Page 31 of Destiny

“It means I have no reason to think badly about the Steel brothers or Marjorie. It’s their father I have a beef with.”

“Yes… The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…”

“It’s not a saying I ever believed,” Dad says.

“You said it. Remember that first camping trip we took, when we found that apple tree?”

“Yeah.” Dad chuckles. “I’m surprised you remember that.”

“How can I not? That tree fed us every time we went camping after that. But the point is, you made that statement, and you’ve said many times over the years that the Steels own this town.”

“Everyone in town has said that at one time or another.”

“Fair enough, but I don’t think anyone really believed it. Do you?”

Dad sighs. “I don’t know, son. The older I get, the less sure I am about any fucking thing.”

I simply nod. What else is there to say?

“Tell you what, Brendan,” he says. “I agree with you. We’ll go to the lab Jack suggested, and then we’ll go to Ruby’s lab. We’ll make sure these blood results are correct.”

“Sounds good. What time are we meeting Jack tomorrow?”

“Ten. At the lab he chose.”

“Good enough. Then we’ll head over to Ruby’s lab.” I nod. “Pour me a shot of Peach Street.”

“You got it, son.” Dad prepares my drink and slides it toward me on a bar napkin.

“I had two of these with dinner tonight. Ava and I went to Fortnight. Dinner was delicious, but then we stopped by her house.”

“Yeah, why was that?”

“It was Ava’s idea. She said her mother sounded strange on the phone, so we went.”

“And…”

“And…Ava chose to stay there tonight. That’s about all I can say at this point, Dad. But I can tell you this.” I lower my voice. “Things are developing. I just hope it’s not all bad.”

Chapter Ten

Ava

Wendy’s eyes aren’t open, only fluttering.

“Wendy?” Dad says.

She doesn’t respond.

“Was that…her?” I ask.

“Yes. I recognize her voice. It’s a little different from what I remember, since she’s older now. But that was her.”

“So she’s awake.”

Dad’s lips tremble slightly. “So it would seem. Wendy?”

Again, no response.

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