Tethered by L. D. Davis Page A

thirteen I would sometimes go days without seeing him. He would show up, pay the bills, ask me about my life and listen just long enough to get the bare minimum and when I’d wake up in the morning, he would be gone again, leaving me to deal with my mom. When I called him on it, he said he was working long hours and it was easier to stay closer to work since it was an hour plus drive away.
    I pulled my hands out of Emmy’s and wiped my palms on my jeans.
    “I’m going to go to my mom’s house,” I said softly, looking at the floor. I picked up my skateboard and put one hand on the door behind me.
    “I’ll drive you,” Emmet said.
    “It’s a few blocks away,” I said, irritated. “I’ll be fine.”
    “You shouldn’t be alone,” Emmy said.
    I laughed and looked at her. “When I get to my mom’s house, I will be alone. I’m always alone there. I think I can handle the few blocks alone to the house that I will be alone in.”
    “Then I will come with you,” Emmy insisted. “I’ll stay with you.”
    “I wouldn’t want you to get sucked into the black hole with me,” I said and to my surprise my voice waivered.
    “You are my best friend, D,” Emmy said. “I’ll go anywhere with you.”
    She ran upstairs to get a few things, leaving me the center of attention in the foyer. I felt like I was one of the objects I had looked at in the museum.
    “I’d really appreciate if you all stop looking at me as if I’m going to fall to pieces, because I’m not. My dad left me a long time ago, so this really…” I took a deep, shaky breath. “This really isn’t a surprise that he found a way to leave permanently.”
    Without warning, without any kind of shudder or whimper, I was hit full force with grief. I hated to cry in front of anyone. I wasn’t a crier. I cried once today because that whole kissing thing was just damn confusing to my teenage hormonal body and mind. I did fall apart. Suddenly and brutally I was sobbing as I dropped my board on the floor with a loud clatter.
    Emmy was halfway down the stairs when the onslaught started, but it was Emmet who wrapped his arms around me and held me. I held on to him fiercely. I was afraid if he let me go I would melt to the floor and just die myself. I cried in his arms for several minutes before I was able to pull myself together. He released me reluctantly, pushing my hair off of my face for the second time that day.
    I convinced Emmy that I needed to go home alone. I didn’t know how my mom was going to be and I didn’t want her there if it was bad. Emmet looked at me knowingly, but I didn’t elaborate to anyone else. After some further discussion, Fred convinced me to let Emmet take me home and I finally agreed. Sam and Fred, the parents I wish I had all along, hugged me and kissed me and promised to be a phone call away. Emmy wiped my tears and promised she would be over bright and early no matter what. She walked out to the car with us and stood in the driveway as we pulled away.
    We were quiet for the three or four minutes it took for Emmet to drive me home, but he drove with one hand and stroked my hair with his other hand. I never found the words to explain how comforting that small gesture was.
    When we pulled up in front of the house, I noticed cars of the relatives that rarely stopped over, that never helped out, and it made me angry. Emmet saw the cars, too and his eyes narrowed a bit.
    “Just try to be patient,” he said, picking up on how I was feeling.
    “I’ll try,” I said without any commitment. I put my hand on the door to let myself out.
    “Donya,” he said my name quietly. I looked at him expectantly.
    He brushed hair off of my cheek and even in the lightly dimmed car I could see his eyes drop to my lips. Then he took a breath and pulled his hand away.
    “Call me if you need me,” he said simply.
    “Okay,” I said and now my eyes dropped to his lips.
    We sat staring at each other for probably almost a full minute before I