Page 135 of Jake Forever
Chapter 47
I wasn't quite following. "Done with what?"
"The fights," he said. "Messing with people. All of it."
I was so shocked that I could hardly speak. To me, this was good news.Verygood news. The way I saw it, Jake was thrilling enough without all the fights and drama.
Still, I had to ask, "Why?"
He was quiet for a long moment. "You know my dad, right?"
I'd never been introduced, but coming from the same hometown, I knew enough to grasp the basics.
Jake's dad was mean, half-crazy, and notorious for all kinds of things that made normal people run in the other direction.
Growing up, I'd seen him around town, but it's not like I'd ever spoken to the guy.
"I don't know him personally," I said, "but I know that he's um…" I searched for the right words, and settled on, "...a bit of a character."
"Yeah. That's one way to put it."
"But I don't get it," I said. "What does your dad have to do with all this?"
"I don’t wanna be him."
"But you could never be him," I pointed out. "You're totally different."
"Am I?"
"Yeah. Totally."
"Well, then I’m gonnastaydifferent." He made a scoffing sound. "WhenIhave a family? I'm not gonna be that guy, brawling on the front lawn, taking one too many hits to the head." His voice hardened. "Embarrassing the shit out of my kids."
"But you don't even have kids."
"Yeah?" In his voice, I heard the hint of a smile. "Neither do you."
"But–"
"Chew on that a while," he said. "We'll talk when I get back."
Now, I was totally dying to see him.
Who was I kidding? I'd been dying to see him the moment he'd left.
Still, one thing confused me. I'd known Jake for years. Nothing embarrassed him. Or at least, that's what I'd always assumed.
Was I that clueless?
Trying to understand, I said, "But wait. So your dad embarrassed you?"
Jake laughed. "Me? Nah."
"But you just said…"
"Not me. Joel. And maybe the others, I dunno."
I saw what he meant. A house like Jake's would've been hard to grow up in.
