his goofy grin that he saves for me and I can’t help but smile. “It was my mother—and a neighbor of Jesse’s,” I say, “Neither of whom I particularly wanted to see.”
“Why? You look fine.”
“Just because. Let’s not talk about it. Hungry?”
“You really need to ask?”
I laugh because, of course, Brandon will never turn down the offer of food. “Great, let’s take a detour to Rudy’s. I’m picking up my last check and we can grab lunch, my treat.”
“I can’t believe you’re really leaving,” he murmurs.
“Well I am, so get used to it.”
“Fuck, September. It’s not 1965, you know?”
“I know exactly what year it is, Brandon. It’s not about that. I’ve officially withdrawn at the end of this semester. I’m needed in Meridian to help Gram. So that’s where I’m going.”
“I don’t believe that’s the reason.”
“Well believe it cuz it is.”
“What about your scholarship money?”
“As long as I re-enroll within one year I don’t lose it.”
He mutters something unintelligible. I know he’s not happy with my decision, but it is my decision as I’ve pointed out to him multiple times.
“So, you really think you’re going to be back next fall?” he asks softly.
“If things go as planned, I will,” I reply with a grin. “But hey, you won’t be living there anyway. You’re moving to the frat house after Christmas, right?”
“Yeah,” he mumbles, pulling his car into a parking space at Rudy’s. “Won’t be the same though.”
“Why won’t it? It’s not like you were going move me into the frat house with you,” I tease.
“You know what I mean, Dawson. You’ve kinda grown on me.”
“Yeah, like a pimple on your ass I believe is the way you’ve put it to me before.”
“Shut up,” he says, stifling a grin, “I only say that when you piss me off.”
“Yeah, like almost every day?”
“You’re so fucking stubborn,” he continues, shutting off the engine. “Why can’t you just stay here and, fuck, I don’t know, see what happens?”
“Brandon, I’ve already seen what happens. As a matter of fact, I’m living it.”
“No,” he snaps, his voice a bit louder, “You’re living it this way because this is the path you’ve chosen, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”
I grab the index finger he’s pointing at me and squeeze it hard. “You think you know me so well, don’t you?”
“I do know you ,” he replies tersely. “And you’re running and that’s just not cool.”
“Let’s not argue on empty stomachs,” I reply, opening the passenger door, “Come on, we can argue over lunch.”
He rolls his eyes and opens his door. I know once inside Brandon will pick up where we left off because it’s an argument we’ve had more than once, but it won’t do any good because he’s right: I am stubborn and I’m not going to change the plans that I’ve made no matter what.
Running into Mama earlier has only made me more resolute. She should be the one going back to Grams and helping with Grandpa, but clearly, she’s got a different agenda. Gram tells me each time we talk on the phone how well-adjusted Mama is with Jesse and Scout.
It hurts, but sometimes that is simply what the truth does.
The plans have been made. I’m starting to get things in order, because, in two more weeks, I’m heading back to Meridian. Grandpa comes home on the fifteenth, but I will be there on the thirteenth to get the house cleaned and ready for them.
Chapter 19
I’m just finishing up the work schedule for the following week when I hear the door from the driveway open and Scout and Sarah’s voices as they come in from their Black Friday shopping trip with Casey and Catherine.
Shit’s getting old.
I’m in my room where I’ve moved my home office and Scout knocks on my door. “Dad, we’re home.”
“Come on in, sweetie.” I’ve got to make up to her for my insensitive behavior these past few weeks. How can I tell her that
“Why? You look fine.”
“Just because. Let’s not talk about it. Hungry?”
“You really need to ask?”
I laugh because, of course, Brandon will never turn down the offer of food. “Great, let’s take a detour to Rudy’s. I’m picking up my last check and we can grab lunch, my treat.”
“I can’t believe you’re really leaving,” he murmurs.
“Well I am, so get used to it.”
“Fuck, September. It’s not 1965, you know?”
“I know exactly what year it is, Brandon. It’s not about that. I’ve officially withdrawn at the end of this semester. I’m needed in Meridian to help Gram. So that’s where I’m going.”
“I don’t believe that’s the reason.”
“Well believe it cuz it is.”
“What about your scholarship money?”
“As long as I re-enroll within one year I don’t lose it.”
He mutters something unintelligible. I know he’s not happy with my decision, but it is my decision as I’ve pointed out to him multiple times.
“So, you really think you’re going to be back next fall?” he asks softly.
“If things go as planned, I will,” I reply with a grin. “But hey, you won’t be living there anyway. You’re moving to the frat house after Christmas, right?”
“Yeah,” he mumbles, pulling his car into a parking space at Rudy’s. “Won’t be the same though.”
“Why won’t it? It’s not like you were going move me into the frat house with you,” I tease.
“You know what I mean, Dawson. You’ve kinda grown on me.”
“Yeah, like a pimple on your ass I believe is the way you’ve put it to me before.”
“Shut up,” he says, stifling a grin, “I only say that when you piss me off.”
“Yeah, like almost every day?”
“You’re so fucking stubborn,” he continues, shutting off the engine. “Why can’t you just stay here and, fuck, I don’t know, see what happens?”
“Brandon, I’ve already seen what happens. As a matter of fact, I’m living it.”
“No,” he snaps, his voice a bit louder, “You’re living it this way because this is the path you’ve chosen, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”
I grab the index finger he’s pointing at me and squeeze it hard. “You think you know me so well, don’t you?”
“I do know you ,” he replies tersely. “And you’re running and that’s just not cool.”
“Let’s not argue on empty stomachs,” I reply, opening the passenger door, “Come on, we can argue over lunch.”
He rolls his eyes and opens his door. I know once inside Brandon will pick up where we left off because it’s an argument we’ve had more than once, but it won’t do any good because he’s right: I am stubborn and I’m not going to change the plans that I’ve made no matter what.
Running into Mama earlier has only made me more resolute. She should be the one going back to Grams and helping with Grandpa, but clearly, she’s got a different agenda. Gram tells me each time we talk on the phone how well-adjusted Mama is with Jesse and Scout.
It hurts, but sometimes that is simply what the truth does.
The plans have been made. I’m starting to get things in order, because, in two more weeks, I’m heading back to Meridian. Grandpa comes home on the fifteenth, but I will be there on the thirteenth to get the house cleaned and ready for them.
Chapter 19
I’m just finishing up the work schedule for the following week when I hear the door from the driveway open and Scout and Sarah’s voices as they come in from their Black Friday shopping trip with Casey and Catherine.
Shit’s getting old.
I’m in my room where I’ve moved my home office and Scout knocks on my door. “Dad, we’re home.”
“Come on in, sweetie.” I’ve got to make up to her for my insensitive behavior these past few weeks. How can I tell her that
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