Page 35 of After All This Time

CHAPTER EIGHT

noah

The drive home is peaceful.

I’m singing along to one of my favorite songs by Guns N’ Roses on my favorite Spotify playlist the entire time.

I belt the song out from start to finish. It’s liberating since nobody is in the car with me complaining about my terrible singing voice. I’m incredibly off-key, but I couldn’t care less.

I’m playing my imaginary guitar when I’m waiting at the traffic lights, not even worried if anybody’s watching me.

Once the song is over, a smile forms on my face.

I feel free.

It’s hard to not think about Dad when I listen to this playlist.

God, he had the best music taste.

He loved alternative and rock music and shared his love for those genres with me when I was a kid.

Pulling up to the house, I grab my phone and house keys out of the cup holder.

I turn the car off and close the driver’s side.

Gently slamming it closed, I walk up to the front door.

It’s like Sammy knows I’m home because there’s a barking noise piercing its way through the door.

Sammy is our ten-year-old golden retriever and my best friend.

His nose nudges me in the ass, making me jump. He sits in front of me, tongue out and ready to attack me out of pure excitement. He knocks me down, making me land pretty hard on the floor.

He’s just happy to see me, but I’ve had enough of his slobber and stinky breath. “Okay, that’s enough. Down boy.”

I get up off the cold, light gray wooden floor and study the interior of the house. It’s bright from the white walls and open floor concept. There are windows all over. Sunlight reflects off the furniture in the living room, causing them all to glisten.

All I can think about is Dad.

His scent greeted me when I walked through the front door.

We used to sit and watch basketball games with Grayson on the sofa.

I can still hear him through the walls, the sound of his voice piercing through my eardrums.

And his laugh.

The clunking of his shoes when he’d come home from work.

You came here for a reason. Just do what you need to do and get out.

Walking into my room, I head straight for my closet and take out one of my suitcases. I pack it to the brim with clothes and other shit. Zipping it up, I roll it out of my room and stand in the middle of the house.

Sammy runs up to me, breathing heavily and sticking his tongue out.

“Be a good boy while I’m gone, okay? I’m going down the street to stay with Dani. You remember her, right? She was the girl I always had screaming matches with. And still do. I’ll come and visit you. I promise.”

He tilts his head like he understands what I’m saying.

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