Not Every Home Is Meant to Be Returned To novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: The Garage

The garage smelled like oil and old cardboard.

My father pulled the string on the bare bulb, and it swung, throwing light over the shelves.

Lacey had taken Maisie inside for a bath. I had told her to stay in sight of the kitchen window.

Dad leaned against the workbench with his hands in his pockets.

He had aged ten years since Friday morning.

"I want to say something," he said.

"All right."

"I've been thinking all night. I'm a good father, Hazel. I've worked every day of my life to put food on that table."

I waited.

"I know I haven't done everything right. But you have to understand how it was for me. My mother raised me and then she turned around and gave my house to a kid. To you."

His voice cracked on the word.

"I'm fifty years old. I lived under her roof my whole life, and she never once trusted me with it. Do you know what that feels like?"

"No, Dad. What does it feel like?"

"Like I was nothing to her."

"I was eight when she died," I said. "I was a child. I didn't take anything."

"I didn't say you did."

"You said she gave me your house."

He rubbed his face with both hands.

"What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry the money got spent. It was complicated. Your sister had tuition, and Maisie's school, and your mother... things got away from us. I'd like us to put it behind us."

"You'd like me to forget it."

"I'd like us to be a family again."

"Dad." I kept my voice steady. "That wasn't an apology. That was a speech about how hard it was for you."

← Chapter 17 · All chapters · Chapter 19 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend