Read Online To the Steadfast by Briana Gaitan - Free Book Online Page A

Your grandfather was almost
ten years older than me and we got married after two weeks of dating.”
    She gets quiet like she
does whenever she talks about him.
    Nona is in her late
eighties. My parents had me late in life, they’d never expected any children,
but somehow I’d managed to get through. Some might call me their miracle child,
but my parents just refer to me as a mistake. They’ve never said it to my face,
but I can see the annoyance in their eyes when they look at me.
    “Where’s your mother
tonight?” Nona asks.
    Speak of the devil. I shrug. “Oh, who knows.”
    “Why are you getting
upset?”
    Redness blushes through
my cheeks. “I’m not.”
    “Are you on your
period?” she yells.
    I drop my cards and
look around to see she’s caught the attention of a few nearby tables. “No-na!”
    She gives a cackle and
pushes her wire-rimmed glasses up further on her nose.  “I thought that might
be why you’re hormonal.”
    “No, I’m not on my
period. Let’s just finish the game, I’m winning.”
    “Fine with me. Have you
thought about college yet?”
    I purse my lips. We’ve
had this conversation before, and the answer is always the same. “Dad still
wants me to go to Columbia, but I don’t want to be so far from you.”
    “Don’t worry about me.
We can still talk on the phone. Have you thought about going to the same school
as your grandfather?”
    “Tennessee Tech?”
    “Yes, I hear the
nursing program is excellent there.”
    “Not really. I haven’t
really thought about anywhere else honestly. I figure since Dad is paying, he
has the final call.”
    We’re interrupted by my
father sitting down in the seat next to me.
    “Mother, Dakota.” He
acknowledges us each with a nod. “Sorry I’m late.”
    Nona waves a hand at
him and mutters, “Testicles.”
    “Nona!” I cry out.
    “What?” my father asks.
    “I said typical,” Nona
fibs. “I was just chatting with your daughter about her plans for school.”
    He takes off his coat
and hangs it on the chair behind him. “Columbia and then medical school. End of
discussion.”
    “I don’t want to go to
an Ivy League school. I don’t want to go to medical school. I want to go to
nursing school,” I complain.
    My father glares at his
mother for a moment. He’s silently blaming her for my attitude. “Why be a nurse
when you can go all out and just be a doctor?”
    “Fine,” I say. I only
want to drop the subject.
    “I’m getting a tattoo!”
Nona announces, breaking the tension between my father and me.
    “Where?” I ask.
    My father drops his
head in his hands.
    “On my arm. I’m thinking
something crazy like Tweety Bird or something.”
    “Tweety Bird?” I ask.
    My father pulls up a
picture on his phone of a bigheaded yellow bird.
    “Cute. Do it.”
    “Don’t,” he tells Nona.
“You’ll get Hepatitis C.”
    Nona shakes her head.
“I’m well aware of the risks, son.” She begins dealing a hand of cards.
    “Speaking of risks,
Cody, are you planning on volunteering at the hospital again this summer?” he
asks, picking up his cards.
    I’ve been volunteering
for the past two summers. It isn’t much, but I visit and bring gifts to the
patients who have none. “I plan on it.”
    “Good. I’ll turn in
your application to the director.” He stands to kiss Nona on the forehead. “I
have to get back to work. Emergency shortage. Get home at a decent hour,
Dakota. See you next week, Mom. I’ll stay longer then, I promise.”
    He pats me on the top
of the head like I’m six and walks away. This is the first time I’ve seen him
since he picked me up at the police station, and he stays but a few minutes.
     
     

 

    When I get home,
neither of my parents’ cars are in
the driveway. Mom never showed up, but it’s okay. Nona and I played poker with
a few other families and caught up on all of her soap operas. As soon as I turn
the car off, my phone beeps. It’s Killian. One word.
    Rooftop?
    I get out of the