Page 195 of Mountain Daddy
I’m not his.
I’m not anyone’s.
I take a step back. “Bye, Rocky.”
Then I turn and leave.
Chapter 119
Luther
Rocky.
It’s what everyone calls me.
But not her.
Except that’s what I did to us.
I made us like everyone else.
And. Fuck. I think I might’ve made a mistake.
Chapter 120
Kendra
With my Chileancoffee in hand, I step onto the back deck.
Even though I work from home now, and I like my job, there’s still something about a Sunday morning.
Not that my mornings were like this back home.
Home.
It feels wrong to call Delaware home.
Sitting on the steps, I take a deep breath while my gaze wanders over to Buddy’s doghouse.
Sticks are spread around in the grass just in front of the little house. The tattered corner of a blanket sticks out of the doorway. And I can just see a tuft of fur in the shadows.
My lips pull into a smile as I picture him sleeping, curled around his antler.
Yesterday morning, after sleeping in, Dad and I came out here together to give Buddy the antler Luther found.
The scratchy yowling sounds Buddy made were hilarious.
He was bouncing around, tossing it in the air, tearing around the yard.
His joy was visceral.
And, like I seem to do over everything nowadays, I cried.
I shake my head remembering it.
Dad probably thinks I’ve been having a weeks-long mental breakdown. And honestly, it might be true.
But yesterday, in that moment, I felt something shift.
