Page 62 of Bookworm
“Where are you going?” I asked as he scooped up his wallet and phone, sitting on the side table.
“To talk to my dad.”
“Right now?”
Adam paused and turned to glance at me from over his shoulder. “Yeah. Right now.”
It should have made me feel better…
… but somehow I felt worse.
Chapter Eighteen
Iwaited up for Adam.
I waited for him to come back while I smiled and ate burgers with Dad, Addy, and my siblings.
I waited for him while we all put on a movie and made hot chocolate.
I waited for him while Dad and Addy read the boys their bedtime story.
And I waited for him after midnight, long after Dad and Addy had gone to sleep.
To be fair, he wasn’t completely incommunicado. He had texted me back twice. Once, after I’d asked him how it was going, he responded with:
Adam:
As well as expected.
Which didn’t help me much because I didn’t know what the fuck to expect out of his dad anymore.
And then when I texted him asking how long he thought he might be, all he said was:
Adam:
Don’t wait up for me. <3
So much for that. I couldn’t sleep right now even if I wanted to.
So instead, I browsed the Hallmark channel for some cheesy, adorable, family-friendly movies.
Even though it was well-past Christmas, there was something comforting about watching a movie where I not only knew exactly how it was going to end, but I could also anticipate all the smaller beats within the movie.
With a sigh, I picked up my phone and texted Adam again.
Me:
I know you said not to wait up, but I can’t sleep. Are you going to stay the night at your Dad’s?
Honesty, right? Well, it didn’t get any more honest than that. At least if I knew he wasn’t coming back tonight, I could potentially allow the sound of Christmas carols to lull me to sleep.
Behind me, I heard the soft shuffle of footsteps. “Hey Turkey,” Dad said quietly.
He didn’t startle me. I knew those footsteps. There was a particular gait Dad always had.
The couch dipped as he slid into the empty spot beside me.
The spot Adam should have been.
