Yield by Bryan K. Johnson Page B

for so many years — continue to push him methodically away. It eats through his body with an exhaustive wrath.
    Haley smacks the back of her brother ’ s head as he passes. The unexpected shot sends him stumbling forward several steps before the boy can regain his balance.
    “ Hey! ” Devin snaps. His sharp anger instantly pushes the feelings of helplessness away. “ Don ’ t you blame your brother for this. You should have talked to me, Haley. ”
    “ It ’ s no big deal. ”
    “ Well, it will be until I meet this tosser. You ’ re fifteen, ” Devin stresses. “ I need to know who you ’ re hanging around with. Especially when it ’ s some bloke with intentions toward my daughter. ”
    “ His name, ” Haley interrupts, “ is Brandt. ”
    “ I really don ’ t give a blooming rip! ” Devin says. “ You ’ re not going out with him until he nuts up and has a little chat with me. Alright? ”
    She grits her teeth. Haley ’ s electric eyes squint down at the scuffed Doc Martens on her feet, her rebellious confidence simmering. “ Why? So you can just scare him off? ”
    “ Maybe. That ’ s up to him. ”
    Haley turns and sees her friends waiting for her by the school entrance. Dozens of eyes stare back at her public lashing. Focusing the rage and words she ’ s wanted to say for so long, she glares defiantly at her father. “ You get fired from your job for being a drunk, and suddenly you ’ re interested in my life? You ’ re gone four days a week, Dad. As long as I can even remember! Stop overcompensating for that by actually trying to be a parent now! You ’ re right. I am fifteen, ” she says, lowering her shaking voice. “ And you ’ ve never been very good at it. ”
    She spins and walks away, her flickering blue eyes seeking the solace of her friends.
    “ Haley! ”
    The teenager obediently slows. She revolves curtly back to her father. “ You ’ re going to be late, ” she says, tapping her watch.
    As he looks back at his little girl, a confused mixture of anger and pain fill Devin ’ s emerald eyes. He tries to muster the power and authority within his once-proud voice. But he finds no strength. “ When did you turn into such a bitch ? ”
    “ Oh, I ’ ve had great role models, Dad. You ’ d be amazed what I ’ ve learned. ” She smiles wickedly back at him.
    His watch thankfully beeps out, breaking the uncomfortable silence across the school yard. 7:45. “ This isn ’ t finished. ”
    “ Yes, sir, ” Haley salutes. “ Permission to leave? ” Haley ’ s friends cluster around her, trying to stifle their laughter.
    Devin storms back to the silver minivan. “ You ’ re grounded until I come home tonight, ” he yells out the open window.
    “ Can ’ t wait, ” she mutters. Congratulating the teenage victory, the pack of invincibles continue up the steps to Columbia Academy School.
    Haley ’ s mom beeps the horn twice in parting. The teenager flips her hand up and waves back mockingly. “ Whatever, ” she says, wondering if she were adopted.
     
     

Chapter 4
     
     
    7:40 A.M.
    The Bane family crams into their cluttered silver minivan, tossing bags and attitudes at one another. Katherine begins down their driveway even before the reassuring clicks of seatbelts are heard. Older brick houses and lush lawns pass as they make their way through the picket-fenced neighborhood. The van ’ s stainless steel Christian fish symbol sparkles from the back lift gate, just to the right of its white and evergreen Oregon plate. Even in the rain, the crisp, metallic-flecked vehicle sparkles. Washed methodically by Devin during one of his weekly maintenance rituals, he finds the scrubbing a welcome distraction to the hectic normality of life.
    Katherine cranks the wheel hard to the left. She heads down another indistinguishable street within the suburban jungle 10 miles south of Portland, zooming by cookie-cutter houses and well-groomed landscapes.
    Traffic is light, except around