Page 34 of Might as Well

“You okay?” I ask.

His gaze snaps to mine, but the shock of what just happened hasn’t gone away yet.

“I’m not asking because I care,” I add before he can say anything. “I’m asking because Violet will ask when I go in there.”

“No one’s ever hit me before,” he comments.

“And I’m sure she’s already feeling guilty that she did. How long have you had a job?”

His embarrassed look makes sense when he says, “Two years.”

“How long have you been seeing the girl?” I ask out of curiosity.

“A year.”

I quickly rein in my temper as a burst of outrage hits me. He’s had a fucking job fortwogoddamnyearsand continues to take money Violet gives him? Leaving her to think he doesn’t do anything all the damn time. Two years of having Violet pay his way and apparently pay for him to date this girl. What bullshit. Iwant to ask where in his mind he finds that it’s okay to mooch off his sister when he has a job, but I don’t. I’ve already crossed the line once and I don’t need to do it again.

“I don’t understand her. She wants me to get a job, and I need something better than I’ve got. I’ve got myself in this pickle and it makes sense to go that route.” Graham looks at me, actually confused.

“She’s terrified to lose you.” The obviousness of that fact is clear in my tone. “You’re all she has and all she’s tried to do is look after you and take care of you. All you’ve done is be mean to your own damn sister for no good reason. Things improve slightly, getting her hopes up that you two can get along, and you drop a bombshell like this on her.” My tone turns a bit too combative, so it doesn’t surprise me when he responds in kind.

“Like how you told me y’all are apparently married?” he snaps back. “She can make stupid decisions, but I can’t? At least I’m trying to do something to improve it; she’s acting like something will actually come out of her marrying a dumbass she doesn’t even know. She ain’t scared to lose me; she’s scared to loseyou.”

My jaw clenches. I’ve never had my temper flare and rage as much as it has since I met Graham. I want to hit him a handful of times if only to make myself feel better.

“I think you’re missing the point, Graham,” I start as evenly as I can. “She wants to do right by your parents and your grandma and make sure you don’t turn into even more of a dipshit than you already are. She wants to spend holidays with you. She wants to have a regular conversation with you. She’s gonna want to be an aunt to your kid. She wants to make sure you can survive on your own. All she’s trying to do is help you the best she can and you keep spitting in her face like an entitled brat.”

I stand, over the conversation. “If you didn’t need to get your shit together before, you certainly do now with a kid on the way. I suggest you fix things with your sister unless you want your kid to grow up knowing it’s okay to treat your own family like shit.”

Leaving him to his thoughts, I find Violet sitting on the edge of her bed. Her head lifts from where it was buried in her hands. She hiccups from the crying.

“Is he okay? I can’t believe I slapped him!”

“He’s fine.” Whether he is or not, I don’t know and I don’t care. Violet doesn’t need that conversation weighing on her. “Areyouokay?”

She falls into my side, the tears spilling over again. “I’m gonna lose him,” she sobs. “He’ll join the military, leave home, start a new family, and I’ll never see him again. I’ll have no one.”

“Hey now,” I start gently. “You’ve got Cassie. And me. And things will work out with Graham. He’ll come around, I promise.” If there’s anything I can do to make sure of that, I will. Be it beat some common sense into the guy or keep making comments until it gets through to him that all she wants is a decent relationship with him.

I hold Violet in my arms for what seems like a lifetime. Her tears eventually dry, but she makes no move away from me and I don’t bother changing anything either. I hate that she has to deal with shit like this. That she’s had to do so and has done it for so long.

A knock sounds on her door, pulling her from me slightly as she lifts her head.

“Come in,” she calls.

Graham pokes his head in. “I’m, uh, going to see my girlfriend and check on her. Not sure if I’ll be back, but I’ll text you.”

Violet nods. “Graham, I’m?—”

“We can talk later,” he quickly cuts her off.

Violet nods and lets him go. “Why does my life have to be such shit?” She looks at me as if hoping I can give her an actual answer.

I cup her face, wishing I could do more for her. “You’re not alone in dealing with it,” I remind her. “Get ready; we’re going out.”

She must either be completely distraught that she isn’t thinking to argue, or else she really needs to get out of the house. I give her some privacy and soon, we’re on our way. She needs something fun and lighthearted and I know just the thing.

“Zane, I don’t think I’m up for this,” she says as I park in Ian’s driveway.

---