Delusion Road by Don Aker

irritation swell into something more, “I didn’t ignore either of you, okay? I just wasn’t going to put up with any of their bullshit.”
    “
Their
bullshit?
Please
tell me you didn’t piss off somebody
else.
”
    Keegan looked down at the table, a chrome-and-composite thing posing as retro when it wasn’t screaming bargain basement.
    “So you
did
,” said his father.
    Keegan looked up. “Her boyfriend’s a prick.”
    “The
d’Entremont
boy?”
    “How do
you
know him?”
    “Laird d’Entremont was one of the people at the meeting today. When Jaffrey introduced him to me, he said d’Entremont’s son was going with Jaffrey’s daughter.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Jesus,” he moaned. “You pissed off both of them. A slam dunk.”
    “What’s the big deal?”
    Evan pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. “D’Entremont’s the
mayor.
” He took two steps toward the sink and stood looking out the window.
    “I still don’t see what—”
    “Of
course
you don’t,” interrupted Evan, turning to face him. “You
never
do. You’re always so busy thinking about
yourself
and how the world doesn’t turn to suit you.” He ran a hand through his hair again. “Forbes and I asked you to do one thing. But
could
you? No!” He paused momentarily as if building momentum. “For once in your life—”
    “Spare me that speech,” breathed Keegan, struggling to keep his voice down. “I
have
no life, remember?
You
made sure of that.”
    Ignoring the last comment, Evan pulled his phone from his pocket. “I know you don’t care for the life we have here, Keegan, but it’s all we’ve got, remember?”
    “What are you doing?”
    “Damage control,” said Evan, scrolling for a number.
    “
What
damage?”
    “What do you
think
? Antagonizing my boss’s daughter and the mayor’s son.”
    Keegan’s desire to keep Isaac from hearing them argue wavered, and he had to swallow hard before speaking. “I didn’t antagonize
either
of them. The girl’s a grade A bitch!”
    Evan stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head. “I used to admire how you always saw the best in people. Like Curtis and Lamont. I’d think about all the crap they took off narrow-minded jerks and I was so proud of how you always stood up for them. And Jermaine, when he got arrested for boosting that car, you swore to me that he hadn’t done it, that the police targeted him because he was a black kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. And you were right.” He shook his head again. “That person I admired so much, where did he go?”
    “He got shipped off to East Cowlick, Canada,” snapped Keegan. “Look, you just said I try to see the best in people. Why am I the bad guy here all of a sudden?”
    Evan sighed. “Whether you are or not is beside the point. We have to fix this.”
    “How?”
    “The Rotary Club is holding a fundraiser tonight, and Jaffrey and d’Entremont are members. I was supposed to be there and I was counting on you staying with Isaac, but I’ll make my excuses to Jaffrey, tell him Isaac isn’t feeling well or something.”
    “Why?”
    “Both his daughter and the d’Entremont boy are helping out, and you’re going to lend them a hand.”
    “No,” said Keegan.
    Evan pulled up the number he was looking for. “I’m calling Jaffrey now,” he said. “I’m pretty sure he’ll have something for you to do there.”
    “
No
,” repeated Keegan, his voice stronger.
    Evan shook his head. “This is
your
doing, Keegan, not mine. I’m just cleaning up your mess.”
    “Don’t you
dare
talk about messes,” Keegan seethed.
    He could see his comment had hit home, his father’s face creasing momentarily. But, recovering, Evan pressed on. “You’ll do as I say, and that’s all there is to it.”
    “I’m not a kid that you can just order around! I’m seventeen!”
    A deep sadness replaced the guilt in his father’s eyes. “And you think that makes a
difference
? That