Page 36 of Stray

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“Well,” Morris sighs, shaking his head. “At least I got to see my first grandchild before I died.” I toss the rag I had been using to bathe Morris into the pile of dirty laundry and help him lay back on the bed. “You ain’t flinching with me holding onto you.” He observes while I take my usual seat and cross my arms over my chest.

“Kind of hard for a dying man to overpower me, Morris.”

“I know that, but that hasn’t stopped you from flinching or tensing if I touch you wrong.” I shrug, glancing at the television so that I can avoid his gaze.

“I wouldn’t get too excited. It could all go to shit in a heartbeat.” He hums in agreement before taking a breath.

“You gonna tell me what’s got your panties in a bunch this afternoon?”

Rolling my eyes, I look at him in irritation, “Yeah, you had way too many sons. Too many cocks in the hen house.”

Morris lets out a weak, tired laugh. He’s been getting tired a lot more the last couple of days. “Well,” he lets out a breath while shaking his head. “At least I got to see my first grandchild before I died.” I give him a tight smile and nod as he closes his eyes. He’s been repeating himself, too. I take a sharp breath in as I stand and cover him up.

“You better wake up for dinner,” I whisper, giving his cold hand a squeeze before walking out of the room and down the steps to the living room, where Derek and Jackson sit with Dorothy and the very quiet Wyatt.

“I want to move Morris down here.” I declare once I reach the bottom of the steps. “He deserves to get to see his ranch, his horse, and his family.” I watch Jackson’s face pale.

“I don’t think now is a good time to–”

“Then when?” I snap, startling Wyatt. Dorothy picks the boy up and walks into the kitchen as I glare at the men. “He’s dying, and whether he’s in that room or down here, it will happen soon.”

“Tink–”

“If you don’t move him, I will,” I state firmly. “And if I am the one that moves your father to his final place, you will regret it. It will eat you to death. You can act like it won’t, but we both know that when he’s gone, I’ll be gone too, and you’ll be left here to think about all the time you chose not to be around him.”

“Hey!” Jackson snaps, anger filling his eyes. I’m mildly aware of the back door opening, and I assume it’s Dorothy taking Wyatt outside. “Shut the fuck up. You have no idea what you’re talking about. You think just because you’ve given him his pills, you have some deep connection to him?”

“Fuck you,” I growl through gritted teeth, my eyes beginning to burn.

“Jackson,” Derek mutters, grabbing his brother’s shoulder.

“No,” Jackson jerks away from Derek and points his finger at me. “You want to run that mouth, little girl? You best make sure you won’t crumple in fear when someone calls you on it!”

“Jackson!” Derek’s voice is loud as he shoves his brother. “Get your ass outside. Now!” I stare in shock as Derek ushers Jackson outside. Did he really say that to me?

I feel my bottom lip wobble, and I shake my head to rid myself of the tears trying to spill over.

Jackson

“What in the actual fuck?” Derek growls as he shoves me again, forcing me to go into one of our sheds. “You don’t raise your voice to a woman! Have you lost your damn mind? And to Ozzy? I know you know that girl has been through shit, and you go after her like that? I’m going to beat your fucking ass, I swear to fucking Christ.”

I flinch before sitting on a bale of hay and groaning. “I didn’t mean to! It’s just… goddamn it.” I feel like shit. After last night, she and I got closer, and then I told her I was interested… only to end up screaming at her twelve hours later. Taking a deep breath, I stare up at my glaring brother. “Go on and hit me, I deserve it.” Derek sighs and runs his hand over his beard, his brown eyes assessing me.

“No point in hitting you when you look that pathetic already.” He mutters while sitting on the bale next to mine.

“I can’t do this, Derek,” I admit weakly. “I-I can’t. I can’t watch him die. I can’t remember him this way. I… he’s our dad.” I choke out, trying to hold the emotions back.

“Jackson, he would do it for us. He was willing to do it for you. You were wasting away when you were sick, and that man never let you feel alone. I hired Ozzy to help with the care, not to be his only company. Now, she’s right. If he’s close… he deserves to get out of that room. He deserves to see Betty again. He’s dying, Jackson. Ozzy is right. The guilt of not doing this will consume you. You know that. You were closer to him than any of us.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” I hiss through clenched teeth. “That man has been my everything since day one, and now he’s a skeleton. Nothing but a shell; shitting and pissing on himself!”

“He is still our father. If you don’t want to see him, you need to get out.” I blink and stare at my big brother.

“What?” I ask weakly.

“You heard me. I’m here for a short time to help get things smoothed back out. I’m moving him to the main floor. You don’t like it, get out of the house.”

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