Chapter 26 #2
With the help of Nona and Tempie, she started wrangling all the kids back into the house. My dad, Hayes, Trick, and Micah stayed where they were, standing just a few feet behind me. “You good, man?” Hayes asked, his arms crossed over his chest, his severe frown pinned on Whitney.
“I’m good. You guys head inside while I handle this.”
“You sure that’s wise?” Micah asked, knowing me better than most anyone. “We can hang out here . . .”
“I’m good,” I assured him. Then I looked to my old man, reading his concern. “I’ve got a lock on it. Just gimme a few minutes.” I waited until they turned to leave before spinning back around. “Hardin, inside, yeah?”
He took the same stance as Hayes had just seconds ago, arms over his chest, narrowed eyes pinned to his mom. “I’m stayin’.”
“Bud—”
“No, Dad. I’m stayin’. This involves me, so I got a say in it. And what I wanna say is, this was a total dick move, Mom.”
I hadn’t been expecting that, and by the shock written on Whit’s face, neither had she. It was a damn good thing Macie was having a sleepover with some of her friends from gymnastics tonight, because she did not need to see what was about to go down.
The shock quickly gave way to anger, and she scowled at my boy, crying, “Hardin! You will not talk to me like that.”
“Why?” he threw back. “Because you don’t like hearin’ the truth?”
“Hardin—” I started, but he cut me off.
“Dad, you know I’m right. You know. I’m not stupid.
I know what this is. Even before you guys divorced, you talked about this, and I know you talked to her about it again weeks ago, ’cause I heard her on the phone with you.
You guys agreed, you’d be the one to get the car, and it wouldn’t be somethin’ new and expensive ’cause a sixteen-year old kid doesn’t need somethin’ like that. ” He threw his arm back at the Mustang.
“Baby, I just wanted to do something nice for you.”
At Whitney’s bullshit declaration, he spun back around on her.
“No, this was you pullin’ the same crap you always pull, trying to make me pick a favorite parent.
That’s totally messed up, and I’m sick of it.
” He whipped around to face me, and the anguish I saw in my boy’s eyes fucking wrecked me.
His cheeks were flushed, his chest was rising and falling at a rapid pace, and I could see it all, right there, he was fighting a battle not to lose it.
“I’m done. I can’t do this anymore, Dad. I wanna live with you.”
Ah hell.
“Hardin, honey—”
“No!” he shouted at Whitney. “What you’ve been doin’, putting me in the middle of all this shit, it’s so wrong, Mom, and I’m done.
” His eyes returned to me, and there was no missing the desperation in the hazel depths as he pleaded, “Please, Dad. I know I’ve been a jerk, and I’m sorry.
I promise I won’t do it anymore. Just . .
. I wanna live here, and I swear, no more bein’ an asshole. Just let me live here.”
“We can discuss this later, bud.”
“I want to discuss it now,” he insisted. “I can’t go back there, Dad.”
Christ, I was completely and totally gutted.
“Emotions are high right now, son. I’m not tryin’ to brush you off, but you need time to think and to cool off.
That said, you know I want you here as much as I can get you, so after you’re done thinkin’ on it, if it’s what you’re still wantin’, no way I’d ever say no. ”
“I’m not gonna change my mind,” he insisted.
Moving to him, I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed, giving him the tiniest shake. “Just think, bud. That’s all I’m askin’. Now I need you to do me a favor and go inside. I need a private word with your mom.”
The struggle warring inside of him registered on his face clear as day, but he finally nodded and headed for the house.
I watched him, letting out a sigh of relief when the door opened to reveal Danika and Amy, already waiting for him.
His girl threw her arms around his neck in a hug while my woman met my eyes and smiled reassuringly.
Between those two, I knew they’d do what they could to take care of my boy until I could get to him.
I turned back to Whitney once the door closed behind them, not at all surprised when she jumped right in. “If you think for one second that I’m gonna let him live here with that . . . that woman running around, you’re out of your mind.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I barked so loud her mouth clamped shut.
“Christ, do you ever listen? This is precisely the bullshit your son just laid out, and you didn’t hear a goddamn word.
If Hardin decides this is what he really wants, there isn’t a fucking thing you can do to stop it.
If I have to take your ass to court, spend every cent I have, I’ll do it, gladly. ”
“You can’t—”
“I can, and you know it. He’s old enough to make that choice on his own, and if you fight it, I’ll make sure he has everything he needs at his back to get what he wants.
You came here, playin’ another game, and it blew up in your face.
I warned you if you didn’t stop screwing with our kids’ heads you’d regret it, and you didn’t listen.
You never listen. These are the consequences, Whitney.
You’ve alienated your own son; that’s somethin’ you’ll have to live with until you either get your head out of your ass and start actin’ like a mom or for the rest of your life. That’s your call.”
“I-I . . .” Her eyes filled with tears. These weren’t fake, they were genuine and filled with fear and sadness. “I don’t know how this happened.”
“If that’s really true, then you haven’t been payin’ attention, and that’s on you too. Not sure if you just burned up your last chance with Hardin, but you still have a shot with Macie. My suggestion, don’t fuck that up the way you have this.”
With that, I turned on my heel and headed back inside.