Page 69 of Headstrong Like Us
But the name is clear.
Dr. Edward Nathaniel Keene.
Farrow’s father isn’t coming to our wedding.
I want to hug Farrow, but he looks fucking baffled. “You think he checked the wrong box?” I question.
“No, he checked the box he wanted to check.” Farrow slaps the invite on the counter, then disappears in my bedroom, returning in a second flat with his cellphone. “He rarely ever ditches a colleague’s birthday, funeral, or wedding, and I work with him now—”
“You’re his son,” I retort, anger lancing me. “That should be the hard stop, the don’t passGo, the take a plane to Capri and see your child get married.”
“I think you’re mixing Monopoly and the Game of Life together.” He scrolls on his phone.
“Same thing.”
He almost smiles. “Not really.” He calls his father and puts it on speaker.
“Farrow?” Dr. Keene answers, his voice warm.
“You’re on speakerphone,” Farrow says. “I’m with Maximoff.”
“Hi, Maximoff. You’ve been well?”
“Yeah.” My voice is stricter than I intend. I’m just pissed right now. More pissed than Farrow ever will be about this.
“I heard about the baby. It’s a really good thing what you two are doing for that child.” Dr. Keene only knows about Ripley because he’s in the circle of trust.
The world is still clueless.
“He’s a good baby,” is all I say, feeling protective. And strangely, I don’t feel like shredding my heart to his father. I’m starting to feel like maybe this is how Farrow felt his whole life.
Farrow jumps in. “We just got your RSVP, and I was wondering why you can’t attend.”
“Didn’t I tell you?” He’s quick to answer himself. “I swore I did at Birdsboro Quarry, the last time we were there.”
“You didn’t.” Farrow glares at the phone. “I would’ve remembered. You know I would’ve.”
“I must’ve…I must’ve forgotten, I’m sorry.” Dr. Keene sounds sincere. “I’ll be in San Diego on July 9th. For a medical symposium. I’m leading a few panels. I can’t miss it.”
I see red. And I can’t hold back. “He’s your only son. Christ, you were a single parent and you raised youronly son.” I control myself enough to not yell. I don’t want to wake Ripley. “And you’re going to miss his wedding for some medical conference?”
Farrow is staring so deep into me, with admiration and love, that my heart skips a beat.
Dr. Keene clears his throat. “I’m sorry. Truly, I am. But Farrow understands. And Rachel will be at the wedding.”
Farrow didn’t even know Rachel, his stepmom, until his senior year of high school.
“Okay,” Farrow says, “thanks for letting me know.”
“I wish I did sooner,” Dr. Keene says softly. “Take care, both of you.” When they hang up, I don’t look away from Farrow.
He seems fine, but I don’t know…
“Do you really understand?” I ask him.
“Yeah, I do.” He leans against the sink. “I’m second to medicine. That’s how it’s always been, Maximoff, and I can’t wish for a different father because that means I care. And I don’t want to care about that fucker. I don’t want to hate him or love him or miss him. I want him to benothingso when he does shit like this, I feelnothing.” His jaw tics, pain in his face.
I come forward immediately, and our arms wrap around each other. Chest to chest, I hold him tighter while he clutches the back of my head. His pulse hammers hard against me, and our breaths sync in a deep rhythm.
