Page 59 of Just A Trip

“What? Like I could give you a whole family? I’m sorry your deadbeat father didn’t stick around but it’s not my fault.”

I lean back against the headrest, choking on a sob. “I didn’t need the whole family, I just needed someone. I needed a mom. Why couldn’t you just give me that?”

“Because I didn’t want to be a mother!” she yells.

It’s eerily silent. My heart shatters all over again. The truth she has never spoken is finally free.

“Well, I’m releasing you of your duty.” I say, with more strength than I have right now.

“I was only ninetee–”

“Mom, I’m done. I’m sorry you never found joy in motherhood. If you ever feel like being a part of my life, you can visit me. I won’t be coming back.”

I hang up the phone before she says something that makes me feel even worse.

Everything hurts. I’m officially alone.

And I don’t like it one bit.

Chapter 28

Trent

SomethingwasoffwithKarli before she left. I could tell by her forced smiles and the way she pulled back. Karli doesn’t pull back. She leads the charge.

So where did I go wrong?

I’ve been a male long enough to know we are usually the ones at fault. But I also have no clue what I did.

What was my life like three days ago? I suppose I should thank Sean for his hand in this, but I’m not over the whole kidnapping thing, so I think I’ll still let him sweat it out first. Maybe by next Thanksgiving. But in the meantime, I still have to live and work with him.

Work. I completely forgot about what I needed to do.

I walk back into the house and find my dad and Michael alone in the kitchen. Just the people I needed to see.

“Hey guys, can I talk to you for a minute?”

My dad polishes off the last bite of his pie. If I’m counting correctly that’s his third piece, so my mom is not going to be happy.

“Sure, son. What’s up?”

I glance at Michael. He will be taking over the business eventually, which means this will affect him as well since I do a lot of office work.

I take a seat on the barstool across from my dad. “I don’t want to work at the business anymore.”

Dad’s face is impassive. For a full minute, there’s nothing but silence. Have I offended him?

“About time,” Dad says.

The air whooshes from my lungs. “What?”

“I know it isn’t your passion. So will you finally tell me what is?”

No more hiding.I don’t need anyone’s permission to chase my dreams. And so what if I fail? I’ll only regret never trying.

“Computer programming.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Michael says. He doesn’t appear to be upset either.

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