Read Online The Mechanics of Being Human by S. E. Campbell - Free Book Online
Authors: S. E. Campbell
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at her dad. She noted nervous lines around his eyes too. For the first time, she could see the similarities between them as brothers.
"Well, well, well. It seems I'm not the only one who has developed some interesting new traits." Jax stepped backward and tightened his jacket around himself. "I think I understand what's going on now. The real reason why you didn't want me to see her. You were never one to share, big brother."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Her dad tightened his grip so much he hurt her shoulder.
"Don't forget this isn't permanent." Jax shot her dad an aggravated look and then walked away.
The sight of Jax's back filled Fawn with immense despair all over again. She didn't want him to leave. With a groan, she stepped forward, hand extended, longing to beg for him not to abandon her. She wanted him to stay forever.
"Jax, don't go," she said.
The man kept right on walking. Her mom tugged at her hand as she hung her head in disappointment.
****
While her mom and dad drank tea, Fawn consumed thick oil. She didn't want to drink it, but her mom insisted they calm down before talking, so she didn't have much of a choice. With a frown, she traced the lid of the unmarked can, wishing she could fast forward time.
"I think it's time to tell her more now, Oliver," her mom said.
Fawn glanced up at her mom in relief. Her dad's eyes were wide and his face was pale. Once again, after having seeing Jax, she registered how much they looked alike. And how little they looked like her.
"Okay, okay." Her dad ran a hand through his hair. "Just what do you expect me to tell her?"
"Anything." Her mom elbowed him in the side.
"Fine." Her dad's expression was intense. "Fawn, you're not our kid. You are actually Jax's."
The world stilled. That made sense but didn't make sense. How could she be Jax's daughter when just minutes before her dad had said she wasn't? It felt like a lie on top of a lie.
"You just said I wasn't his daughter. I heard you. You're lying to me again." Fawn glanced at both of them in despair. "I don't understand. I can sense you're being untruthful and now I know I'm right. I want to know the truth. Please. Who am I?"
Her mom gripped her cup of chamomile tea so hard her fat fist grew white. . Her dad also appeared tense, but he was pale instead of red and his eyes bulged.
"You are Jax's child. That's why you wanted to go with him and not us." Her dad sighed. "You aren't genetically his either, though. Heâ¦adoptedâ¦you, I guess you could say."
Adopted me. Suddenly, the memories of his workshop, the grease and the smells, made sense. No wonder she felt comfort when he was with her, if he was the man who raised her. The image of his back made her wince even more. It hurt because her dad was abandoning her. How could he do that? Didn't he love her? Dad. Jax is my dad. Something in her head clicked and the blackness was not nearly so overwhelming anymore.
"Jax is my dadâ¦" Fawn bit her bottom lip. "Okay. But you said he was using me as a replacement?"
Her dadâor her uncle who also felt like her dadâwinced and pushed his glasses further up his nose. With his frown so deep, she could see the cracks spanning from his eyes like legs from a spider's body. She knew even after all of this, she wasn't sure she could consider Delanee and Oliver as her aunt and uncle after having called them her parents. It didn't feel right to her, even after what she'd learned.
"I shouldn't have said that. Cold of me. He just made me mad, showing up here out of nowhere with the cops after him." Her dad sighed. "Jax had a wife and daughter once. His wife's name was Beth and his daughter's name was Melody. The cutest little girl you ever saw. Blonde hair and green eyes just like yours. The spitting image of her mother. She would be your age now, too, if she was alive."
Fawn pressed her hand to her lips in horror. "What happened?"
"Like I said, Jax is brilliant but creates messes. He was working
"Well, well, well. It seems I'm not the only one who has developed some interesting new traits." Jax stepped backward and tightened his jacket around himself. "I think I understand what's going on now. The real reason why you didn't want me to see her. You were never one to share, big brother."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Her dad tightened his grip so much he hurt her shoulder.
"Don't forget this isn't permanent." Jax shot her dad an aggravated look and then walked away.
The sight of Jax's back filled Fawn with immense despair all over again. She didn't want him to leave. With a groan, she stepped forward, hand extended, longing to beg for him not to abandon her. She wanted him to stay forever.
"Jax, don't go," she said.
The man kept right on walking. Her mom tugged at her hand as she hung her head in disappointment.
****
While her mom and dad drank tea, Fawn consumed thick oil. She didn't want to drink it, but her mom insisted they calm down before talking, so she didn't have much of a choice. With a frown, she traced the lid of the unmarked can, wishing she could fast forward time.
"I think it's time to tell her more now, Oliver," her mom said.
Fawn glanced up at her mom in relief. Her dad's eyes were wide and his face was pale. Once again, after having seeing Jax, she registered how much they looked alike. And how little they looked like her.
"Okay, okay." Her dad ran a hand through his hair. "Just what do you expect me to tell her?"
"Anything." Her mom elbowed him in the side.
"Fine." Her dad's expression was intense. "Fawn, you're not our kid. You are actually Jax's."
The world stilled. That made sense but didn't make sense. How could she be Jax's daughter when just minutes before her dad had said she wasn't? It felt like a lie on top of a lie.
"You just said I wasn't his daughter. I heard you. You're lying to me again." Fawn glanced at both of them in despair. "I don't understand. I can sense you're being untruthful and now I know I'm right. I want to know the truth. Please. Who am I?"
Her mom gripped her cup of chamomile tea so hard her fat fist grew white. . Her dad also appeared tense, but he was pale instead of red and his eyes bulged.
"You are Jax's child. That's why you wanted to go with him and not us." Her dad sighed. "You aren't genetically his either, though. Heâ¦adoptedâ¦you, I guess you could say."
Adopted me. Suddenly, the memories of his workshop, the grease and the smells, made sense. No wonder she felt comfort when he was with her, if he was the man who raised her. The image of his back made her wince even more. It hurt because her dad was abandoning her. How could he do that? Didn't he love her? Dad. Jax is my dad. Something in her head clicked and the blackness was not nearly so overwhelming anymore.
"Jax is my dadâ¦" Fawn bit her bottom lip. "Okay. But you said he was using me as a replacement?"
Her dadâor her uncle who also felt like her dadâwinced and pushed his glasses further up his nose. With his frown so deep, she could see the cracks spanning from his eyes like legs from a spider's body. She knew even after all of this, she wasn't sure she could consider Delanee and Oliver as her aunt and uncle after having called them her parents. It didn't feel right to her, even after what she'd learned.
"I shouldn't have said that. Cold of me. He just made me mad, showing up here out of nowhere with the cops after him." Her dad sighed. "Jax had a wife and daughter once. His wife's name was Beth and his daughter's name was Melody. The cutest little girl you ever saw. Blonde hair and green eyes just like yours. The spitting image of her mother. She would be your age now, too, if she was alive."
Fawn pressed her hand to her lips in horror. "What happened?"
"Like I said, Jax is brilliant but creates messes. He was working
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