CHAPTER 25:
Where He Finds a Place to Stay
~~**~~
|Archer|
"Screw him." Fallon's voice cut through my dark thoughts. We were still in the convertible which was now parked outside her apartment building.
"Huh?" I asked dumbly.
She gave me a determined look. "I said, screw your father. He had no right to say those things to you."
My features softened. "Or to you," I told her softly.
The fight I'd had with my father was still fresh in my mind. My dad and I had definitely had our differences in the past but even I knew that this time things had been different, more absolute. Maybe it was the fact that I'd never felt anger like that toward him before.
But the way he'd looked at Fallon, the way he'd talked about her. Just thinking about it now had my blood boiling.
"When you were born privileged you were supposed to protect those who weren't, not look down on them."
It was something Jordan had said to me once. I'd never really understood the significance behind his words.
Until now.
~~**~~
As soon as I entered Fallon's apartment Spartacus was rubbing his huge body against my legs. I scratched him behind his good ear and chuckled when he gave my hand an affectionate lick.
"Mr. Patterson? What are you doing here?" Fallon's surprised voice has me standing at attention. My eyes suddenly focus on the middle-aged man sitting on the living room couch.
"I tried calling you but you weren't picking up." The man explained.
"Is everything okay?" Fallon's voice seemed smaller and it instinctively made me step closer to her.
The man's eyes settled on me and seemed to understand what I was thinking because he gave me a knowing look and said, "I'm Daniel Patterson. I used to be her parent's Attorney."
I ignored him and turned to Fallon making sure she was okay. I didn't give a fuck who this guy was, he could be the president of Mars for all I cared if she wasn't comfortable with him being here I wouldn't hesitate to throw this man out of her apartment.
Fallon just gave me a subtle shake of her head conveying her message.
Daniel got up from the couch and gave Fallon an awkward smile. "My apologies if I startled you but you weren't answering my calls or emails."
Fallon seemed to finally come out of whatever daze she was in. "I'm sorry I've been busy. Is everything alright?" Her voice sounded guilty almost and it gave me the impression that she'd been purposefully avoiding talking to him.
Daniel gave her a knowing look. His features gentled a little. "I know it's hard kid. But I can't put off giving Jamie what your parents left him, you know that, it's my job. You also know that once I do he's naturally going to have questions about his parents . . . and about you. I can't lie to him. I understood when you told me that you needed time to process this and you wanted to tell him yourself but it's been over six months. I've already talked to his adoptive parents and they're fully supportive of you being a part of his life." Daniel sighed. "I know it's hard Fallon but I'm pretty sure not knowing anything about where he came from is hard for Jamie too. He deserves to know."
He gave Fallon a sympathetic look before turning and leaving the apartment.
For a moment Fallon didn't say anything. She just stood there taking shaky breaths, her hands clenching and unclenching. I had no idea what to do. I ended up leading her to the couch and just sitting beside her silently like an absolute moron.
"The boy he was talking about. Jamie. He's my brother." She finally murmured. Her tear-filled eyes met mine. I gave her a nod. I'd pieced together that much on my own.
"Remember when I told you that my brother had been adopted almost immediately after the crash took place?" I nodded again. She took a deep breath. "What I didn't tell you was that I hadn't even known my brother existed before Mr. Patterson contacted me a while before my eighteenth birthday to tell me that I was going to get my father's convertible. He lives in Florida with his adoptive parents and he doesn't know about the plane crash or the fact that he has a sister yet. My father left Jamie his antique watches and Mr. Patterson planned on going to Florida to give them to him but I told him to wait because I wanted to talk to him first. I want to be the one to tell him . . . but I'm so scared."
My heart ached for her. I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in my arms and shield her from the world.
"What are you scared of?" I asked gently.
She swallowed. "He's happy Archer. I looked him up online. His life is nothing like mine and I'm glad. I'm so relieved that he has loving parents and a nice house and friends who clearly adore him but. . ." She takes a shuddering breath, "What if he takes one look at me and decides he wants nothing to do with my pathetic existence? What if he hates me for bringing up an ugly past he'd been blissfully living without knowing?"
"He won't hate you," I told her firmly.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because it's impossible to not like you," I murmured as I tilted her chin up with my thumb. "Trust me I've tried."
She smiled at that but it quickly disappeared. "But what if telling him the truth ends up hurting him? I don't want to cause him any pain."
I smiled at that. It was such a Fallon thing to say.
"It would still be worth it," I told her, my eyes not leaving hers.
"What do you mean?" She whispered.
"It would still be worth it because in return he would get to know you, Fallon."
For a moment she didn't say anything but then her shoulders seemed to relax a little.
"Thank you for saying that." She breathed. "I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that. I'll go see him I promise, as soon as we're done with finals I'll go see him and I'll ask him to come to my graduation."
Her tears started falling then. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was blotchy but I realized that she was still the most perfect thing I'd ever seen.
I sighed.
"I'm sorry for doing this right now but it's getting late and I really should go."
Her eyebrows drew together in confusion.
"I still have to find a place to crash," I told her gently.
My father had given me a choice and I'd chosen to leave. So I was pretty much homeless at this point. But I would rather sleep on the sidewalk than go crawling back to him.
I had my own money. I'd saved up every dollar I earned from fixing cars the past couple of years. It was enough to get me a room and food for a couple of weeks which left me enough time to look for a job.
I started to get up from the couch but Fallon's hand clamped down on my wrist.
"You can stay here." She said, her eyes hopeful.
I froze in shock.
"Fallon, I couldn't possibly-" I started but she cut me off
"You definitely can." And before I could interrupt she continued. "Archer, you didn't let me pay you for fixing my car. I know you paid for all the repairs with your own money."
I clenched my jaw in agitation. "That was different. It was something I wanted."
She smiled. "And this is something I want to do for you. Please stay here."
It was that please what finally got me.
"Fine but I'm paying my share of the rent," I said begrudgingly. She started to protest but I gave her a look saying that was the only deal she was going to get and she thankfully didn't argue further.
My eyes took in her tiny apartment. The apartment she shared with two other roommates.
I ran a hand through my hair.
"This is a three-bedroom apartment right?" I asked.
"Yes." She said brightly.
"And you have two flatmates," I said slowly.
I eyed the couch she was currently sitting on and winced. It looked super uncomfortable and it was definitely too small for my six-foot-three frame.
But I guess beggars couldn't be choosers and having a backache from sleeping on a couch was still better than being out on the street.
Before I could contemplate further Fallon's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
"We can both sleep in my room."