Fighting the Fall ✔

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Two

Dustin King

I found that the day went too quickly while the night crawled by. That's how it was, thanks to Lydia. She was the day; any moment without her was the night.

Today was a new day.

"Dustin, leave the milk out for me, would you?"

"Yes, sir." I pulled it back out of the fridge and set it on the counter. Anticipating an accusation of selfishness, I got a bowl out of the cabinet, filled it halfway with milk -- the amount he usually wanted, and poured in his Cascadian Farms cereal.

I hoped it was a "fill it halfway" morning, not a "that's all you're going to give me? How generous," kind of day.

It was neither.

"Aw, Dustin. You didn't have to make my breakfast." Dad frowned, and I didn't know what to do with that. "What's that look for?" I could have asked him the same question. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's nothing... Uh... I--"

"Well, you didn't have to do that for me." He shook his head and fished for a spoon in the silverware drawer. "Thank you."

I watched his back as he left for his room, the bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other.

Jewel made a noise, and I wondered where she was. Until a swear was shouted, followed by, "Stupid cat."

---

"I'll catch you later, okay?"

"Yeah, of course." I turned back to my locker as Josh walked off, trying not to panic as I searched through it.

Where did I put it?

"Like this?"

A girl giggled in response to the question. "Yeah, just like that." More giggles. "Adam! We're not alone."

"So?"

I checked through my entire locker one last time. It just wasn't there, which meant...

I couldn't have left it at home.

"In public, in private... It doesn't matter, Rachel. It doesn't make a difference, not to me. I love you in both."

Frustration controlled my fingers; I closed the small, metal door like I meant it. Where could it be? Did I honestly misplace it?

"Yeah, but... Dustin."

My eyes widened.

But... she moved, didn't she? She moved due to foster care. Did she move back? What is she doing here? Who is she with, this Adam guy?

"Hi..."

"Hi, Rachel."

Adam stared at me until she touched his arm... the same way she used to touch mine. "Babe, who...?"

She didn't answer him. "Adam, can you give us a moment?"

His eyes returned to my face. His told of his displeasure. I was sure my expression wasn't helping me, but I didn't care.

"Sure, yeah." He pushed some of her auburn hair back and kissed her temple before throwing me one last look and heading off down the hallway. He stopped just at the end of it, where he apparently intended to stay, facing us.

Rachel's smile was soft, wholehearted and halfhearted at the same time. "Don't mind him. How've you been?" Patiently, she waited for an answer. But I couldn't do this with her. I wasn't ready. It had been over six months but I still wasn't ready.