Chapter 109

“Work called while we were walking? You want to tell me know what’s going on?”

“No.”

“Okay.” He buckled up himself and turned on the ignition. The convertible had a manual transmission, and he stepped on the clutch, shifted into first gear, and drove away from the house I’d grown up in.

“But I’m going to. I just want you to promise me one thing.”

“Whatever you want, babe.”

“You won’t kill my father.”

He was silent for so long I started to panic. “Wills?

He sighed. “What did he do?”

I told him, and the car stalled out.

“Say that again?”

“He told the family I’m a crackhead, that I use crystal meth and God knows what all else.”

“I…I see. Well.” He shifted into neutral and restarted the car. “Two promises I regret.” He looked grim.

“Wills?”

“I promised you I wouldn’t kill that—your father. And I promised your mother we’d be here for Mother’s Day.”

“Now I wish you hadn’t.”