I wriggled free from Tex and shook off the earlier rage. “You could have taken some time off. I know they would have let you. But you refused. You didn’t want to see it, to watch her wasting away while the cancer ate her from the inside.” I wiped the wetness from my eyes. “Why, Dad? Why did you ignore her at the end? Why did you leave me, an eighteen-year-old, to deal with it all alone?” Fuck him, he needed to know it all. “You were so clueless, you didn’t even fucking know that I overdosed on her leftover pills.” My breath hitched as my eyes snapped open. Holy fuck, did I say that out loud?
“Babe.” Tex squeezed my hand. “Hey…”
With a sniffle, I glanced at Tex. This wasn’t fair to him. Would he leave me after seeing how ugly I could be? I’d lost all controlof myself. The old resentment and pain had burst through my carefully constructed fortifications. “I’m sorry, Tex.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” With a sad grin, he rested his hand on my cheek.
“What do you mean, you overdosed?” Dad stepped toward me, his brows furrowing and hands clenching into fists and opening. “Do you mean that time I got the ER bill? You said you had a bad stomach flu.”
“No, Dad. They had to pump my stomach to save my life.” I clenched my teeth, willing the heat behind my eyes to go the fuck away. “Evan found me unconscious with the pill bottles and called the paramedics.”
“N-no you didn’t. Y-you didn’t do that and you’re not, uh, gay or bi or whatever the hell you called it.” He strode to the door. “The Colton I know, my son, would never do this. I don’t know who you are. And my son certainly isn’t a homo.” He stopped and grabbed the doorknob. “When you come to your senses and stop all this nonsense, I’m staying at Gainey Ranch for a work conference.” He flung the door open, rushed outside, and slammed it shut.
I stared at the door while numbness floated across my body. Had he just run away from me? “What the hell was that?”
“I…don’t know.” Tex wrapped me up in a bear hug and kissed my head. “Damn it, Colton. I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m sorry, Tex. I don’t understand what came over me. Maybe therapy brought all this shit to the surface.” Burying my face in his neck, the pain overwhelmed me. I blinked and tears tumbled down my cheeks. “Fuck.” I croaked. “I hope you don’t think I’m a psycho.”
“Hush, no, I think you had years of resentment to release. It happens.” He brushed his hand down the back of my hair. “Just let it go and then we’ll figure out what to do next, okay?”
With a sniffle, I nodded, and the pain inside me subsided. Tex wouldn’t leave me. Not like my father. He was still here. At least I had him…and Evan.
“Your dad told us where he was staying, so I’m sure when he’s had time to process all of this, he’ll talk.” He slowly released me and grabbed my shoulders, his gaze fixing on mine. “Can you call your therapist as an emergency right now? I’d say this is an emergency.”
“Uh, yeah, I can.” Wiping my eyes, I ambled to the coffee table, picked up my phone and dropped onto the couch while I dialed his number.
Tex fell in beside me, resting his hand between my shoulder blades.
I’d spilledthe horrible story of what happened to my therapist with Tex hearing my half of the conversation, and the therapist calmed me down further. He also made an appointment to meet with me tomorrow, so we could calmly practice the discussion I needed to have with my father. The sole positive aspect of this was that Dad had said he was open to a discussion when he’d left. I hung up the call and leaned into Tex’s side.
“So, what’s the plan? You’ll meet with your therapist and then see your dad? Do you want me to join you?” Tex turned toward me, resting his forehead on the side of my head.
“I…would you? Maybe you can keep me from spiraling again.” A wave of exhaustion washed over me. This evening hadn’t ended the way we’d planned. “Is it too late to order food? Pizza maybe? Do you have to go home?” Hunger gnawed at my stomach.
“I’m not going home.” He pressed a soft kiss against my cheek. “Let’s order pizza, relax, and then I’ll stay the night and leave early for practice. I’ll ask Malik to grab my shit from home for me.”
“Thank you.” I lay down on his thighs. “What would I do without you?” I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of his muscular legs under my head.
“I hate to say it, but this situation might not have happened if?—”
“Don’t you even say it. It’s done and Dad finally knows everything. Now we pick up the pieces.” I lifted the edge of my lips. For someone who’d just lived through a catastrophe, I was feeling fairly calm. But then, I was finally free of all the bullshit that had festered inside me for so long. Yeah, that must be it. “Can you DoorDash the pizza?” I didn’t want to be in charge of anything.
“Of course. You rest.” He plucked his phone from the coffee table and tapped the screen. “Supreme?”
“Yep.” I kissed his thigh and settled against him.
The next dayI’d woken up next to Tex, gone to classes and met with my therapist. Yes, my dad and I had been through an ugly scene, but I felt much lighter, and Tex had seen me at my worst and hadn’t left me. Because my dad left the door open to further discussions, my therapist felt encouraged. My therapist thought that arranging for him to attend some of my therapy sessions could help us bridge the gap between us.
As I strolled from my car to my apartment, I slipped my phone from my pocket and texted Tex. He’d wanted an update as soon as possible. I stopped at my door.
Colton
My therapy session offered clarity. I know what to say to my dad. I’m going to text him to see when he’s free. When are you free?
The three dots blinked at me.
Tex