Page 166 of Mountain Daddy
I try to breathe.
My throat is so tight I have to open my mouth to pull in air.
And with my eyes closed, the thin mountain air feels heavy around me.
I suck in a breath.
And I lean into the pain.
I feel it.
I deserve to feel it.
And as my heartbeat slows, I admit that I’m the one full of shit.
I wouldn’t give up my memories of her for all the ignorance in the world.
Because if I can’t have her, at least I can still have those.
Chapter 99
Kendra
“What’s all this?”Dad’s voice startles me, and I almost drop the plate of bacon.
“I need to put a bell on you,” I say loudly so Dad can hear me over the music.
He crosses to the counter where my phone is blaring the nineties pop music and hits pause. “What’s, uh, going on?” Dad eyes the piles of food I have spread throughout the kitchen.
“It’s breakfast for dinner.” I set the bacon down next to the sausage links.
“I can see that. And how many other people are coming?”
“Har, har.” Then I take in the cheesy scrambled eggs, French toast sticks, hashbrowns, and cinnamon rolls.
Dad lifts his brows at me. “Something you want to talk about?”
I puff out my cheeks.
Clearly, I showed a little too much of my hand with this spread.
I was just trying to distract myself. And I was hungry.
And breakfast food is my favorite thing to make when I’m feeling down, but I couldn’t decide what to make since pancakes are my usual go-to, but those remind me of Luther now…
I feel myself start to tear up.
Dad’s eyes widen. “Is it your period?”
The scoff that bursts out of me is enough to put my waterworks on hold. “No, but thank you for asking.” I don’t tell him that I don’t get those anymore. Today is certainly not the day forthatparticular conversation.
“Then…?”
“I found a fox.”
I wasn’t sure I should tell Dad about Buddy. Figured I’d wait and see if he even stuck around first.
But I’m still not really okay at the moment. And if I’m honest with myself, I think it’s going to be a while until I’m okay again.
