Living with the Walker Boys (EDITING)

A smile spread across his face. “It’s a little company called Melinda’s Music. I’d be taking care of the finances. It’s a huge pay raise too.”

I couldn’t help but smile. My dad seemed so excited about it.

“But I made sure that she knows I’m not starting until after our trip.”

I giggled. “You told your new company that you have to accompany your daughter to China?”

“Like I’d let her go by herself! Plus I’d like to give Mason a piece of my mind. Making my baby girl cry? Not okay.”

“I wasn’t crying dad.”

“You can’t fool me with that sick act. I know when you’re sick.” He kissed my forehead. “Now eat and start packing. We leave for China in a week, and we aren’t coming back after.”

“So where are we coming back to exactly?”

He smiled. “That’s a surprise.”

I rolled my eyes and went back to my room to pack.

“How did it go?” I asked, as Spencer walked into our room.

Spencer reared back and sent his fist through the wall. Then he turned, and with one swipe, cleared his desk.

“Spencer!” I shouted, wrapping my arms around him.

He crumpled to the floor, his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.

I sat criss-cross and pulled his head into my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair. “It’s going to be okay,” I whispered.

My heart began to race. I was always the one who broke down before. I hadn’t seen Spencer cry since his mom left, nine years ago.

Once he calmed down a little, he pushed himself away from me.

“What happened?” I asked, handing him a box of tissues.

Spencer leaned against the dresser and looked at the wall, avoiding my eyes.

“Scouser,” I said, softly.

“He got drunk,” Spencer deadpanned. “While we were out to lunch, and while he was telling me that he wasn’t going to do it anymore, he got fucking drunk.”

That wasn’t anything new for Jack. I knew there had to be something deeper.

“So I told him that I was done. That I was moving away from him and all his fucking bullshit.” Spencer paused and pressed his lips together. “He told me that he’d be glad to see me go, that I didn’t mean anything to him in the first place. And that once I was gone, it would give him more money for booze anyways.”

The Jack I knew would never say anything like that. He loved Spencer with every fiber in his body, just like my dad loved me.

“He was drunk.”

“Exactly,” Spencer shouted, causing me to flinch. He jumped up and paced the floor, running his fingers through his messy hair. “That’s my fucking point! He was drunk.”

I watched him, knowing that now wasn’t the time to talk to Spencer. He was agitated and upset.

“Come with us,” I said, softly. “Please?”

Without a word, Spencer stalked out of our room.

“Spencer,” I called, running after him.

He walked out the front door, slamming it behind him.

“What happened?” dad asked, coming out of his room. “What’s going on?”

I know Spencer when he’s like this, and he’s known to act on impulse, something that he couldn’t afford to do.

I ran after him. He was storming down the street, headed towards the local bar.

“Don’t do this,” I called after Spencer. “Spencer, listen to me! You don’t want to do this!”

He ignored me, still at least half a block ahead of me. There’s no way I could catch up with him.

“Spence, please?” I begged.

He ripped open the door of the bar and slammed it behind him.

I stopped, knowing that it’s no good. He was going to do his damage, and there’s nothing I could do about it.

I went back home, where dad was on the phone, yelling.

“Take responsibility Jack,” dad shouted. “Step up and be a fucking father for once in your life!” Dad slammed down the phone and slumped over on the counter.

I rubbed his back in circular motions and kissed his cheek. “It’s alright daddy.”

“No Zoe, I’ve ruined everything,” dad whispered.

“You haven’t ruined anything.”

“I called Veronica.”

I felt my jaw drop “You called Spencer’s mom?”

“Well he refused to come with us! And I can’t just leave him here.”

“How did you get a hold of her?”

“I’ve been in contact with her for almost three years now Zoe.”