Page 77 of His Surrender

“Sure.” I ducked into the kitchen from the side entrance in the garage and grabbed the ice chest before taking it out there to him.

“Thanks.” Ivan stood in the back of his truck, tying things down and securing them.

He and Foster were going camping for spring break and planned to leave as soon as the truck was packed.

“Should you really be going today?” I asked, after seeing it was four o’clock that afternoon. “Won’t it be dark by the time you get there?”

“It’ll be fine.” Ivan positioned the ice chest and secured it with a strap. “We should get there in enough time to set up the tent before it gets dark. Then we’ll build a fire and roast marshmallows. Do you want to join us?”

“Me? Oh hell no.”

Ivan threw his head back with a laugh. “Some things never change. You’re such a pretty boy.”

“Why do you think I got kicked out of Boy Scouts?” I said, echoing his laugh. “It was on purpose. I didn’t want to do all that outdoorsy shit. I hope you and Foss have a great time.”

“The divorce and then the move not long after have been hard on him.” Ivan sat on the tailgate of his truck. “He doesn’t show it, but I know he’s hurting, Jay. I feel like a horrible dad for putting him through all of this.”

“Don’t do that to yourself, Vanya.” I leaned against the tailgate. “Marriages end. It wasn’t your fault Megan cheated and wanted a divorce.”

“Maybe.” Ivan ran a hand over his short-cropped hair. “But I didn’t have to uproot his life by moving to a different state on top of it.”

“I’m happy, Dad.” Foster set his backpack on the grass and came over to sit between us, leaning his head on Ivan’s shoulder. “I promise. I’ve made friends, and I have a teacher I really like. Stop worrying about me.”

“Listen to the kid, little bro.”

Ivan smiled and kissed the top of Foster’s head before sliding off the tailgate.

“I like that one better than your other one,” I said, nodding to his new prosthesis. He’d finally been able to get it. “Looks like it fits better too.”

“It does.” Ivan glanced down at it. “I can move a lot easier too and be more active.”

“More active?” I asked. “You’re already like goddamn Captain America. How much more active can you be?”

He grinned and put Foster’s backpack in the cab of the truck. “Come on, Foss. We should head out.”

“You should go somewhere for the weekend, Uncle Jay,” Foster said, hopping off the tailgate and pushing it up to close it. “You need a break from work. I wish you’d come with us.”

“Your uncle would shit himself the first time a bug landed on his arm,” Ivan called from the yard, as he headed back toward the house.

“Dalbayob,” I yelled back to him.

Moron.

Foster laughed and went over to get into the passenger seat. He had to grab the bar to haul himself up, even though it wasn’t that high off the ground. “I’m serious. Even Mr. Barnett is getting out of town for spring break.”

“He is?” That was news to me. Last I heard, Remi had planned to stay at home during the break.

“Mhm.” Foster put on his seat belt. “At first he wasn’t, but he told us today at school that he was going to New Orleans. I didn’t know if you planned to go with him or not… since you guys are friends and stuff.”

Were Remi and I even still friends? He’d been so mad last we talked, and then he’d sent the text about us ending things. Now he was taking a spontaneous trip without telling me?

“I didn’t plan on it,” I said, doing a damn good job of composing myself.

Ivan came out of the house with another bag and locked the door before approaching the truck. “Did you get everything?” he asked Foster.

“Yes, sir.”

“Awesome.” Ivan placed the bag in the back seat before closing Foster’s door and looking at me. “Last chance to come with us. The campground is really nice from what I hear. They even have running bathrooms in walking distance.”