DRASTIC (Book 4 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 8: Smart Girls Are Conflicted

Marley, present day

I'm standing on the porch of TJ's house with an ice cream cake in hand, uncertain if I still have walk-in privileges.

The day TJ, Shay, Pat and Darius moved in, I arrived a little bit after the movers to help with the unpacking. I pressed the doorbell.

Shay jerked open the door, looking cute as a button at seven months pregnant. In overalls and a bandana. She grabbed my finger that still lingered on the buzzer.

"Don't ever do that again, girlfriend," she smiled and dragged me inside. "You don't have to knock where your son lives. You just come on in and holler out."

I haven't knocked since, but it seems different now. I know that Daemon isn't here yet, but somehow, the place already seems like his turf, not mine.

Darius must have seen me from his upperbedroom window because he jerks open the door before I can decide. He gives me his usual cool greeting—a tucked back smile and half a wave and a casual, "Hey."

When he was very little, he was much warmer—my sweet little boy that was always happy to see me—but ever since he went school and realized his home life was not the traditional family like so many of his classmates had, he grows a little cooler with every birthday.

Pat says I can expect him to be a total jerk from about now for at least three or four years because all early teens are possessed by the devil, but I remember fifteen year old Bodie. He was definitely not filled with angst and attitude. If anything, he was always a mama's boy.

Darius, however, is a completely different kid with a completely different reality. I have to meet him where he is, and not put too many normal expectations on our unconventional parent-child relationship.

"Hey, Darius," I give him a one handed hug. "How was your day?" He had the day off from school because of the parent-teacher conferences.

He shrugs. "Fine. I did a little homework, played video games, practiced a little."

I nod. "Basketball or piano?"

"Piano, of course," he grins.

I squint an eye at him. "Boy, don't lie."

He slaps a hand over his heart, looking wounded. "Would I lie to you?" He's so very charming, and it gives me a little jolt of familiarity. Truthfully, Darius' playful nature reminds me more of his Uncle TJ than his father. I have a feeling Darius is being extra jovial because he's nervous about tonight, too.

I put the ice cream cake in the fridge as I get a hug from Shay and a blown kiss from Pat, who stands at the stove, over a simmering pot of jambalaya. TJ is pouring me a glass of wine to match Pat's, and I see he has an open beer on the kitchen table.

"Smells like heaven with a side of spice," I say as I wonder over to Pat with a smile. Pat is a stately, beautiful older lady with natural gray hair, large chunky earrings and spice equal to her jamabalaya. She gives me a full, warm hug.

"It's been a while since you made that." I peak over the pot at the shrimp and sausage tucked temptingly in bubbling rice.

"It's a lot of trouble to find the special sausage, since Landry's closed. Have to go way up to the north side. But it's Daemon's favorite," she says.

She senses when I tense and she pats my back. "Now, don't be like that. It's gonna be just fine. If you woulda ever visited him in prison, you'd know...he's changed. Grown up. He just wants to do right by his son," she nods over to the fridge where Darius is trying to sneak some of the ice cream cake. "Boy, you betta get your hands out that cake!" she scolds.