CHAPTER 36
Asher
“You’d think you know how to throw a right hook as a hockey player,” I goad. Charlie glares at me, shaking his head.
“It’s different in the heat of a moment on the ice,” he grumbles.
Charlie asked about going to the gym with me, something we did when I was younger and first came to live with him and my sister. It was something he did to relate with me, to get my anger out, but also to diffuse any situation with Audrey when we would get into it.
He texted me out of the blue and asked if I wanted to meet him at the gym and I agreed. Though he didn’t particularly want to practice any boxing, I convinced him. He looks like he’s regretting it now.
“Doesn’t seem like you’re going to have a second career as a MMA fighter then,” I joke.
“I can’t say that’s in my five-year plan.” He shakes his head. “How’s your shoulder?”
I rub the area gently, glad it’s not giving me too many problems today. “It’s fine. Recovery is a bitch.”
Charlie nods. “Yeah, injuries as an athlete fucking suck.”
He looks like he’s holding back on wanting to say more to me. I wait while he stretches his arms one at a time across his chest. I don’t know if he’s going to want to move to another exercise or if he’s going to say whatever he’s thinking.
“What’re the other parts of MMA because I know it’s not just boxing,” he finally asks.
“Brazilian Ju Jitsu and Muy Thai, but you aren’t ready for those yet because I know you weren’t on the ice wrestling guys into submission.”
He snorts out a laugh. “You’re right about that.”
“I feel like Audrey could kick some ass, though, she’s always been a hard ass,” I comment and that has Charlie’s face turning a little more serious.
“Listen, I don’t want to come at you or anything but I’ve always wondered why you’ve given her such a hard time?” he asks gently.
I clench my jaw, knowing this was coming at some point. When I was younger he tried to be the peacekeeper, but now that we’re all adults I can tell it bothers him. I get it to an extent. I’d want to know why someone was treating Rae like I’ve treated Audrey.
“Because she only took me in when she had to,” I say simply.
Charlie looks confused. “She didn’thaveto.”
“Oh right, it was take me in or I go to a foster home and she felt bad.”
“That’s not what happened at all,” he denies. But I don’t believe him.
“She doesn’t know even half the shit I went through, and doesn’t care to. If she did then she would’ve met me sooner, but she didn’t.” I feel the years of resentment building up again. The shit I’ve suppressed since I left because there was no point in it. What’s done is done, but he’s reminding me all the reasons Audrey and I have such a strained relationship.
“Trust me, your sister didn’t have the perfect life either,” he says gruffly, and I roll my eyes. She may not have, but she gotaway and it’s been pretty fucking perfect since. “Talk to her. You don’t have the full story, and you may feel differently once you do.”
I grind my teeth, already done with this. I didn’t come here to hash out the issues I have with my sister with her boyfriend. He’s always been nice to me, but right now he’s just pissing me off.
“We’re done here,” I grind out, turning to grab my shit and leave.
I get in my car, and want to get away from here. I don’t want to talk to Audrey, don’t want to confront anything having to do with my past. Right now I just want to run away.
Because that’s what I do.
The fleeting thought only pisses me off more. I don’t even think about what I’m doing and instead of driving home, I go straight to Rae’s house.
I’m let through the gate, and storm right up to her front door, knocking loudly. She doesn’t come right away, and I’m concerned, but I faintly hear the piano and lean back against the door, sliding down to sit while I just listen. It’s hard to hear clearly, and if she’s singing I can’t hear it.
I take in my surroundings, her property, the large rounded driveway, the trees that line the gate that surrounds the house. This type of house was only something I saw in movies when I was growing up. Meanwhile I was stuck living in a dirty trailer with my parents while they constantly fought. I close my eyes as I remember all the yelling, the sound of my mom crying when my dad would be drunk and hit her before he turned his anger to me.