Chapter 4
Timothy
For the next couple of days, I was on edge.
Every time there was a bang or a scrape, I jumped, even though I didn’t know what I expected to happen.
Bunny had been growling at cupboards, and Dad had been growling at everyone.
He blamed me for Bunny’s behavior as if I had any control over the dog.
Yeah, she was mine because I’d wanted a pet after Mom left, but I hadn’t done anything to make her act weird.
Worse, I’m sure Dad was going into my room when I took her for a walk—that or I forgot to turn the privacy lock, which was unlikely. What does he think I’m hiding?
A boyfriend?
An equally nonexistent dope stash?
I’m looking forward to regular classes resuming just so I can spend more time out of the house. At the moment, all I have is walking Bunny, filling shelves two nights a week at the supermarket, and one summer class.
I needed another job, or one that paid better, so I’d be able to move out with some friends without his help.
But I also want to finish college, so I don’t become the college dropout he expects me to be.
I put away Bunny’s lead, music playing in my ears, and make an evening snack of avocado and poached egg on toast. The packet of mac and cheese was damn tempting, but while I’m forced to live at home, I might as well take advantage of not buying groceries and eating better.
My new stepmother walked in and stood on the other side of the kitchen counter as if she wanted to speak with me.
I pretended I hadn’t seen or heard her. I’m sure Dad bothering about me was more to do with appearing like a good parent than actual concern for my well-being.
He hasn’t given a shit about me for far too many years.
I joked that Bunny and I raised each other.
I took her to puppy training, and she slept in my room until she ate a sock and needed surgery.
Since then, she’d been banished to a dog bed in the sitting room.
I was relieved nothing had happened to her, even though my briefs had vanished into the ether. Better than in her gut.
Stepmom waved to catch my attention.
I pushed one headphone back as though I had the noise canceling on and didn’t hear a word she said.
“Tim.” She smiled like we’re friends or something.
“Yeah.” My toast popped, and I smashed half an avocado onto it. From the expression on her face, she wanted to make a comment about either my cooking skills or my eating habits.
“Are you free tomorrow night?”
It felt like a trap. She knew I didn’t work Fridays, and given that most of my friends had gone home for the break, there was not a lot for me to do.
The summer class is pretty easy—another one of Dad’s ideas—and it’s one less class I need to do next semester, which means I can redo the one I failed.
Yay.
“That depends. I have an assignment due Sunday night.” And I didn’t want to get roped into something I’d end up regretting.
“Your dad and I would like to go out to dinner. Can you look after Taya for a few hours?”
Ah…I was the free sitter now that I live there. “Is your regular babysitter busy?”
I knew she had one because Dad often complained about her not being available.
She blinks as if shocked that I’d ask.
“Dad told you to ask me, didn’t he?” Coward.
“Since we’re family—”
I glare at her as I scoop my now overcooked eggs out of the water. She isn’t married to my father; she’s just living here the same as me. This wasn’t a happy family, no matter how hard she and Dad pretended.
It would be better for them, and me, if I wasn’t living there, but then they’d have no babysitter. Perhaps Dad had been waiting for an excuse to summon me home for that exact reason.
She sighed. “Tim—”
“Timothy.”
“Timothy, this is a big change for all of us. Taya’s never had a sibling, and this is exciting for her.”
She wasn’t my sister. “Is that why she keeps trying to come into my room to fiddle with my models? Someone was in my room when I took Bunny for a walk.”
Her eyes widened. “It wasn’t Taya. I was getting her ready for bed and reading to her. She’s been having nightmares since we moved in.”
Same. “Tell Dad not to go into my room. He can wait until I’m home to ask me. You wouldn’t like it if I riffled through the stuff in your room.” I forced a smile, grabbed some cutlery, and stood in front of her, eating my snack.
I got through two bites before she spoke. “He’s worried about you.”
The snort of disbelief escaped my nose before I could stop it. “I’ll babysit, but if anyone goes in my room again, don’t bother asking, as you know what my answer will be.”
She considered me for several seconds, then nodded. “I’ll speak to him.”
“Good luck with that.” I shoved another bite into my mouth.
“We’ll be back before midnight.”
I nodded and pulled my headphones back on, wishing I could’ve refused without seeming like an asshole. That I didn’t care about being an asshole. It wasn’t Taya’s fault our parents had started banging, or that this house gave her nightmares. It had given me plenty as a kid.
Mom always said any monster in the closet was more afraid of me than I was of it. I found it hard to believe back then, and I don’t believe it now.
Not that I believe in monsters.
I smiled as I took my plate to my room to finish my snack. Perhaps the monster ate my briefs.