Page 64 of String Boys

Another few bars and Seth changed it again.

“El Dorado.Mm. I liked that movie. Like you and me without the girl. Except I’d be one of the people in the village, and you’d be an explorer who had to leave and break my heart.”

Seth took a breath, ready to change the song.

“No. No. That one. It’s pretty. Do the funny song about being a god.”

So Seth did that one, from beginning to end, only stopping when he realized Kelly was fast asleep on his chest.

When would his dad be there? An hour? Half an hour? Seth remembered that he didn’t have to worry anymore because his dad knew, and they weren’t doing anything bad, just sleeping, with all their clothes on, Kelly’s mouth slightly open like it had been the day Seth realized they were in love.

TWENTY MINUTESlater the door to the apartment flew open and his dad rushed in, a giant pizza in his arms.

“Kelly! Did he call you! Did Seth call you and tell you where he was going?”

“Shh!” Seth hushed violently, waking up and trying not to startle Kelly. “Hush. He’s asleep.”

His dad stared at him, his angular jaw so much like Seth’s that it was like looking into a pale mirror. He fumbled for a moment and almost dropped the pizza.

“Seth?”

“Yeah?”

“The school called! You left and didn’t check out. Your roommate got worried and told them you’d disappeared!”

Oh crap. Amara hadn’t putTell Vince you’re going homeon the list,so Seth hadn’t said anything. He’d just packed his shit and left.

“Oh.” Seth blinked slowly. “I’m here.”

His dad took a really deep breath, slowly, and again, and again, walking to the table with measured steps and setting the pizza down.

“I can see you’re here,” his dad said, like he was holding on to something tightly with his teeth. “Whyare you here?”

“Because Kelly needed me.”

Some of the tension leaked from his father’s back. “Ah. Yeah. Well, can’t argue th—”

“And you did too.”

Dad turned around, the skin around his eyes fighting itself to decide if he was going to smile or cry. “Can’t argue there either. Could you, I don’t know, maybe call the next time you do this?”

Seth smiled. “Sure. I can do this again, right? I mean—” He bit his lip. “I guess it’s not a real good idea to be seen here for a while.”

His dad shrugged. “Nobody’s said anything directly, but no.”

“Well, still.” His mouth wobbled. “Did you think I wouldn’t miss you, Daddy?” And now his eyes were burning again, dammit.

His dad saved him, kneeling by the couch and kissing his brow, like he had when Seth had been areallylittle kid, before Mom died, before the dark time when Seth hadn’t had a daddy but a violent shadow looming over his life. “I know I missed the hell out of you,” he said, and they leaned their heads together over Kelly’s sleeping form.

Some breaths. Some heartbeats. Seth’s dad stood creakily to his feet. “Here. I’ll go change and shower. Maybe you can wake Kelly up and we can eat. Watch a movie.” His dad’s mouth twisted. “I… Kelly’s been sleeping in your bed. I… I’m at a loss here, Seth. It’s not appropriate but—”

“Clothes on, Dad,” Seth promised. “He….” His voice cracked. “He’s so tired.”

Dad nodded. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

And it was funny. For the rest of the weekend, his dad did that. Maybe because they weren’t fighting over Bridgford anymore, or because his dad knew about Kelly. Maybe the having no secrets was the thing, or the moving out. But even when his dad and Kelly took turns trying to teach him how to shave the next morning, laughing uproariously as Seth managed to leave five perfect scraggly hairs in different places on his chin, he didn’t feel like an angry kid anymore.