Chapter Twenty-One

Noah It was a Friday when her mom came to the school, and since she’d already skipped her morning classes, Sara decided to go back home with her Mom. I wandered back to my dorm room, feeling dejected. Classes were still ongoing, so I was thankful I didn’t have to deal with Casey when I got back to the dorm. I plopped down on my bed, rolled onto my back and threw my arms over my eyes.

“Dammit, Dad,” I muttered.

He’d actually gone and done it. I had known, but perhaps, deep inside of me, I hadn't really thought he would go through with it. But he actually ran away with Tina’s money. With Sara’s Mom’s money.

My dad was a criminal.

Fuck!

On the same day I found out, I should have told Tina instead of wavering, no matter what he said. If only I hadn't been selfish in that critical moment, I wouldn’t have excused myself from the table. Instead, I would have sat down and told Tina exactly what Dad told me, even with him sitting right there glaring at me.

I’d certainly feel better than I did now, even if I’d have had to push college back. I wanted to graduate, but it was hardly worth all of this shit.

Where could he be?

I didn’t doubt Dad would actually send me the money for college. He said he would, and I believed him, especially since he boldly told me he was going to con someone out of the funds. How long would it take, though?

As far as I knew, it was the first time he’d committed a crime. He’d be too worried to do something with the money this soon, as he must have feared Tina would report him to the police. I wondered if he had known she’d do nothing in the end. Sara had insisted her mother talk to the police, but Tina had quickly shut the thought down. She really didn’t plan on trying to get him arrested or at least found. And I felt like total crap about it, because she seemed like such a nice person, and my dad did that to her.

Still. He had to be found, even if I had to do it myself.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and stared at it. I didn’t think he would answer if I called. I hadn't tried since he was usually the one to call me anyway. When I did, maybe three out of ten times he’d pick up my call. This wouldn’t be one of them. He’d be worried about me selling him out since I’d been so ready to spill everything before.

Where else could he be?

I thought and quickly arrived at an answer. There was one place where I could find him when he wasn’t answering his phone, and I needed to talk to him.

When I was eighteen, Dad introduced me to a woman. I wouldn’t quite say what they had was dating since I still saw Dad with other women occasionally, but I knew the two of them fucked on a regular basis even now. Of course, he didn’t introduce her to me out of choice; I was just lucky enough to track him down since her place wasn’t too far away from the place we called home.

I’d seen her plenty of times and only knew her as Barbara. I didn’t have her number, but I didn’t feel like doing anything at school, so I might as well head there.

With a plan in mind, I got out of bed. I hadn't showered or changed since yesterday, but I didn’t care as I hurried out of my room and off the campus. It was still early in the day, and I was relieved when I checked the time and realized I could take the bus home. I had to run to catch the bus, then settled in for the three and a half hour ride.

When I arrived in the area I used to call home I paused for a moment to orient myself. I hadn't really been back here since Dad sold off the apartment after I left for college and got a smaller, cheaper place for one that I’d never been to. I usually stayed with a friend or found a motel while I did part-time work to pay for my stay through the school breaks.

I headed in the direction I wanted. I didn’t hold any nostalgic feelings for the area. It wasn’t like I had any friends that lived nearby.

Even though it had been a while, I still vaguely remembered where Barbara lived. It was a bit of a walk before I arrived. The place looked like it would pass for an old motel, except all the rooms were actually homes. Her house was the one right at the edge, and I walked over and knocked.

Only then did I worry that Barbara might be out. I didn’t know what she did; I didn’t know if she even had a job. It had been years; things could have changed. I had no reason to worry, though. The door opened after a while, and there she was. Barbara was a tall, slim woman with blonde hair, always messy and pushed away from her face, with wrinkles starting to show at the corners of her eyes and mouth. She was dressed in a crop top and a mini skirt, and she frowned when she saw me, though it cleared almost immediately.

“Noah, right?” She said, tilting her chin at me. “Are you here for your dad? If so, then I’d appreciate it if you could get him out of my house. I’ll head out for a bit.”

She stood aside to let me enter, then walked out and closed the door. As usual, she minded her own business.

I walked further into the room, and sure enough, Dad was there. He sat on the old, decrepit couch, curtains hung on the only window in the room half closed, making the room a little dark, watching TV with a beer in hand. He looked up as I entered, looking completely unconcerned as if this was any of the last times I’d come and found him here.

“Yo, kid,” he said, raising up his beer. “Want something to drink? There are a couple more bottles in the fridge.”

I frowned. “No, Dad. I don’t want a drink. What I really want right now, though? Is an explanation.”

He tilted his head and had the gall to pretend he didn’t know what I was talking about.

“An explanation for what?” He asked, sounding puzzled.

I frowned, hands clenched tightly by my sides, but I didn’t walk forward to punch him like I really wanted to right then.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Dad? Tina is broke, and she’s devastated because of what you did to her. She trusted you, and you go and do a thing like this.”

He frowned. “What, do you want your cut already? It’s not convenient right now, but if you can wait for a little, I’ll send you your college money, every single cent.”

“Dad!” I felt rage pour through me and the urge to punch him increased. “I don’t need you to give it to me; I can manage just fine by myself. What I want is for you to return the money.”

His head shook. “I can't do that.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not ready yet.”

“That’s not a good reason,” I countered.

“Give it a rest, kid!” He snapped. “This is going to be good for both of us, and it’s not like I took everything! There’s still a trust fund, and the money in that is plenty. So, they’ll be totally fine.”

He tipped his head back and swallowed what was left of his beer, before he put the empty bottle on the table. My emotions were a little complicated, seeing him look so unruffled, and I wondered if he already knew Tina wouldn’t try to go to the police over this. How he made a woman like her fall for him, I had no idea.

“Dad, please,” I said. “Please just give the money back. I’ll talk to the school. There’s no way I can get a scholarship, but there’s nothing wrong with holding back for a year, either. And unless you’re trying to tell me this is how you’ve always lived your life, there are ways to get the money you need without stealing it. Or have you done this before?”

He actually looked offended. I almost snorted.

“Of course not!” He said, indignant.

“Then try and find some other way. Hell, she was willing just to give you all that money, you could have at least stuck around and paid it back if you’re so confident this venture of yours will make it big. Just stop this before things get worse.”

He gave me an exasperated look. “Kid, why can't you just let this go?”

I took a deep breath and released my hands, when I spoke, it was with a calm I hadn't felt in ages.

“I can’t, Dad, because I’m in love with her daughter. And I don’t want her to find out about that just yet, thanks to you, but I want to be able to tell her eventually because she means a lot to Sara. I know you might not understand what that is like, Dad, but it’s more important to me than finishing college this year.”

His eyes widened a little, and I knew I’d caught him by surprise.

“You should at least give her back some of the money, so she can survive for the time being,” I continued. “Even if you don’t pay back the rest of it, she’s not going to do anything. As you said, the two of them are very close, so Sara has no trouble giving her mom her trust fund money. Then, as soon as I graduate and get a job, I’ll give you a regular allowance. I’ll also try and pay back whatever’s left that you owe them. You can include my college money in what you give back; I’ll find a way to handle that myself, too.”

I was pretty much putting a heavy burden on my back, but I didn’t know how else to do this. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it wouldn’t be impossible, either. I just had to work my ass off now that I was in my final year.

Dad watched me pensively for a while before opening his mouth.

“You really like that girl that much?” He asked.

“Too much,” I replied immediately.

I was done with all the talking, so I turned and walked away. I’d wait for a couple days. If nothing happened, I’d tell Sara where he was. If she chose to send the police to pick him up… then I’d have to assume it was the last I’d see of Dad for a long time.