Page 48 of Even in the Dark

“You definitely told him dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes when I asked you to?” Diane asks. She’s annoyed—like I knew she would be—that the meal is ready and served, and we’re all sitting down and Dylan still hasn’t bothered to grace us with his presence.

“Yup. I told him.”

Phil called up to him a couple of times before he sat down, but Dylan didn’t respond. Not sure why they expected him to; it’s not like he responds when he’s face-to-face. Now Diane sends Kenzie up to his room to get him, then tells us all to start without him. Conversations start flowing the way they usually do during these weekly meals. Everyone catching up, filling each other in on their week.

A couple of minutes later, Kenzie skips back into the dining room. “I think Dylan’s in the shower,” she announces, climbing into her seat. “I called outside the door really loud that dinner’sready, but he didn’t hear ’cos his music was so so loud.” She giggles. “I never heard of putting music on in theshower.”

Phil is conversing with my mother, but he stops mid-sentence, his face suddenly pale. “Did you knock?” he asks Kenz, like this is somehow pertinent information.

She nods. “Yuuup! But he didn’t hear ’cos of the music.” She shrugs. “And the door was locked.”

Phil and Diane exchange a panicked look.

What am I missing here?

“Shit.” Phil throws his napkin on the table and shoves his chair out, then rushes down the hall, towards the stairs. The adults all exchange cryptic, concerned glances.

“How come Phil said the ’s-h’ word?” Sadie asks.

“He didn’t mean to, sweetheart.” Mom forces a smile.

“What the hell is going on?” I dart a look at the adults.

“Language, Scarlett,” mom says. And then nothing further to explain Phil’s bizarre reaction five seconds ago.

“Seriously, guys? Why is Phil so panicked about Dylan taking a shower?” I laugh nervously when no one answers. “Does he melt if he’s in there too long or something?”

No one even chuckles. Dad dismisses me, turning towards Diane instead. “These potatoes are fantastic, by the way,” he says, way too enthusiastically.

Conversations start up again, but much more stilted than before. We’re back to the food compliments, like last week. And five minutes later, Phil and Dylan still haven’t come down. Mom reaches over and places her hand on Diane’s. “I’m sure everything’s fine,” she whispers.

She’s surewhat’sfine?

Suddenly there’s a loud banging noise from upstairs, like a door being slammed or something. And then Dylan’s voice. Shouting. “I’m not fucking lying to you! I was just taking a fucking shower!”

Our heads all swing towards the hall, then in Diane’s direction. Her eyes squeeze shut as she lets out a long exhale, then slowly flutter open. “Sorry,” she says softly, tilting her head towards the hallway. “For… that.”

“I just heard Kenzie’s new brother say the ‘f’ word!” Sadie gasps.

“Twice,” Chloe adds.

“I’m sure he’s just frustrated right now,” dad tells them, saving Diane from having to explain this one.

But I’m just as bowled over as they are—not about the swearing, but because I’ve never heard Dylan raise his voice beyond a husky drawl, let alone full-on yell. What the actual hell is going on?

“The ‘f” word is worse than the ‘s-h’ word,” Sadie informs everyone.

“Honey, please… just—we know. Okay? Let’s not talk about it anymore,” mom shushes her.

“He better be in big trouble,” Chloe singsongs.

Then from upstairs, Dylan yells again. “So I can’t even lock the door when I shower now?” There’s another loud crash. “They’re fucking hair scissors! Jesusfuck!”

Then the faint sound of Phil’s even-keeled voice.

More screaming from Dylan. “You want to come sit on the tub and watch me shower next time? Will that make you happy?”

Phil’s quiet voice responds but then gets interrupted by another loudcrash!Only this one sounds like something really heavy being pushed over. Like a large piece of furniture.

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