Yield (10 page)

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 the dozens of crosswalks and intersections they pass. Webs of bus stops interconnect the streets. Young kids walk under bleak Northwest skies, perfectly content as they cling to hands or skip with friends through the irresistible splash of mud puddles. The rain has let up slightly, but brilliant umbrellas and colorful hoods still dot the darkened sidewalks.

Devin looks nostalgically out the passenger window at all the well-mannered children moving by, wondering whatever happened to the innocence in his own.
“
I don
’
t care if it
’
s just a movie,
”
Devin says. He watches the better years zoom past outside.
“
I still need to know who you
’
re going with.
”

“
Friends,
”
Haley mutters. Her electric blue eyes flicker at another unrelenting barrage from the Fuhrer.

“
Names, Haley,
”
Katherine gently mediates.

“
Need social security numbers, too?
”
The teenager snatches her royal blue backpack off the bench seat, throwing it into her lap. She rummages through it while her dazed mind thinks.

“
No,
”
Devin says. His jaw tightens at the tug of war.
“
Just names, Haley.
”

“
Amy and Rebecca,
”
she shouts.
“
God!
”
The 15-year-old spins up her dark brown lipstick and rubs the deep color onto her lips. The pale skin tone of her face looks almost white against the rich chocolate color.

“
And your boyfriend,
”
Tyler whispers. His eyes go wide when he realizes he said it aloud.

Haley turns on him in a split-second and violently slams her fist down into his thigh.

“
Ow,
”
Tyler winces as the sharp pain shoots up his body. The eight-year-old
’
s eyes slowly begin to fill with tears. His leg throbs. Tyler grits his teeth, willing himself not to be weak, not to let his sister see him cry.

“
Boyfriend?
Another one?!
”
Devin asks sharply. The fireman spins in his seat, looking squarely at his daughter.
“
And when were you going to let your mother and me in on this little detail?
”

Haley locks eyes with her brother. Rage at his vindictive outburst fills the van. It pulses in savage waves from the teenager
’
s eyes.
You
’
re lucky we
’
re not alone.

Fear and pain look sadly back at her. The
memories
of spontaneously imagined games fill Tyler
’
s mind. Teaming up against dragons under blanketed banners or eagerly exploring the universe
’
s limitless potential, the joy of being included in her world has all but faded away now. Instead, it
’
s replaced with the throbbing injuries from
the latest
outburst of violence.
What happened to you?

Tyler looks away from the angry stranger sitting next to him, staring out the van
’
s window in search of friendlier company. The boy roughly wipes away the tears as they pass another group of children about his age.

“
I already told Mom,
”
Haley smiles maliciously.

“
Now, now,
”
Katherine backpedals.
“
There
’
s no need to bring me into this.
”

“
Really,
”
Devin booms. He looks incredulously over at his wife.
“
It
’
s nice to know I
’
m still in the loop, love. Thanks. United front and all, right?
”

“
You were so focused on this interview,
”
Kat says. She feels his green eyes pierce into her. Staring straight ahead, a twinge of guilt plays across her face.
“
I just wanted to wait until you got back. That
’
s all.
”

“
So sorry to interrupt happy time, but we
’
re here,
”
Haley blurts. The van begins to slow along the school
’
s curb. She climbs over her brother on the way to the door, opening it before the van is even stopped. She slings her patch-covered blue backpack over one shoulder and jumps out onto the sidewalk. Her feet scream at her to run.

“
Hold on!
”
Devin barks, irritated at what
’
s become of his American dream.
“
We
’
re not done yet.
”

The teenager skids to a stop. She closes her eyes, sighing at the inconvenience.
What now?
The pink streaks in her hair almost spark as she tries to quiet her growing rage.

Devin opens the passenger door and grabs the other blue backpack. He holds it out to Tyler, trying helpfully to put it over his son
’
s shoulder.

“
I
’
ve got it,
”
the boy says irritably. He snatches it away from his dad, turning without another word. Tyler adjusts the bag
’
s weight and limps toward his school.

“
Love you too, bud,
”
Devin calls hollowly.
“
See you tonight.
”
His shield of humor barely masks the pain. Devin watches on with a consuming sadness as the children he
’
s raised, the kids he
’
s sacrificed everything else in his life for
—
provided for, loved, and given the best he could
to
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.

7:48 a.m.

Countless on-ramps spew impatience onto an already congested interstate. Tiered lanes of eager drivers slow as they move through waves of rain.

Katherine navigates her speeding van through traffic along I-5 on the way to Portland International Airport. P
ushing down her all-too-familiar fear of conflict, Kat sighs. Playing arbitrator between two of the most important people in her life is taxing even on the best of days, let alone while trying to make up time.

“
When did you tell her I got fired?
”
Devin asks. The disgraced fireman sits silently fuming. Metal status symbols swarm like bees all around them. Drivers hungry for an advantage seize their moments quickly, no matter the size or cost. Devin always hated driving into the city.

“
They
’
re smart kids,
”
Katherine gently says.
“
There was no way we were going to be able to keep it a secret.
”

The driver alongside them slams his horn after a merging semi-truck cuts him off. The offended driver gestures angrily through his windshield. The expression makes Devin even more agitated.

“
I
’
ll talk to her,
”
Katherine says, reassuringly taking his hand.

“
I can
’
t even have a conversation with her anymore,
”
he says. Devin turns expectantly to his wife for agreement.
“
Not without wanting to strangle her damn neck.
”