snarky undertone, and I know he doesn’t miss it.
“I need your phone.”
I take it out of my pocket and sit on the newel post. “Anything else?”
My dad sighs, his determined demeanor slipping. “No.”
I just nod and go back to my room.
Hank and Scotty’s door is open, and Jack is sitting on the floor helping the boys build some kind of Lego spaceship. He gives me a sad smile, and I smile back. I fall back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. I had no idea Beth had Jack when she was in high school. I guess I could have figured that out from her age, but maybe I don’t know her age. With everything that happened, I don’t really care about her age. I thought me and my parents were in a good place. We’ve had so many ups and downs this last year, but we figured everything out. Why would they do this? Why did they feel like I shouldn’t be with Ford? I want to scream, sob, and hit things. I want to get up and tear my room apart until everything is scattered and broken, until it all looks exactly how I feel. Sobbing until my eyes are red and swollen, tearing my room apart, screaming until I go horse, none of those things will give me back Ford. Only time will. So I’ll bide my time. I’ll do what’s required of me and be the daughter they want me to be. They have nine months.
I should go inside. The thermometer hanging in the treehouse says forty degrees. It’s supposed to get even colder in the next couple of days. Summer is gone, and it hurts my heart.
“It’s freezing out here,” Jack says, climbing into the treehouse.
I just look at him and shrug.
