Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 161899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 809(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 809(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
“I live in the gutter, spending too much of my life living with you,” she retorted.
“You must like it, you keep coming back,” his father stated.
“You make promises, which means you lie,” she returned. “And you do it again. And some more. What I gotta do is get my damned head examined, ever believing you.”
Then, unfortunately, her attention shifted to Pepper.
And she kept speaking.
“Be careful, girl. They got the looks so they know they can break your heart time and again and you’ll put up with their shit.”
Auggie opened his mouth.
His father had more practice with this, so he got there first.
“Cut the crap, woman. It isn’t my looks that did it, it’s my wallet.”
This topic of conversation was always an indicator of the deterioration of the situation because both of them could cheat on each other, lie to each other, talk shit to each other, but his mother drew the line at his father accusing her of being with him for his money.
The man maybe made fifty K a year. It was decent bank, but he was far from rolling in it.
But his mother ran through jobs like she ran through tubes of lipstick, which was to say she quickly lost interest, tossed them out and got new. She was never happy anywhere for long. And because her resume was ten pages long, and that only covered five years’ employment, any good opportunities had dried up a long time ago.
So the problem in Dana’s eyes with what Dem had said was that there was a kernel of truth in it.
Which obviously made matters worse.
“I’ve hardly gotten bored of my trips on your yacht on the Riviera, Dem,” she stated coolly. “And you’re right. It isn’t your looks. At least not anymore, old man.”
“Fuck you, Dana,” his father spat.
Yep.
Deteriorating.
Because one thing his mother couldn’t stand was to have money thrown in her face.
One thing his father couldn’t, was to be reminded of his age and his fading looks. His father’s vanity was extreme, and he was not taking his trip through the end stage of middle age at all well.
“I wish. You’re too busy fucking your new girlfriend, Dem,” Dana fired back.
“Fucking hell!” Auggie exploded. “Shut the fuck up and get out of my house!”
Both his parents looked at him.
He felt Pepper get close and put her hand on his back.
That should make him feel better, Pepper close. Touching him.
It didn’t.
It made it all worse.
A lot worse.
Because this was it.
This was them.
This was his family.
Including him eventually losing it just like that.
“Did I hear you speak to your mother and me that way?” his father demanded.
“Get her bags, Dad, get her and then get out,” Auggie replied, his voice tight, his brain scrambling to find some calm.
“You got a woman in your house on a Sunday, which means this is something,” Dem flipped his hand toward Pepper. “We’ve never heard word of this girl. We’re here. You don’t introduce us. Then you cuss at us and kick us out?”
“Pepper’s mother is dying of cancer,” he stated abruptly. His father’s eyes went right to Pepper, remorse on his face, his mother’s eyes didn’t stray from Auggie, but they narrowed. “She found out this morning that her mom won’t last the year. Now, hearing that, do you honest to fuck think whatever bullshit you two are embroiled in that you brought to my doorstep and forced into my home when I told you repeatedly now was not the time for this means more to me right now than seeing to my woman?”
That shut them up.
He shifted his attention to his mother. “Get your bags, Mom, and go. You know that doesn’t fly. I don’t have space for you, and you make a mess. He’ll clean up after you, I won’t. I don’t need your shit all over my house and I barely have time to clean up after myself. And right now, straight up, I got other shit on my plate and I can’t deal with yours.”
His gaze went to his father and he finished.
“Take her, Dad, and go. Now.”
Dem looked to Pepper. “Sorry about your mom, girl.”
“Thanks,” Pepper said softly.
“You know, you, too, can say, ‘Hi, my name is Pepper,’” his mother sniped. “I mean, what kind of person doesn’t introduce themselves? Especially a girl to her man’s fucking parents.”
And there it was.
Dana was digging in for the long haul, thrilled at the prospect of dragging a new player into her theater.
Auggie’s vision turned white.
Pepper moved and he felt her back pressed to his front.
“Dana, we need to get out of here,” Dem muttered the only smart thing Auggie had heard him say in ten years.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. I thought it best to let Auggie handle this situation. But I’m Pepper, and maybe—” Pepper started.
“Do not fuckin’ apologize to them,” Auggie growled.