I Promise

37

And then I'm staring right at Matt's dad. I'm actually surprised, because his dad really doesn't look like an alcoholic or anything. He's wearing dress pants and a button-down shirt. God, he even has a tie on, but it's loose and crinkled. The brandy bottle in his right hand seems to give it away. Not to mention his titled stance as he leans against the wall and his disheveled brown hair, much like Matt's. His eyes are different though. They're cold and grey as he looks at me. He's got bags under his eyes as if he hasn't slept in years, and he smiles broadly as he looks me up and down.

"Whatcha got there, Mattie?" he slurs, taking a sip of the brandy bottle.
Matt gets up, and he's tense as hell. I can see the muscles bulge out from his shirt.

"Dad, this is Rynn. She's here to help me study," he says. Matt's dad laughs. It's more of a wheeze and then a sharp intake of breath. I wonder if his dad smokes, because it sounds like it.

"You can't fool me, son. Your girlfriend seems nice, lemme tell ya," he says, slightly teetering off balance. He walks two steps towards me and slams his hand on the table. Then he slams his brandy bottle. I don't jump, but I offer a small smile. If I jump in fright he might take it the wrong way and go all out in his drunken state. I can tell he's been drinking all day because I can smell the stench of liquor and god knows what other alcohol from his breath.

"The names Jack," he says. "Jack Redford." I nod. "Rynn," I reply back.

He smiles, but it's seems more like a scowl to me. Matt stands behind his dad, looking nervous. He has his arms crossed across his broad chest, and I can't tell he's breathing heavily from the nerves.

"Dad, I thought you were going to the rehab meeting today," Matt says.

I see a flash of anger in his dad's eyes before he turns around to look at Matt.

"What are you, my mother?" he slurs. "I do what I want, whenever I want. I don't give a fuck about rehab Dean," he says. I almost gasp when he says Dean. So he really does believe that Matt is his brother when he's drunk.

"You know, you need to start acting more laid back. But not as laid back as Matt; that boy's crazy!" he exclaims, and he laughs at himself. He slumps over to Matt and puts a hand on his shoulder, leaning his full weight on him. Matt stumbles for a second and then hoists his father up, or at least tries to. His dad is swinging on him like a monkey on a vine.

"Don't tell Mattie this, but he really needs to step up," he whispers really loudly. He even puts a quavering finger to his lips and breathes out "shhhh" as if he's telling a giant secret. "You brother won't get into university if he keeps his act up. What did your mother and I do to get such a perfect kid, and then such a troubled kid?" he asks, and he looks right in Matt's eyes. Matt just looks him, taking it all in.

"I'll tell ya something, come here," he says, and he nudges Matt's ear towards his lips. Matt obliges.

"Your brother is a smoker, he drinks, parties, and gets in trouble every damn day," he begins, whispering loudly. "I don't know why you convinced me not to send him to boarding school, it would've done him some good I'll tell ya," he says, and he wheezes out a laugh. Matt's eyes widen, and I can tell right away he didn't know what his father just told him before.

"Dad, I think there's some whisky down in the basement; why don't you check it out?" Matt says roughly, and his father's eyes light up at the words he says.

"Well, I best be on my way, thanks Dean; you sure know how to make your old man happy," he says. "Until we meet again, Miss Rynn," he says, and he pretends to tip his imaginary hat as a way of saying goodbye. Then he trudges out of the kitchen hollering something that I can't make out. I think he just yelled whisky.

I look at Matt, and he's staring at the where his father stood, his face a mask of nothingness. I walk over to him and I wrap my arms around him. Every muscle in his body is tense, and I'm almost convinced he had turned into a statue until I can feel his sharp exhale of breath - finally relaxed.

"Matt, he's gone now," I say. Matt seems to keep looking at where his father stood, as if he can still see him.

"We can go to the library instead if you want," I offer. I don't really know what to say to him. No wonder he can't move on from his brother's death. His dad seems to think he's Dean every time he's drunk, and Matt just plays the role. It must kill him every time he has to act like his brother isn't dead. Even worse, he has to act like him and pretend he is Dean, and then he has to hear all the shit his dad tells "Dean" about him. And from what his dad just said, Matt had no idea Dean talked his parents out of sending him to boarding school to shape up.

Matt doesn't say anything for a long time and then he walks to the kitchen table and sits down. I stand where he stood and look at him. And I can tell it's not good. I wonder what he's thinking. His eyes just kind of lock on the table and then he rubs his face.

I sit down across from him, and he looks up. His eyes are a bit red rimmed, and it makes me want to shield him from all the hurt and bad in the world, and just tell him he'll be safe. But I know that can't happen, because that's just not how life works.

"You should probably go," he says. His voice is cracked, beaten down.

Yikes. What's going to happen now??? I do have to say this though: parting is such sweet sorrow. 

Wait what???!!!

Yup. You heard me. We are nearing the end of this journey. The grande finale of this novel. The finish line. The..... okay, you get it. 

This has been amazing - to share my work with the online world and see where it takes me - I mean, wow!! 

Thank you, reader. I really mean it when I say it. 

Also, I quickly wanted to pay a quick tribute to Stan Lee. He created the most amazing universes, and his loss is felt around the world. Another creative mind gone - he was truly an amazing writer and had the biggest imagination and creativity ever. You will always be in our hearts. 

Yours, 

FanaticWriter15