Page 86 of Rock Chick

He didn’t answer.

Okay, that didn’t work.

I sighed and threw up my hands. “It was never Hank. It would never be Hank. Hank is not even a possibility.”

“For Christ’s sake, stop talking about Hank!” he exploded, taking my hand and pulling me deeper into the house and out of eyesight and earshot of everyone in the back yard.

“What is it then?” I asked his back when he stopped in the living room.

“Think about it,” he answered after he turned.

“I don’t want to think about it. If I knew what it was, I’d already be explaining it or apologizing for it. You’re gonna have to tell me.”

“I’m not tellin’ you.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” I yelled. “How can I make things better if I don’t even know what I did wrong?”

“Forget about it. I’m not angry with you anymore.”

“Yes you are,” I countered.

“No,” he said in his scary voice, “I’m not.”

“Boy, are you moody. You’re the most moody guy I’ve ever met.”

“If you really want to make things better, you could start by not talkin’ about all the men of your acquaintance. That would help.”

I gasped.

“You make me sound like a slut!”

He walked up to me and I stood my ground. He was so close I could feel his heat.

“All right, Indy. First, I don’t like thinkin’ of you with other guys. There may not have been a lot, but even one puts my teeth on edge. Second, I don’t like bein’ compared to Hank or the idea that you think Tom would accept him easier than he would me.”

The light dawned, and it dawned brightly on the fact that I wassucha moron.

“Lee—”

“I’m goin’ for a drive. I’ll be back to take you home.”

“Lee—”

He took off and I stood in the living room staring out the big picture window to the front yard. The Crossfire was long gone by the time the door to the bathroom opened, Dad came out and he looked at me.

“How much did you hear?” I asked.

“All of it. You were talking pretty loudly,” Dad answered, coming up to me.

I put my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around my back.

“I’m a moron,” I declared.

“Well, I don’t know what you said, but it doesn’t sound good.”

“I’m a moron.”

Dad kissed the hair at the side of my head.

---