Read Online Under the Bridge by Michael Harmon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Harmon
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feeling like my words were coming from somebody else’s mouth. Part of me screamed to shut up because this didn’t happen in our house. We didn’t talk like this to each other. Nobody did. But he didn’t get it, and Indy was in trouble because of it.
Dad’s jaw muscles worked as he clenched his teeth. “Go to your room.”
“He’s my brother.”
“I said go to your room.”
“Or what? You’ll hit me? I saw his face, Dad. Nice job.”
Dad took a deep breath, his chest expanding. He put his elbows on the table, his fists under his chin. His knuckles were white. “You’re taking this too far, son.”
There was a warning in his eyes that I’d never seen until recently, but I couldn’t stop myself from going on. “No, Dad,
you
took it too far.”
Silence. Absolute silence.
Then he spoke. “You’re right. But this isn’t just about me. It’s a struggle for your mother and me just like it’s a struggle for you. And for Indy. I love him and care about him, but he needs to learn.”
For some reason, I didn’t accept what he said. Even though I knew it was true, I knew my dad’s kind of love wasn’t right for my brother. I looked at him, then stood up from the table. “That doesn’t really matter right now, Dad.”
He looked at me. “Where is he?”
I set my napkin on the table. “Baked out of his head trying to forget you,” I said, then went to my room.
Mom came to my room an hour later. I could tell she’d been crying, and the stress lines on her face were tight. She leaned against the doorjamb. “Are you all right?”
“No. Are you?”
She sat on the end of my bed. “No. But I know everything will be all right.”
I blinked, looking into her eyes. “You and Dad have no idea, do you?”
“About what?”
“About life. About Indy.” I shook my head, frustrated.“You guys think that sitting at a table every night eating dinner makes us some kind of all-American family. Yeah, you aren’t divorced. Dad isn’t a drunk. He doesn’t beat you. You don’t shoot meth. Great. But that doesn’t change anything. Indy is in trouble, Mom, and Dad just doesn’t get it.”
She studied me for a moment. “Your father is holding things together the best way he knows.”
“And you agree?” I said, shaking my head again.
A moment passed. “Yes, I do. And that may be hard for you to take. But Indy needs a strong hand. He’s out of control.” She smoothed the bedspread. “His school, the drugs, his attitude, everything, Tate.”
I looked away. “I know, but I just don’t get how kicking him out makes things better.”
“He’s not kicked out.”
I looked at her. “Mom, Dad hit him.”
“I know. And if he ever does again, he’ll be alone.”
I blinked. “You’d really leave him?”
She nodded. “You are my children.”
I shrugged. “Why is he such a dick?”
She pursed her lips, thinking, and then she stood. “You’ll understand when you’re older, Tate. But we’re doing everything we can,” she said, leaning over and kissing the top of my head. “Tell your brother to come home. And tell him that I love him.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I hate deadlines. But as I skated to school the next morning, I had a deadline. Three days. If I didn’t get Indy back home and back to school within three days, nothing would ever be the same again. He’d be expelled, the courts would come in, and Indy would never come home. Things would be too bad .
As I stuffed my board in my locker, a voice came from behind me.
“Tell me why I wouldn’t understand.”
I turned, and Kimberly Lawson stood there. I looked her up and down. “What?”
“You said that I wouldn’t understand why beating somebody up and stealing could be good. Tell me why.”
I grabbed my books. “Why should I?”
“Because I want to know.”
“Keep on wanting to know, then.” I walked down the hall.
She fell in beside me. “That’s not fair. You brought it up.”
“And you blew me off.”
“I want you
Dad’s jaw muscles worked as he clenched his teeth. “Go to your room.”
“He’s my brother.”
“I said go to your room.”
“Or what? You’ll hit me? I saw his face, Dad. Nice job.”
Dad took a deep breath, his chest expanding. He put his elbows on the table, his fists under his chin. His knuckles were white. “You’re taking this too far, son.”
There was a warning in his eyes that I’d never seen until recently, but I couldn’t stop myself from going on. “No, Dad,
you
took it too far.”
Silence. Absolute silence.
Then he spoke. “You’re right. But this isn’t just about me. It’s a struggle for your mother and me just like it’s a struggle for you. And for Indy. I love him and care about him, but he needs to learn.”
For some reason, I didn’t accept what he said. Even though I knew it was true, I knew my dad’s kind of love wasn’t right for my brother. I looked at him, then stood up from the table. “That doesn’t really matter right now, Dad.”
He looked at me. “Where is he?”
I set my napkin on the table. “Baked out of his head trying to forget you,” I said, then went to my room.
Mom came to my room an hour later. I could tell she’d been crying, and the stress lines on her face were tight. She leaned against the doorjamb. “Are you all right?”
“No. Are you?”
She sat on the end of my bed. “No. But I know everything will be all right.”
I blinked, looking into her eyes. “You and Dad have no idea, do you?”
“About what?”
“About life. About Indy.” I shook my head, frustrated.“You guys think that sitting at a table every night eating dinner makes us some kind of all-American family. Yeah, you aren’t divorced. Dad isn’t a drunk. He doesn’t beat you. You don’t shoot meth. Great. But that doesn’t change anything. Indy is in trouble, Mom, and Dad just doesn’t get it.”
She studied me for a moment. “Your father is holding things together the best way he knows.”
“And you agree?” I said, shaking my head again.
A moment passed. “Yes, I do. And that may be hard for you to take. But Indy needs a strong hand. He’s out of control.” She smoothed the bedspread. “His school, the drugs, his attitude, everything, Tate.”
I looked away. “I know, but I just don’t get how kicking him out makes things better.”
“He’s not kicked out.”
I looked at her. “Mom, Dad hit him.”
“I know. And if he ever does again, he’ll be alone.”
I blinked. “You’d really leave him?”
She nodded. “You are my children.”
I shrugged. “Why is he such a dick?”
She pursed her lips, thinking, and then she stood. “You’ll understand when you’re older, Tate. But we’re doing everything we can,” she said, leaning over and kissing the top of my head. “Tell your brother to come home. And tell him that I love him.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I hate deadlines. But as I skated to school the next morning, I had a deadline. Three days. If I didn’t get Indy back home and back to school within three days, nothing would ever be the same again. He’d be expelled, the courts would come in, and Indy would never come home. Things would be too bad .
As I stuffed my board in my locker, a voice came from behind me.
“Tell me why I wouldn’t understand.”
I turned, and Kimberly Lawson stood there. I looked her up and down. “What?”
“You said that I wouldn’t understand why beating somebody up and stealing could be good. Tell me why.”
I grabbed my books. “Why should I?”
“Because I want to know.”
“Keep on wanting to know, then.” I walked down the hall.
She fell in beside me. “That’s not fair. You brought it up.”
“And you blew me off.”
“I want you
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