• • • • •
I talk with Seth for a long time on the rock and for most of the walk home. He talks about Seattle and his dad and the pictures he’s taking, and I mostly just listen. I decide that I like listening to Seth. I don’t need to say anything to be content. He could talk forever, and I’d be happy with that.
For the first time in a long time it appears as if my house is alive. There’s a light on, which means one thing.
“Uh-oh. I gotta go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I hope so.”
“Charlie?”
“Yeah?”
“Call me if anything’s wrong, okay? Promise me.”
“I will. Bye, Seth.” I run up the walkway and into the house.
Yep, I know something’s up when it’s nearly eleven and my dad isn’t watching the TV. He’s in the kitchen slamming cupboards when I enter.
“Where were you?” he demands. He seems unsteady in his movements and wobbly when he stands there.
“The forest.”
“The forest?” he mocks. “Looking for damn UFOs, I suppose.”
“Why aren’t you watching TV?” I ask.
A rage blooms in his eyes. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out again? You are—I don’t even know—in trouble.”
“About me going to into the woods?”
“About that damn dog.”
“Tickles?” My heart sinks because I left him in my room. But I know my dad won’t reason with me. He’s in the mood where if you try to reason with him, he’ll explode in anger.
“I don’t even know what to do with you anymore. You are purposely disrespecting me.”
“I was going to take him back before you got home.”
“Oh.” He forces a laugh. “That makes it okay?”
I don’t say anything. The smell of alcohol is particularly strong tonight.
“Huh?” He flashes in anger.
“No, sir,” I say softly.
“Damn right.”
“It’s just—” I shouldn’t say any more, but now I’ve drawn attention to it.
“What, boy? What?”
“Lonely. Is all. He’s, uh, in that house all by himself. I can keep him company until Geoffrey gets back from the hospital.”
My dad looks at me. He fills a cup of water from the faucet and takes a sip. “I see your mother in you. And it’s not good. I’m doing my best to get rid of that, for your sake, but you always fighting me on everything doesn’t make it any easier for either of us.”
I feel so far from my father at this moment. He’s so foreign. So alien. How could anyone love this man when he talks so terribly about the people he supposedly loves?
My dad sits down at the table.
“Why can’t he just stay here? It’d be so much easier.”
My dad sits, he rubs his eyes. “You’re boneheaded, just like your mother. Your crazy mother. You know this, right, Charlie?”
“Don’t say that,” I say under my breath.
“Speak up,” he says.
“Don’t say that!” I scream.
My dad stares into my eyes. “Don’t be so melodramatic. Although, that’s another trait you must’ve gotten from her.”
“She’s helping humanity! She’s with the aliens, and they’re coming back for me and not you! They don’t want you!”
“Charlie, listen—”
“You’re worthless to them! To me! To everyone!” I run up to my room and slam the door as hard as I ever have.
The walls shake slightly, and in a weird way that feels good. For the first time in a long while the house is very much alive.