DaltonEntering Wet Wanda's is almost like coming home. Weird, I know, but I've spent so much of my life in this place. The dark, hazy atmosphere is exactly what I need right now. Smoking hasn't been allowed in Bowling Green bars for years, but here people do whatever the hell they want to. You've gotta respect people who give a middle finger to what's supposed to be right, and just do what they want.Drew is standing in the corner, his arms folded over his chest, nodding at something Jagger's saying. Walking over to them, I wait until there's a lull in the conversation."How's it going tonight?""Getting busier." Drew chews on a piece of gum. "But it's still early. Jagger and I were talking about a possible new recruit.""Oh yeah?" I turn to the other member of the club.He's older than us, but you'd never know it. He doesn't seem to age. "Yeah, a teacher who works with B."I raise my brow. "A teacher?"He chuckles. "Yeah, you'd be surprised. He seems legit.""
MandyThere's a knock at my door, before someone pushes it slightly open."You've got a package."Those are the last words I expect to hear. Especially after only being here for a little while. I didn't even know I could get packages yet, or who might have actually sent me one.Getting up off the bed, I walk over. "Do I?" I open the door all the way, holding my hand out for it."You'll notice it's open," the nurse says. "Because we check it for contraband, and we verify you can have what's inside. If we've taken anything out, there'll be a note attached, and you can speak with your therapist about it at your session tomorrow.Pushing my hair back, I nod, trying to figure out how all this works. She hands me the package, giving me a smile before she's off to the next room. Sitting back down, I turn the package over and over in my hands. Trying to figure out who it's from. The return address is the clubhouse address, so it could be from any number of people. When curios
DaltonMy hand shakes violently as I pull the envelope out of the mail slot at the clubhouse. It's addressed to me, and I can see Mandy's feminine scrawl across the white paper. Not looking around at anyone else, I put the envelope in the pocket of my leather jacket and beat feet to my dorm.If she's going to ask me for a divorce, I don't want anyone to see me going through the five stages of grief all in three seconds. I'll take the time I need to digest if, if that's what she's asking for.Closing the door between mine and Walker's room is hard. It hasn't been closed since he came here to stay with me, but I need privacy. Thinking twice, I lock it, pressing a hand against the wood, making sure it's shut all the way. I'll need to prepare him if we're going to go our separate ways.Sitting down on the bed, I take the envelope out and put it on the bed in front of me. I stare at it, for what seems like an amazingly long time, both needing to open it and dreading to at the same t
Mandy"This is the hardest part," I sigh, closing in on myself, wrapping my arms around my chest, seeming to hold myself together. "Why?" Dr. Crawford asks."Because I have to admit what a shitty mother I've been to Walker. No one wants to admit when they've failed." I shrug. "And I've failed him in a lot of ways.""Let's talk about it." She crosses her legs, getting comfortable in her chair. "Let everything out. Verbally vomit all the things you want to say to Walker. How old is he?""Eleven." I grin, thinking of how he's starting to look so much like Dalton. "This is his last year in elementary school, and next year he'll be trying out for the middle school football team. It's almost all he talks about.""Does your family have a history of sports?""My twin brother does, and so does Dalton, my husband. They both played football in high school, probably could have done it in college, but instead they prospected for the club my dad ran."I've never told anyone about th
Walker"You got some mail today."I never get mail. Only if it's my birthday or Christmas, so I'm super excited to know who I got it from. "Yeah? Where is it?" I ask my dad as I throw my bag in my room. He's sitting on the couch in his dorm."Right here." He holds it up, waving it around.Snatching it is easy, probably because he let me, and when I look down, my stomach gets a queasy feeling inside it. It's from my mom.I haven't spoken to her since she had to go into the hospital. But she wrote Dad a letter, and I've been waiting for mine ever since."Do you want to read it by yourself?" he asks softly. I nod, going into my room and closing the door. I'd thought a week ago that the two of them would be getting a divorce, but the dinner I'd had with Dad had settled my fears."She's getting the help she needs, Walker. I know it's hard to understand for you. Hell, it's hard to understand even for me, but I promise she's going to come back to us."I grab a piece o
DaltonIt's a shitty day, cold with rain, almost freezing, coming down in sheets atop the garage. Hard to believe it's almost April, but sometimes our worst weather is in March. No one speaks over the noise, preferring to not wreck their voice, not even the radio we have playing in the background can be heard. "It gets much colder out there and we'll be fucked."It's shameful to admit, but I can't tell if it's Tyler or Caelin speaking to me. They both sound the exact same now that Caelin's balls have dropped. Shit, I mean gotten a little older. Sneaking a peak in between the spot my arm makes, I see it's the younger of the two."True." I turn so we face one another. "What are you doing here today? I thought you were at the clubhouse?""I was told to bring you this phone."My gaze moves down to the iPhone he holds in his hand. I eye it like it's a snake. "The fuck you bringing me a phone for?"He shrugs. "Just do as I'm told. You should be getting a call in the next halfh
Mandy"How did your conversation with Dalton go?"I hold my phone call with him close to my chest, not wanting to share it with anyone, even Dr. Crawford, even though she's the one who's brought me far enough to be able to recognize most of my bad habits."It was good," I allow. "Just good?"Taking a deep breath, I trudge ahead, trying to explain with a limited vocabulary how hearing his voice made me feel. "It was as if a cloudy, rainy day was pushed aside and the sun shined, birds sang, and a rainbow appeared. I had no idea how much I missed him.""You didn't want to tell me all of that." She makes a note on her pad of paper. "Thank you for pushing past it.""It's just…" I situate myself on the couch, pulling my leg up under me. "It's always felt like everything involving my relationship has included more than the two people in the relationship. My brother is best friends with Dalton, Dalton and my brother run Heaven Hill together, and before that Dalton was under my d
Dalton"Mail call." Caelin drops an envelope on the couch in my dorm. Stepping out from the bathroom, still brushing my teeth, I walk slowly over to where he placed it. From where I stand I can see it's pink, and I truly have no idea who might send me a damn pink letter.Tilting my head to the side as I keep brushing, I see the familiar feminine handwriting undeniably Mandy's. Excitement makes me gasp, causing me to swallow a mouthful of toothpaste. "Shit," I cough, running back to the bathroom. Bending down, I cup my palm and get as much water as I can before rinsing my mouth out. Hurrying, I dry my hands off as best I can, running back out into the dorm. Walker's gone to school, so I don't feel bad when I shut the door from my room leading to his. This is private, perhaps even more than the first one. I've heard her voice now, the voice I know and love. It was full of life, and everything that makes Mandy, Mandy. It wasn't the lifeless voice I've heard over the past f