Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
I nodded, feeling lighter. I was still hurting, of course. There was still a whole mess of things that felt up in the air, some that scared me, and lots of decisions we had to make, but this one? This one felt right.
My dad had been telling me for a long time now to grow up, to get serious, and while his idea of that was a wife while living on his property, it wasn’t mine. Not anymore. It was Sutton and me, on our own. Making a life together that was all ours by design, with no say from anyone else.
“Are you sure? That’s your home, Jasp.”
“Nah, that ain’t nothing but four walls and a roof. You’re my home,” I told him, and Sutton’s face softened. “Don’t look at me like that. You’re gonna get me all mushy in the middle of Iris’s. Eat your dinner so we can get the hell out of here.”
He didn’t argue with that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Sutton
“You know you can bring Jasper when you come over, right?” Uncle Brian said as we sat in his living room. We’d still been trying to spend time together more regularly, though with how busy work was, plus how we’d started looking for a place, things had been hectic.
“Yeah, I know.” I couldn’t say why I didn’t bring him over. Maybe because this time with Uncle Brian felt like we were connecting in ways we hadn’t before. Something about the way he smiled at me when I’d show up, how he got lost playing guitar with me, and the deeper discussions we had lately, told me he might need this even more than I did. Hell, I’d always had Jasper, and he had…no one but me.
I said, “I’m in love with him. He’s my…boyfriend? Partner? Hell, I don’t even know what word to use. None of them seem strong enough for what he is to me. I know you’ve hinted before that you know, but I wanted to tell you, wanted to make sure you know I trust ya with that.”
“Yep, I figured.” Uncle Brian took a drag of his cigarette. “I ain’t like those folks who care ’bout shit like that. I’m just surprised it took the two of you as long as it did.”
I laughed. “Me too. Guess we’re stubborn like that. His parents don’t like it. His dad hasn’t spoken to him in months. His mom does, but she also doesn’t hide the fact that she’d rather he was with a woman, any woman and not me. Jasper’s been determined to fix things. He tries to talk to his dad, but…nothing. We’re keepin’ us a secret partly because it’s what his dad wants. I think…” I strummed a few chords on the guitar. “I’m afraid that ain’t the real truth, though, and that Jasper just can’t handle the thought of everyone knowin’. Then I feel guilty because he’s been doin’ a whole lot better. Ms. Dana from Iris’s found out, and Molly’s wonderin’ something. Kendra knows. We’ve also been lookin’ for a place of our own to move out of the house on his folks’ property. That just makes me feel bad too. That’s his home.”
Uncle Brian didn’t respond right away. He just kept smoking his cigarette like I hadn’t poured my heart out to him. But Christ, I was glad I had him. That I could talk to him this way.
“Do you think my mom and dad…”
“They wouldn’t’ve cared. I’ve never known anyone who loved the way your mama did. She gave everyone she cared about her whole heart, like hers had more capacity than most. And there was no one she loved more than you and your sister. She wanted the world for you both. She was a romantic. She would have been your biggest champion. I can promise you, she would’ve told Bob Finch where he could stick it.”
Another laugh fell from my lips, this one both sad and happy. I wished she were there. I wished they all were. “And my dad?”
Uncle Brian lit up another cigarette. “Your mama made my brother a better man. It didn’t happen overnight. He was a bit of a troublemaker. Our folks didn’t know what to do with him growing up. Nadine and I had been friends our whole lives, as you know. Me and your mama were nineteen when I got a place with Phil. He was fuckin’ up a lot, drinkin’ too much. I tried to help, but I couldn’t get through to him, yet somehow, your mama could. She’d come over to see me, and the two of them would get to talkin’…and, well, eventually he got his shit together and they fell in love and all.”
“But you didn’t know, right?”
“Nah, they started spendin’ time together without me. I didn’t know until Nadine told me. It was right before she got pregnant with you.”