Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 241
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Lo looks away, his eyes glassing. He seems to choose his words carefully as he says, “I’m not upset that you care, bud. But I’m your parent. That doesn’t change because I…because life for me is harder some days. I’m still your father, and it’s not your responsibility to look after this household like an interim parent. It never has been. It never will be.”
“I don’t think it will be,” Maximoff says strongly. “I never thought it would.”
The conviction in his voice is heard loudly, and they hold each other’s gazes with weight and history I really can’t make sense of.
This is a heavy moment that I probably shouldn’t witness. I take a few steps backward. I glance at the kitchen door. Wonder if I could sneak out…?
Lo nods a couple times, then his eyes dart to me. Shit. I stay still as he says, “I’m mainly upset no one believed I could hear about Greg Calloway’s death while I was alone.” As if I can’t read between the lines, Lo informs me, “They thought I’d go grab a bottle of Macallan that doesn’t even exist in this dry house.”
Looks like I’m stuck here.
“I can vouch that it didn’t happen,” I say lightly. “Been here the whole time.” Strangely.
Lo waves to me like I’m greater evidence of his sobriety. He speaks to his son. “And just so you know—and what I’ll be telling your uncles—this isn’t close to anything that could knock me over. The fact that you all thought Greg ‘I’m a shit grandparent’ Calloway would put me on my ass is insulting.”
My brows jump.
Lo is on a roll, barely pausing. “Sure, I loved him when he made amends with your mom and when I saw him only as her father. He was decent to Lil. He loved her more than her mother ever did. But I hated him when he started letting his wife treat my children like dog shit while favoring Rose and Connor’s kids. You might as well have been invisible to him.”
“He wasn’t always visible to me,” Maximoff says under his breath.
“It wasn’t on you to make that effort. You’re the grandchild. You’re supposed to be doted on and loved, and he couldn’t do either for you.”
I blink a few times, remembering my grandmom. She’s smoking in her recliner as I leave the apartment to find a bite to eat. It’s eight p.m. She’s not even looking at me. Not even as I unlock the door.
“As far as I’m concerned,” Lo continues, “he’s been dead to me for years. So has your grandmother. Any tears I shed will be ones of absolute joy.”
My lips begin to rise.
“Jesus, Dad,” Maximoff grimaces.
“What?”
“I can’t celebrate Grandfather Calloway’s death. He meant a lot to the Cobalts. Janie loved him, and Sulli always talks about the chocolates he’d sneak her as a kid.”
Lo stares at him for a long moment. “God, you’re such a Hufflepuff.”
Maximoff groans.
“You have your mom’s heart.”
“Dad.”
“That’s a good thing. Keep it. You don’t want mine. It’s ugly.”
“It’s not,” Maximoff refutes.
“That’s exactly what she’d say.” He smiles at him.
Maximoff starts smiling back, and it’s good to see their relationship hasn’t imploded. Seems like it’d take several dozen nuclear bombs to make a real dent. I try not to think about my dad. About the relationship I’m constructing from some desolate post-war wasteland.
I know I’ll never have what Maximoff has with Lo.
I’m not wishing for what can’t exist, but I’m hoping for something better than I had. My dad’s clean. That’s a start, I guess. I can tell myself it’s a personal choice—to reconnect with Sean Donnelly—but it’s still more out of necessity.
He’s ensuring our family, the Donnellys, don’t believe I ratted them out. They think I’m loyal to them because of my dad. Hell, my dad doesn’t even know I’m the reason most are behind bars.
I think he’d kill me if he found out.
4
LUNA HALE
I’ve thought about eavesdropping a hundred and one times, and I’ve also wished for supersonic hearing. Alas, my ears are still of the average variety. I only pick up the anxious grumble of my stomach.
“You think my dad will kick Donnelly out?” I ask Farrow while digging through the freezer-burnt popsicle box. I try to find the best one for Ripley.
“He better not,” Farrow says, slipping a protective look at the door. It’s reassuring knowing that Farrow will throw himself in front of Donnelly if need be. I imagine Donnelly standing opposite my dad and maybe even my brother. It’s a sad picture, and my heart pangs.
If he leaves, I’ll leave with him. I try not to overthink the instinct.
I shut the fridge. Ripley is waiting patiently at his kiddie table, distracted by Arkham and Orion who lie close. He reaches for their fur.
“You like banana?” I ask, peeling off the plastic packaging.
Ripley inspects me with hesitance before nodding. Can he see I’m not the same? I’m not her.