Page 14 of Run Away Home: Tempered

“No, you’re not.The Real Housewivesare on at eight.” I shove my lighter back in my pocket.

“WHAT? No! That’s so unfair! Peter, she’s had the TV the whole day while I was at school!”

“Hayley, just DVR it. Let him play.”

“Of course you’d say that,” I answer. He always takes Danny’s side.

“Just let him play tonight, please?”

“Yeah. Why are you watchingHousewives,anyway?” Danny asks. “You’re not anything like a housewife...Well, maybe the house part. At Melissa’s, you just sat around the house, but you didn’t do anything else. Nothing’s going to change here, right?”

“DANNY!” Peter yells. “Apologize now!”

“I don’t want to, Peter!”

“Do it. We don’t talk to each other that way.”

“Sorry,” he says, but the big baby doesn’t mean it. He stomps into his room and slams the door.

Peter groans and walks into the kitchen. After a few minutes, he comes back with my bowl of ice cream. He sits next to me, holding it out with his head down like it’s an offering. I take it from him.

“Can you please let him play tonight? First day of school is hard enough.”

“Sure, no problem,” I say without looking in his direction.

“Great. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“I’m not hungry for dinner.”

“Well, I’ll leave it on the stove for you and Danny. Just please do the dishes when you’re done. I’m tired after work.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“I’m going to finish up cooking and take a shower. Then I’ll be ready for you to take me to the bar.” He stands and stretches.

“I’ll tell Danny he can play tonight. Happy now?”

“Very. Thank you.”

Peter goes back into the kitchen. I put my ice cream on the coffee table and walk down the hall to Danny’s closed bedroom door. I don’t want to, but I knock.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.” I cross my arms and look up at the ceiling.

“What do you want?”

I walk into the room and close the door quietly behind me. I lean against it. Danny’s lying on his bed, staring at his phone.

“I wanted to talk to you about your game.”

He doesn’t look up at me.

“What? That I’m playing it? I know I’m playing it. Peter said I can, so I am.”

This fucking brat. I don’t say anything yet. I take a breath and close my eyes. He continues with his little shit fit.

“You don’t do anything. You always just sit around and chew on pills and smoke. You’ve never helped out at all. I help out more than you. So why should you get the TV? Give me one reason.” He puts his phone down and sits up.

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