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Chase and Merritt were moving to California. Chase had gotten a call from an old friend who knew someone at a record label, and now they were off to follow his dreams of being a rock star. Once again, Chase was putting himself first instead of his family. How would Mom and I manage the shop without two of our workers? How could he even think about leaving Mom? A month ago, Khloe lost her father, and now she was going to lose more family members. I stand by my statement. Chase is a selfish fucking prick.
“I knew something was up with him last night at dinner, but I didn’t expect this! And Merritt doesn’t even want to go!”
Mom’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”
“She said she wanted to stay here until we had time to interview and hire new employees … but I could see it in her eyes. She doesn’t want to go.”
“It must be scary for her to move across the country. Away from everything familiar.” She cleared her throat. “Like Charlotte. Where has she been, by the way?”
My chest heaved with each breath. “I’m going to take a ride to the gym.”
Mom nodded. “That sounds like a good idea.” She stood with me and gave my arm a squeeze. “Everything is going to be okay. Whatever life throws at us, we will get through it together.”
I wondered if she believed that. It sounded like she was trying to convince the both of us.
* * *
“You’re fired up tonight.”
I threw punch after punch against the pad TJ was holding. “My brother has that effect on me.”
“You shouldn’t let him.”
“How can I not?” Punch. Punch. “Everything he does affects my family. His selfish actions affect my life. Yet, he doesn’t seem to care.”
“You focus too much on what other people do. That’s why you’re always so angry.”
Punch. Punch. Punch. “Then tell me, O Wise One. What should I do?”
TJ dropped the pad and started sparring with me. He bounced from side to side, light on his feet, planning his first attack. “You should focus on yourself. On what you’re going to do to move forward.”
I ducked as he threw his first punch. “What the fuck am I going to do when I’m down two workers? We’re going to drown.”
TJ grinned devilishly as I evaded his next few throws. “If you think you’re going to drown, then you will.” He slammed into my midsection, and I fell on my back. Effortlessly, he popped back up and resumed bouncing. “Focus on the moves you need to make to succeed.”
I grunted as I got to my feet. “I’ll need to find new employees. People who know what the fuck they’re doing. That could take months.”
TJ shrugged. “It could.”
“Easy for you to say when it’s not your business on the line.” I swung and landed a punch to TJ’s ribs.
“You think it was easy getting to where I am now?” He returned a punch to my gut. “You have no fucking clue what I went through.”
I kept my mouth shut for the remainder of the session. TJ was right. I had no idea what his life had been like. He was tough as nails, and I could tell he hadn’t been born that way. You don’t cover your entire body in tattoos if you’ve had an easy life. TJ enjoys the pain because he’s come out on the other side.
I thought about what TJ said for the rest of the night. In my living room, I took Dad’s urn off the ledge and sat with him on the couch. I couldn’t control what Chase did. I could only control my own actions. I’ll have to put an advertisement in the paper for a mechanic. I’ll have to set aside time for interviews. I sighed heavily as I patted the sky-blue urn in my lap.
“I want to make you proud, Dad. I just don’t know how we’re going to do this.”
Charlotte
“You’re running too fast,” Mallory called from several feet behind me.
“If I ran any slower, I’d be walking.”
“I don’t like sarcastic Charlotte. I really thought I would, but I have to say … not a fan.” Mallory rested her hands on her knees, hunched over on the sidewalk.
I giggled, jogging in place. “Come on. We’re almost there! You’ve got this.”
