Page 51 of I Am Salvation

I was scared.

I was just a little boy.

Tim said those things to me so many times during our sessions. Those exact words.

Dragon, you were just a little boy.

I know that.

But my mother and father didn’t.

I always thought my father and I were close. He was the one who saw something in me. The one who said, “Stevie, that boy is going to be a drummer.” The one who bought me my first drum when Griffin was just a baby.

How could he turn on me?

How do you choose one child over another?

How do you believe the worst of your nine-year-old son?

I can never be a parent, that’s for sure.

No way will I risk doing to an innocent child what my parents did to me.

From my balcony, I hear the opening click of the door to Diana’s room, and then a few quick barks from Teddy.

“That’s right, boy, you’re getting a bath.”

Diana’s voice.

Diana’s sweet and angelic voice.

I’m the one who took the dog, but Diana is the one who will take care of him. Nurture him. She’ll make a good mother.

But I would make a terrible father. I don’t know how to nurture. And I know even less about teaching a child how to be a good and moral human being. How can you teach something that you’re not?

I sigh, take one last look at the stars, and then head back into my room.

Chapter Fourteen

Diana

I turn the shower on, and when it’s lukewarm, I find Teddy scratching at the adjoining door to Dragon’s room. He still has the leash and collar on, so I grab the leash and pull him into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

“I should’ve asked for some extra towels.” I sigh. “No matter. I’ll get some after you are all dried off.”

I lift him into the bathtub, and he whimpers a bit.

“You’ll thank me when it’s over,” I say to him. “My God, you’re a filthy mess.”

Still holding on to his leash, I force him into a sitting position and then run the showerhead over him, getting his body wet. A shit ton of dirt comes off him just from that, and I watch it swirl down the drain.

“My God…” I mutter.

Did that woman never give this dog a bath? For that matter, did she ever feed him? Seeing his ribs makes my heart hurt, but I can take care of that. Soon he’ll be well-fed and healthy.

I squeeze some dog shampoo into my palm and lather Teddy up.

He whimpers again.

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