Page 5 of Patched

If there’s one person who knows what’s going on, it will be Wade. But, I refuse to go behind Dylan’s back to find out what’s going on with him. As long as I know he’s not gonna hurt himself, I’m okay with him keeping his secret for a while longer. Dylan won’t hurt himself. There’s too many eyes on him for him to do anything rash. Carson will always keep an eye on his brother no matter what’s going on with him.

“Okay, Son. I love you. I’ll let you finish packin’. We’ll load the U-Haul when everyone is done gettin’ what they need together. I think Vault is gonna head back sooner than that though. Annabell and Savannah want to get home to see the Nomads before they go. Valor doesn’t have a problem stayin’ behind with the rest of us for the trip to Pine View,” I state, standing from the chair and pushing it under the desk where it was before I moved it.

Dylan walks me to the door of his room and closes it behind me before I hear his music turn back up once again. Stepping across the hall, I don’t have to knock on Carson’s door. His is open as he packs up his room. It’s a fucking mess and I don’t honestly know how he’s getting anything done. I laugh as I make my way inside and find him tossing things out of his closet and letting them land wherever they fall.

“Son, what the hell are you doin’?” I ask, watching as Carson pokes his head out of the closet and gives me a smile that reminds me so much of his mom’s.

“I’m packin’ my room up, Dad,” he answers before leaving the closet and looking at the mess he’s made. “Well, that’s what I’m attemptin’ to do. I guess I didn’t realize the mess I made. It will get done though. I have a few days before I have to really worry about things.”

“Always waitin’ till the last minute, Son. When are you gonna learn?” I ask him, sitting on his bed and moving a pile of clothes out of the way. “How are you gonna sleep with all this shit on your bed?”

“I’ll pack this stuff first. Did you just get home from work?” he returns, grabbing a box and taping one end together before tossing all the clothes inside without seeing if they’re clean or dirty. Carson is definitely one of a kind and I love him for all his crazy ways.

“I did. Went in to see Dylan and talk to him for a minute. Just want to check in with you both. Mom’s not doin’ so well now that it’s becomin’ a reality that you’re both movin’ to Pine View. I’m not doin’ the best either if I’m bein’ honest,” I tell him honestly as I continue to look around the room and notice a spare tire for one of the dirt bikes leaning against the wall of his room.

“I know you’re not. We’ll be okay, Dad. Everyone will be with us and Vault and Valor won’t let us get into too much trouble. If I know all of you parents the way I think I do, you’ll be down to see us before too long,” Carson says with laughter filling his voice. “You and Mom aren’t gettin’ rid of us that easy. And I know we’ll come home to visit too.”

“Yeah, I know. It just feels like everythin’ is changin’ and with Caleb still bein’ overseas, it’s just too much. It feels like you boys were just born and now you’re both leavin’ the house and movin’ to a new town on your own. We have no clue where Caleb is or what’s goin’ on with him. I’m not used to havin’ an empty house and it’s not even empty yet,” I say, emotion clogging my throat as I look over at Carson.

“I’m sorry, Dad. Caleb will call soon. He never goes too long without contactin’ us. Didn’t he say this was his last tour? That he plans on leavin’ the military once this contract is up?” Carson asks me, continuing to put things in the box in front of him.

“Yeah, I think that’s the plan. I don’t know what he plans on doin’ once he’s out though. He might not come home.”

“He’ll come home. At least for a while. You know he’s not gonna just disappear because he’s scared of Mom. We’re all scared of Mom. She’ll hunt his ass down and make sure she drags him home by the ear,” my son says, and I can’t stop the laughter because it’s the truth. Sam is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her boys.

“So, have you made any decisions about Hope?” I ask Carson, putting him on the spot because he needs to figure out his shit with her one way or another.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Dad,” he says, a blush covering his face as I chuckle because my son is one of the only boys I know who still blushes as a grown man.

“Yeah, you do. Neither one of you have hidden the way you feel about the other in years. You want her and she wants you. I’m gonna tell you now that if you think of goin’ there with Hope, you better be fuckin’ serious and know she’s not like the rest of the girls you hang out with. She’s a settle down, make her your ol’ lady, and marry kind of girl. Plus, you better talk to Killer before you take a fuckin’ step toward her. If you don’t, he’ll gut you and I won’t be able to stop him. You know like the rest of us that you don’t fuck with Hope and Faith. So, man the fuck up and talk to him before you make any moves with Hope,” I tell him, knowing Carson isn’t stupid, but he needs that reminder to talk to Killer about Hope and what he wants with her.

“I will, Dad. But, Hope doesn’t like me that way. And, I’m about to leave Benton Falls. Hope isn’t gonna leave home. Killer won’t let her despite her bein’ an adult,” my son says, a dejected look covering his face.

See, I know my son enough to understand that not everything is as it seems. Hope wants my son and she stays away from him because of the fact that Carson makes himself look like a manwhore. I can’t say one way or another if that’s the truth, but that’s how he’s portrayed himself for a long time now. It’s one of the reasons Killer isn’t gonna go easy on him. Carson is really gonna have to look deep in himself and figure out what he wants. Yeah, Killer and I have already talked about this situation and he knows his baby girl is ready to follow Carson out of Benton Falls. He’s not happy about it, but there’s really nothing he can do. Killer is a softy when it comes to his girls and everything he does is to protect them. Yeah, he’s strict as fuck, but if I had girls, I’d be the same damn way.

“Just make sure you see Killer before you leave here. I mean, he’ll be goin’ to Pine View with us, but a conversation needs to take place sooner rather than later. Mom’s almost done with dinner I think. Make sure you’re both at the table when she calls you. I’m gonna jump in the shower before it’s ready,” I say, getting off Carson’s bed and leaving him to the mess he’s created in a few hours he’s been ‘packing’.

Heading up to our room, I strip out of my clothes and toss them in the hamper before getting in the shower. The water is cold, but it doesn’t bother me. I’ve been sweating all day long and it feels good. But, now the hot water is loosening up my muscles and I feel my age. I’m fucking old and the boys remind me of that on a daily basis. I hate this feeling and want to go back to the days when I could jump out of bed, work all day, drink all night with the guys, and then get right back up the next morning to start all over again. But, then I wouldn’t have my boys and Sam at my side. I wouldn’t trade this life for any reason at all.

Chapter Four

Killer

IT’S BEEN A long fucking day and I’m ready to get home and be with my girls. My wife and daughters are the best things in my life and I’ve done everything in my power to protect them over the years. Especially Hope and Faith. Hope is more like me and wants to be doing something at all times. Faith is more reserved and would rather be alone than out surrounded by people. Even if it’s only the other kids from the club that they’re hanging out with. Faith is more like her mom in that aspect. However, she always goes with Hope and does her best to keep her sister out of trouble. Hope always manages to find it and doesn’t listen to anything when she gets her mind stuck on something. It’s one of the few things I don’t like about my daughter and Gwen is always laughing when I bitch about it. My wife tells me that Hope is all me and it’s payback for all the shit I’ve put her through over the years. Especially when I’ve been an asshole and forbid her from doing something when it goes against keeping her safe.

Walking in the house, I find Gwen and Hope sitting on the couch in the living room with the TV off and them looking up at me. I know the looks on their faces—they’ve got something to talk to me about and I’m not going to like what they have to say. Rubbing my hands down my face, I take a deep breath and make my way over to my chair and take a seat.

“What’s up? I know you wanna tell me somethin’. How pissed am I gonna be?” I question two of my girls but keep my focus on Hope because I have a feeling this is about something she’s done or wants to do.

“Dad, first of all, I love you and I love everything you’ve done to protect me since the day I was born. Even before that if I’m being honest. I’ve heard so many stories about you from when Mom was pregnant with us and then we were born. Sometimes, you take the whole overprotective thing too far and I haven’t had a chance to live my life the way that allows me to figure out who I am. I’m over eighteen now and I’ve decided that I’m going to move to Pine View with everyone else. I can’t be myself here and listen to what you want me to do on a daily basis. I think I’ve proven that over the years by getting in so much trouble,” my daughter says, looking up at me and giving me those puppy dog eyes that typically get her what she wants depending on the question she’s asking.

I’d like to think I’ve become immune to it over the years, but that would be a lie. Hope has mastered the puppy dog look and uses it often. Most of the time, I don’t give in to her because of it. This is one of those times. I can’t protect her if she’s out of my sight. It’s not time for her to leave the nest yet.

“No. You’re not movin’ to Pine View, Hope. There’s nothin’ there for you and the only reason you wanna go there is to pull the same bullshit you do here and think I don’t know about,” I state, my voice hard as I look at her eyes filling with tears. “How long have you known this is what she wants to do?”

“She talked to me less than two weeks ago,” Gwen answers me, her back straight from the tone of my voice as regret fills me. “You’re not even listening to her, Tristan. Hope isn’t a baby anymore and what would you say if she were leaving for college instead of wanting to go to Pine View with the guys she’s grown up with?”

My wife is trying to get me to see this situation in a way that will benefit Hope. I’m not going to. Hope wants to go to Pine View for one reason—Carson fucking Busch. Playboy’s son has been her crush since she learned what one was. My daughter wants him and he wants her. Carson hasn’t made a move with Hope, but he’s been with every other fucking girl in Benton Falls. He’s always going out with one girl after another and I’m not going to have him break my daughter’s heart because he’s a manwhore who only wants to fuck her before leaving her alone to deal with the consequences on her own.

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