The Thing About Three

chapter sixteen | daisy chain

JEREMIAH AGREED TO take a paternity test a few days after his visit to our home, even though we all knew that he was most definitely related to my dad.

He and Dad texted back and forth after their trip to take the test, and then upgraded to phone calls and house visits when their texts were getting too lengthy.

I kept my distance whenever Jeremiah was over, not entirely sure how to act. I mean, I didn't know how to be a sister and I didn't want to screw it up.

I told Dad I was staying away so that I didn't form an attachment to Jeremiah and then the test comes back negative. I don't think he bought it, but he didn't pressure me any.

I would listen to their conversations from my bedroom, smiling as Dad laughed and seemed to enjoy having a son, getting to relate to him in a way that he couldn't with me.

I'd be lying if I said that didn't hurt. It was odd not being the only child anymore and having to share the spotlight, and while I was happy that Dad was happy, I was a little jealous.

I think Jeremiah sensed my slight displeasure of his presence, because he kept what little conversations we did have short and sweet.

And where I kept my distance from Jeremiah, Noah seemed to do that same to me.

He would still flirt and banter and act as normal as he could around me, but I knew something was off with him, and was quick to notice that he didn't make up excuses to come up to the front and talk to me anymore.

He probably thought he was doing a good job of acting normal, but he clearly didn't take into account the amount of information I had stockpiled into my head about him. I mean, really, it was almost criminal how much of him I studied and remembered. I knew what his real 'normal' was, and how he was acting towards me wasn't it.

I was worried about his behavior, worried that he had lost interest in me, but that worry turned into potent fear when Mr. Mel came up to me one day at work.

"Miss Claire, is everything okay with you and Caraway?" he asked me, his wrinkled, grease-marked face drawn in concern. "You two aren't as friendly as usual. I know it's not my place, but I just wanna make sure he didn't do you wrong." He smiled. "If he did, then I gotta do my duties as your work father and beat 'em up."

I laughed a sad laugh, shaking my head. "No, he didn't 'do me wrong,'" I told my work father. "I think he's going through something right now."

Mr. Mel nodded. "Alright, well you just let me know if he does something wrong." He started to walk away, but paused and looked back at me. "If either of them does something wrong," he said pointedly, and then turned around and left before I could ask who exactly them was. But it wasn't hard to guess.

Ironically, Noah and Dallas entered the room next, talking about something called a catalytic converter—whatever the heck that was.

Neither of them looked at me as they went to Dallas's office, still having what sounded to me like the most boring conversation on planet earth.

I took a phone call why they were in the office, having to deal with some lady asking about when her car would be ready for the third time that week.

I gave her the answer I had given her the past two times—that I didn't have an exact day because we've been busy with other repairs, but that I'd go ask Mr. Mel and give her a call back.

After hanging up, I stayed true to my word and went to talk to Mr. Mel. I passed through the break room like I always did, and remember smelling smoke on my way to the shop, but ignored the smell and pushed through the door to the shop.