other blue backpack. He holds it out to Tyler, trying helpfully to put it over his son ’ s shoulder.
“ I ’ ve got it, ” the boy says irritably. He snatches it away from his dad, turning without another word. Tyler adjusts the bag ’ s weight and limps toward his school.
“ Love you too, bud, ” Devin calls hollowly. “ See you tonight. ” His shield of humor barely masks the pain. Devin watches on with a consuming sadness as the children he ’ s raised, the kids he ’ s sacrificed everything else in his life for — provided for, loved, and given the best he could to for so many years — continue to push him methodically away. It eats through his body with an exhaustive wrath.
Haley smacks the back of her brother ’ s head as he passes. The unexpected shot sends him stumbling forward several steps before the boy can regain his balance.
“ Hey! ” Devin snaps. His sharp anger instantly pushes the feelings of helplessness away. “ Don ’ t you blame your brother for this. You should have talked to me, Haley. ”
“ It ’ s no big deal. ”
“ Well, it will be until I meet this tosser. You ’ re fifteen, ” Devin stresses. “ I need to know who you ’ re hanging around with. Especially when it ’ s some bloke with intentions toward my daughter. ”
“ His name, ” Haley interrupts, “ is Brandt. ”
“ I really don ’ t give a blooming rip! ” Devin says. “ You ’ re not going out with him until he nuts up and has a little chat with me. Alright? ”
She grits her teeth. Haley ’ s electric eyes squint down at the scuffed Doc Martens on her feet, her rebellious confidence simmering. “ Why? So you can just scare him off? ”
“ Maybe. That ’ s up to him. ”
Haley turns and sees her friends waiting for her by the school entrance. Dozens of eyes stare back at her public lashing. Focusing the rage and words she ’ s wanted to say for so long, she glares defiantly at her father. “ You get fired from your job for being a drunk, and suddenly you ’ re interested in my life? You ’ re gone four days a week, Dad. As long as I can even remember! Stop overcompensating for that by actually trying to be a parent now! You ’ re right. I am fifteen, ” she says, lowering her shaking voice. “ And you ’ ve never been very good at it. ”
She spins and walks away, her flickering blue eyes seeking the solace of her friends.
“ Haley! ”
The teenager obediently slows. She revolves curtly back to her father. “ You ’ re going to be late, ” she says, tapping her watch.
As he looks back at his little girl, a confused mixture of anger and pain fill Devin ’ s emerald eyes. He tries to muster the power and authority within his once-proud voice. But he finds no strength. “ When did you turn into such a bitch ? ”
“ Oh, I ’ ve had great role models, Dad. You ’ d be amazed what I ’ ve learned. ” She smiles wickedly back at him.
His watch thankfully beeps out, breaking the uncomfortable silence across the school yard. 7:45. “ This isn ’ t finished. ”
“ Yes, sir, ” Haley salutes. “ Permission to leave? ” Haley ’ s friends cluster around her, trying to stifle their laughter.
Devin storms back to the silver minivan. “ You ’ re grounded until I come home tonight, ” he yells out the open window.
“ Can ’ t wait, ” she mutters. Congratulating the teenage victory, the pack of invincibles continue up the steps to Columbia Academy School.
Haley ’ s mom beeps the horn twice in parting. The teenager flips her hand up and waves back mockingly. “ Whatever, ” she says, wondering if she were adopted.
Chapter 5
7:48 a.m.
Countless on-ramps spew impatience onto an already congested interstate. Tiered lanes of eager drivers slow as they move through waves of rain.
Katherine navigates her speeding van through traffic along I-5 on the way to Portland International Airport. P ushing down her all-too-familiar fear of conflict, Kat
“ I ’ ve got it, ” the boy says irritably. He snatches it away from his dad, turning without another word. Tyler adjusts the bag ’ s weight and limps toward his school.
“ Love you too, bud, ” Devin calls hollowly. “ See you tonight. ” His shield of humor barely masks the pain. Devin watches on with a consuming sadness as the children he ’ s raised, the kids he ’ s sacrificed everything else in his life for — provided for, loved, and given the best he could to for so many years — continue to push him methodically away. It eats through his body with an exhaustive wrath.
Haley smacks the back of her brother ’ s head as he passes. The unexpected shot sends him stumbling forward several steps before the boy can regain his balance.
“ Hey! ” Devin snaps. His sharp anger instantly pushes the feelings of helplessness away. “ Don ’ t you blame your brother for this. You should have talked to me, Haley. ”
“ It ’ s no big deal. ”
“ Well, it will be until I meet this tosser. You ’ re fifteen, ” Devin stresses. “ I need to know who you ’ re hanging around with. Especially when it ’ s some bloke with intentions toward my daughter. ”
“ His name, ” Haley interrupts, “ is Brandt. ”
“ I really don ’ t give a blooming rip! ” Devin says. “ You ’ re not going out with him until he nuts up and has a little chat with me. Alright? ”
She grits her teeth. Haley ’ s electric eyes squint down at the scuffed Doc Martens on her feet, her rebellious confidence simmering. “ Why? So you can just scare him off? ”
“ Maybe. That ’ s up to him. ”
Haley turns and sees her friends waiting for her by the school entrance. Dozens of eyes stare back at her public lashing. Focusing the rage and words she ’ s wanted to say for so long, she glares defiantly at her father. “ You get fired from your job for being a drunk, and suddenly you ’ re interested in my life? You ’ re gone four days a week, Dad. As long as I can even remember! Stop overcompensating for that by actually trying to be a parent now! You ’ re right. I am fifteen, ” she says, lowering her shaking voice. “ And you ’ ve never been very good at it. ”
She spins and walks away, her flickering blue eyes seeking the solace of her friends.
“ Haley! ”
The teenager obediently slows. She revolves curtly back to her father. “ You ’ re going to be late, ” she says, tapping her watch.
As he looks back at his little girl, a confused mixture of anger and pain fill Devin ’ s emerald eyes. He tries to muster the power and authority within his once-proud voice. But he finds no strength. “ When did you turn into such a bitch ? ”
“ Oh, I ’ ve had great role models, Dad. You ’ d be amazed what I ’ ve learned. ” She smiles wickedly back at him.
His watch thankfully beeps out, breaking the uncomfortable silence across the school yard. 7:45. “ This isn ’ t finished. ”
“ Yes, sir, ” Haley salutes. “ Permission to leave? ” Haley ’ s friends cluster around her, trying to stifle their laughter.
Devin storms back to the silver minivan. “ You ’ re grounded until I come home tonight, ” he yells out the open window.
“ Can ’ t wait, ” she mutters. Congratulating the teenage victory, the pack of invincibles continue up the steps to Columbia Academy School.
Haley ’ s mom beeps the horn twice in parting. The teenager flips her hand up and waves back mockingly. “ Whatever, ” she says, wondering if she were adopted.
Chapter 5
7:48 a.m.
Countless on-ramps spew impatience onto an already congested interstate. Tiered lanes of eager drivers slow as they move through waves of rain.
Katherine navigates her speeding van through traffic along I-5 on the way to Portland International Airport. P ushing down her all-too-familiar fear of conflict, Kat
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