Page 23 of Shadowed With Fear

“Give me one moment and I’ll bring everything out.”

“Why don’t I help you?” Dad stands, finishing his beer. “I need a refill.”

The two walk into the house and Brahm turns to me.

“D,” he mutters, reaching out. I turned away from him, taking a dep breath.

“I’m fine. I just want to get this over with.”

* * *

After two slices of pizza and a cupcake, and a hell of a lot of convincing on step-monster’s part to eat off the veggie platter, we are all sitting around the fire-pit as music plays softly over the patio.

Brahm, dad, and Bitch are talking about something business-y related but I’m staring off into the depths of the night sky. The endless darkness and mysteries it has hidden. I mean not to toot my horn here, but I did stick up for myself today, kinda. Which is hella more than the past few years. Especially at that Halloween party. Those girls were talking about my size and how I looked, and I just sat and took it. One step forward toward me minus bad vibes.

“We’re planning to open up a new port on the water in November. We believe it would be good for us to access the river system instead of just using freight and flying. Using the river could expedite shipments as much as a week ahead of schedule. And it could open more business in the Gulf.” Dad announces proudly.

“It sounds like a solid plan. Would the business be a part of the coal or other networks under Beckett Inc.?”

“Both, neither. I suppose it really just depends on what is wanted. I’ve already begun getting reports for inventories and offers for trade.”

Brahm hums his approval, smooshing the graham crackers of his s’mores. “Where did you get this idea dad? We’ve had the shipping yard for years, but it was mostly just used to send the steel up north. How did you come up with the idea of expanding everything and going south?” He takes a large bite, chomping through the gooey mar-shallow, chocolate smeared across his chin.

I snort at him, taking a sip of the lukewarm water Jennifer insisted I take after eating my birthday cupcake.

“Actually, Jen suggested it. We’ve been working on all the preliminary things all summer, it’s part of why I’ve been away so much. First expanded shipment goes out in January, and we’ll be entering a new era in Beckett Inc.”

Dad sounds so proud that I can’t help but be a little happy for him. I know for a while there things weren’t looking very good for the company. Coal is dying, and so are most other natural resources around here. I thought that he might end up merging with other companies in the nearby cities soon.

“I’m glad things are looking up dad. Really. I’m proud of you.”

He sends me a wide grin, his dimple poking through.

“Thank you, dolly Dahl. I appreciate it.”

And that makes the day worth it. I might not have gotten to go see Night of the Living Dead at the midnight showing, but I got to see my dad smile, really smile for the first time in a long time. I think that might be better. But only a little bit.

Grayson

Grayson

Brahm’s front door slams shut and all I can hear over the sound of Alex singing to himself and Adam muttering the recipe under his breath is cursing and heavy footsteps as someone tumbles through the entry hall over the dozens of orange and black balloons littering the floor.

“Henry?” I call out from the kitchen as he rounds the corner of the hall. He’s wearing suit jacket and slacks, his glasses are barely staying on the bridge of his nose, and he has a few stray papers in his hand.

“I’m here. I’m here. Class ran late. Her gift is in the back of my car, I’ll grab it in a second. Let me change.” He rushes through the kitchen to the hall leading to the bathroom and stairs.

Alex keeps humming to himself as he mixes the cookie dough, and Adam is slowly devolving into a panicked mess over the brownie mix. I, however, have been working diligently on making the cheesecake batter. And thus, the Browniezillas will be made. I know their stepmom got Dahlia cupcakes for her birthday. She does it every year because she can buy a four pack from the bakery on Boulevard. Just thinking about the way she treats D has annoyed me. Who doesn’t let someone have two cupcakes for their birthday? Fucking stupid.

Although her birthday is actually Monday, Brahm asked us to get this all set up for her since she wouldn’t get to do what she really wanted. A two-hour shopping trip with three mid-20s guys, fifty bucks on rented movies, and a collective gift from all the guys later, we’re almost ready. Just have to get the browniezillas in the oven and we’re good to go.

But then the door opens. Me, Adam, and Alex all pause, glancing quickly at one another as we hear the hushed voices of Brahm and Dahlia in the hall.

Rounding the corner, Brahm jumps out in front of her, just as Alex rushes over and they both yell, “Surprise!”

Dahlia laughs. A real, genuine laugh, like music to my ears. I haven’t heard that in so long it takes me aback. Adam goes over to her, planting a kiss to the top of her head, something he’s done to her a million times, hell we all have, but for some reason it makes my blood boil. I grit my teeth, jaw clenched as I watch her surrounded by my best friends. Henry takes that moment as the time to reenter the room, in his Wood Ridge University hoodie and a pair of gray sweatpants, looking like the recent ex-grad student he is. He walks over, throws an arm around her shoulders, and Dahlia looks up at him, her real smile made in his direction, and I just snap. I drop the wooden spoon in my hand, grabbing my bag on the floor by the table and the keys to my car.

“Hey, B. I have to go.” My voice is strained. I can feel the tension in my jaw down into my neck from the strength of my teeth grinding together.