"My Jeep has all kinds of issues and Dad said that's what happens when you buy inferior automobiles," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he's giving me some trade in he just got. A sports coupe or something. I think he said a 250CL...
maybe. I don't know. But I need a car and I can't afford one on my own."
Figures, Dad was putting her in a Mercedes. Let the world see the Mercedes King supplies his daughter with a car.
He won't be getting my ass in a damn Mercedes. Nothing was wrong with my Chevy truck. It was paid for, by me.
"It'll be a safe car. If you end up going to Tuscaloosa in the fall then I'll feel good about you being on the road in a Mercedes coupe."
Amanda fidgeted in her seat and cleared her throat. Uh oh.
That was never good. Those were her nervous ticks.
"Um, about college. See, Jamie and Hannah are going to Auburn"
"Ah no! Amanda please tell me you're joking."
"Let me finish Marcus, GAH!"
I did not want to hear this but I let her continue.
"Like I was saying before you went all 'Roll Tide Monster'
on me, Jamie and Hannah are going to Auburn. Jamie got a cheerleading scholarship and Hannah's daddy is an Auburn alum, and I want to be a veterinarian. You know I love animals. It's what I really want to do," this was not happening. Amanda shifted in her seat until she was turned toward me. "If you weren't a die hard Alabama fan and someone asked you the best college in Alabama to go to if you wanted to be a veterinarian what would you tell them?
Hmm?"
I let out a frustrated sigh, "Auburn," I mumbled.
"Bingo! Which is why I applied there... and I got accepted." Well shit. My baby sister was going to freaking Auburn.
"I mean I could've applied to an out of state college and moved off really far away."
I shook my head, "No, I wouldn't want that."
"That's what I thought. I'll secretly still cheer for Bama during the Iron Bowl every year, I promise."
Shaking my head I decided to focus on that kiss with Low. It made me happy. My sister's choice in college did not.
My dad was standing outside his dealership when we pulled up. He was tall and in shape with a few silver streaks in his brown hair. He was laughing all relaxed and happy looking. You couldn't tell by his jovial appearance that he was tearing his family apart. It didn't appear to be bothering him at all. Clenching my teeth tightly shut I kept my thoughts to myself. The last thing Amanda needed was to hear me vent about what a complete ass our father was.
"You getting out?" She asked glancing back at me as she opened the truck door.
I shook my head, "I'll just see you in a few minutes at the house."
"Okay," the understanding in her eyes reminded me I wasn't alone in this. We were a team.
She stepped out of the truck. My dad began walking my way. I debated spinning off before he could get to my truck window. But for Amanda's sake I didn't. I rolled down the window as he approached.
"Marcus, you're not getting out to see your sister's car?" His question chaffed me. As if I didn't care about Amanda.
"I'll see it in a few minutes at my mother's house." That caught him off guard. He cleared his throat and shifted his feet.
I continued to glare out the front window.
"The other day I wasn't prepared for your verbal attack. I may have said some things I shouldn't have. I apologize.
But this is between your mother and I. You kids don't need to be caught in the middle. You're both almost grown." I jerked my head around and shot my glare directly at him.
"This will always affect me. My mother is falling apart. She's my mama. The woman who fed me soup when I was sick and held me while I threw up. She was the one who fixed my scraped knees and held me while I got stitches because I ripped my arm open. She read me stories until I fell asleep at night. You expect me to just not care that you're hurting her. Hell, you're killing her. My mother and my sister are the only two people in this world I'd die for. I'll do anything I have to in order to make them happy. So NO
Dad this isn't just between you and mom. When Mama cries, Amanda cries. Then I'm the one who has to go pick up the pieces of this mess you've created." I stopped ranting and took a deep breath because at the moment I really needed to hit something and my Dad's face was looking very appealing.
"I didn't realize your mother was sharing our personal problems with you. I'll speak with her about it." I jerked the truck door open and stood face to face with my father. Our noses were almost touching. My finger was shoved against his chest so hard I knew it had to hurt. "You go near my mother and I will break every bone in your body old man. Do you understand me?"
My Dad's face was bright red. I could see the fury and surprise in his eyes. I'd embarrassed him in front of his employees and if he said one more word one of those employees was going to need to call an ambulance for their boss.
Turning away from him I jumped back in the truck and spun off leaving tire tracts on his nice paved car lot.
Willow
Was it possible that my lips were still tingling from Marcus's kiss hours later? Surely not. It had to all be in my head. I picked up the last spoon Larissa had used to play the drums on the pots and pans. Tawny had finally shown up to get her and acted like I was being an inconvenience asking her to pick up her daughter. But even my crazy sister couldn't bring me down off my high. The memory of Marcus's kiss and his words had me floating around on a cloud no one could knock me off of.
Yawning I decided it was time to go take a nap with all these good thoughts to spur some really nice dreams.
Glancing at Cage's bedroom door I paused. Should I go get in his bed? Did I want to? I turned and looked back at the couch. That's where I wanted to sleep. All my really good Marcus memories were in this room around or on that couch. Surely I'd have Marcus dreams if I slept on it.