Page 69 of Corkscrew You
“Yeah,” he says, slowly. “And, uh, that leads me to the point of this story…’
I widen my eyes expectantly.
“How would you feel about coming to my place to meet him?”
“Meet your dad?”
“I know we’ve got a lot going on,” he says, apologetically. “But maybe one evening this week. For dinner?”
“With your family?”
“Well, yeah…’
“And I’d come as your …friend?”
I feel a strong urge to beveryclear here.
“You can come as Batgirl if you like.”
That old trick. Making jokes to deflect from uncomfortable subjects.
“It helps if I know,” I say. “So I don’t blurt out anything embarrassing. Like—”
“OK, OK,” he says, hastily. “Come as a friend – and business partner.” He screws up his face. “I’m asking a lot, aren’t I?”
“Actually, I’m not surewhatyou’re asking,” I say. “Why do you want me to meet your dad?”
Nate’s gaze travels round until it lights on a photo propped up on the small shelf where I keep all the miscellaneous useful things, like keys, pens and phone chargers, along, of course, with all the completely useless crap I should find a better place for. The photo’s of my family, taken about twelve years ago, when we were all living here. At the back, there’s Dad, big and blond, and his absolute clone, my oldest brother, Jackson. Middle row is Mom and her long red hair, and Tyler and me, the big and small strawberry blondes. Up front there’s the baby, Frankie, another redhead like Mom. We’re all smiling. We were happy that day.
“I want you to tell him aboutyourdad,” Nate says, finally.
His voice is subdued, as if he’s asking me against his better judgment.
“I want you to say how hard it was for you to lose him. How much you miss him, now he’s gone.”
“Right.” I get it.
But I’m not sure yet how I feel about it. He wants to usemygrief to emotionally blackmail his dad. As he admitted, that’s a big ask.
What wouldIdo, though, in his situation? If Dad had refused treatment right from the start, what lengths would I have gone to, to convince him?
There’s also the fact I’m secretly thrilled that Nate thinks so highly of me that he’d trust me with such a big and personal task. Makes me wonder if he kind of … you know … loves me?
And, of course, if I succeed, and his dad gets the treatment he needs, then Nate will be free to re-start our relationship.
“I’m in,” I tell him.
He doesn’t even try to hide his relief.
“Iwillbe wearing the Batgirl outfit,” I add.
Nate gives me a crooked grin. “I … owe you.”
I smile right back. “You might regret you said that.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
NATE
