Sophomore Year || Parenthood Series, Book One || WATTYS 2018

Chapter Seventeen

SOUNDTRACK: "Eyes on Fire" - Blue Foundation

WEDNESDAY

Kate had stayed in her room the night beforehand, not coming out for anything. Even Vedder had been banished. In an attempt to mend fences, Jared had made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and left it on the floor outside of her door (while fighting to keep Vedder from scarfing it down). It was gone when he woke up in the morning, so he figured the girl had eaten it at some point. But the act had done little to alter things.

Jared rolled over and got a face full of dog breath, reminding him that Vedder had slept in his room overnight.

"Oh Jesus, fuck!" he shouted, rolling the opposite direction and thudding onto the floor. "God! What the hell!" The dog looked up at him with big sad brown eyes.

He had taken over most of Jared's king sized bed, sprawling across the comforter, only leaving Jared a quarter of the mattress. After getting his bearings, he stood and pulled on a pair of sweatpants, heading for the the bedroom door. Vedder stepped off of the bed and followed him through the house to the back door. Jared nudged the dog outside with his foot and shut the door. He looked up in surprise when Kate appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Oh. Hi," he mumbled.

She was already dressed in her uniform and he was suddenly reminded that he was shirtless. He crossed his arms over his chest in an attempt to cover it. She crossed the room and took an apple from the bowl of fruit on the counter but said nothing.

"I'm permanently assigning someone to take you to and from school, so you don't have to worry about a repeat of yesterday," he said, breaking the ice.

Kate just nodded. He opened his mouth the speak, but she cut him off. "Is that it? Because I have some reading to do before I leave."

He nodded and clamped his mouth shut as she disappeared, slamming her door once again. "Could you not slam the door, please?!" he said loudly, his voice echoing through the house. He heard the sound of a car door in the driveway and walked through the house to grab a shirt from his room as Vedder barked like crazy in the back yard.

Shayla appeared at the side door and let herself in. She looked at Jared apprehensively when he reappeared.

"Everything's fine...kind of," he muttered. The house was still standing and both of them had survived the night, so he considered that a win. "Can you get the dog inside, please? He's gonna wake up the whole damn neighborhood."

Shayla nodded and set her stuff down before disappearing to the kitchen to let Vedder inside. When she returned, Jared had emerged fully dressed, midway through brushing his teeth.

"So what happened?" she asked, following him into his room.

"We fought," Jared replied as he spat toothpaste out. "It wasn't the finest moment of my life," he answered.

"Well what did you say?"

He shrugged, leaning against the counter and looking at her through his mirror. "I told her that I'd stay out of her way as long as she behaved."

Shayla blinked. "That doesn't sound very...paternal."

"That's 'cause it's not," Jared said. He spun to face his assistant. He sighed and wiped his mouth off. "I'm so fucking lost here. I don't know what I'm doing."

"Maybe...maybe read like a parenting book or something?" she suggested.

"Yeah. I'm sure there is definitely a copy of 'What To Expect When You Find Out You Have A Fifteen Year Old Kid And Her Step-Father Dumps Her On You To Run Off In Fear' floating around somewhere," he deadpanned. At Shayla's chastened face, he spoke again. "Sorry. I know you're trying to help."