When Nora didn’t say anything, Ashton kept talking. “Wolves, bears, lions, and dragons are all different. There’s more but I don’t remember them all.”
“More?” What was he talking about? Nora had been an imaginative child herself, but she couldn’t see Cain condoning any of this thinking.
“More animals. I’m—”
“Ashton.” Mr. Hollis’ sharp voice cut through the room. Nora jumped from her chair. “You were supposed to be home ten minutes ago.”
Nora’s hair bristled on her arm. After the day Ashton had had, he did not need his father yelling at him. “Mr. Hollis,” she began.
“Cain. And why is it that every time I plan to do something with my son, you’re in the middle of it?” His eyes held hers, and then she was drowning in the sapphire hue of them.
She could not believe how her body was reacting. Heat was pooling in her belly, and she could barely hide the shaking in her legs. No way could she be feeling this way for someone so rude.
“I’d hardly say every time,” Nora said, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. She leaned back to put distance between herself and Cain, although she felt every nerve in her body singing to remain in his gaze forever.
She couldn’t believe how her fingers twitched, aching to trace the lines around his eyes and down the sharp jaw that inevitably ended in his permanent scowl. She wondered if anything ever made him smile.
Was his smile like Ashton’s?
She shook her head, dashing that thought away. “I am trying to help your son, not detract from your relationship with him.”
“Yesterday you were tutoring him, what is it you’re doing today?” It was as if he refused to hear her words.
“We haven’t even got to working on homework, yet. We’re still trying to understand the fight he got into today.”
His eyes snapped to Ashton, and their color deepened. “You got in a fight?” His voice dropped, and Nora very much wanted to snatch Ashton and hide him behind her, but in the same way anger had clouded Cain’s face, she could feel it rippling in red waves over herself.
“You’re asking if he got in a fight?” Nora felt her voice rise. She needed to be calm; she didn’t want to come off as hysterical. “Mr. Hollis, Cain, this is what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
Cain looked back to her, and it was as if the world closed around them, narrowing in on that moment. He had chosen to give her his undivided attention. He was listening.
She didn’t understand how she knew that he was giving her his complete attention, but she did. There was something different in his eyes, something more urgent. Something snapped between them and she wasn’t about to waste its efforts.
Nora stepped forward and put her hands on Ashton’s shoulders bringing him into Cain’s line of sight, so that he was very aware of whom they were talking about. She was trying to tug on the father’s heartstrings that she believed were there, even if they were weak.
“Ashton has been getting into fights almost every day this semester. He complains of his body becoming unbearably hot, and his body aches. The only release he finds is when he acts violently.”
“I can’t even mention the amount of homework he hasn’t turned in. It’s not that he doesn’t want to do the assignments, but rather that he doesn’t understand them.” She pleaded with Cain to listen and understand what she was saying.
For a few minutes, a heavy silence hung between them. Finally, Cain nodded his head toward the door. “We can talk about this more over dinner.”
Ashton looked at Nora with a desperately apologetic look, but he obeyed his dad and followed Cain to the door. Cain stopped short of leaving and turned around. “You too.”
“What?” Nora looked perplexed. She was already preparing herself to go back to pouring over the letters. It had seemed like he had already ended the conversation, leaving a bitter taste in Nora’s mouth.
“We’re talking. Let’s keep talking over dinner.” He was so matter-of-fact.
“That’s what you call talking?” She arched an eyebrow.
“I’m offering you a chance. Take it or leave it.” He folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.
She glanced at her desk. The worst thing she could do right now was worry her self mad over the letters that weren’t giving up their author. Going back to their house and continuing to talk to Cain, while she had his attention, was productive. She couldn’t give that up.
More than that, her body thrummed with excitement at the idea of eating with them. She wanted to watch how their family dynamic worked, and wanted to take part in it. It would be a one-night thing, she reminded herself, but if she got to keep looking at his eyes a little longer, if she got to keep providing a sense of stability for Ashton, she would.
“Okay. Let me get my bag.”
Chapter 4 – Cain
The day started slow and didn’t give any signs of letting up.
He woke up Ashton with scrambled eggs and jellied toast. Even with the freshly cooked food, the boy was still slow to get ready. It wasn’t until Cain reminded him about seeing Nora that he moved a little faster.
He was quick in the shower, but complained about which shirt he should wear. He stood in the middle of his room with clothes piled around the floor. His hands were spread wide as he panicked about not being ready soon enough.
Cain could see him getting overheated, and his body tensing up. His shoulders began rising up to his ears, and he clenched his hands into fists. Cain knelt in front of him and pinned his arms to his sides.
“Stripes are always a good option,” Cain tried to bargain.
“But what if they’re not?” Ashton’s ten-year-old mind tried to reason. “What if it’s the worst choice I make today?”
“What if it’s not?” Cain countered.
Ashton’s imagination and his limit to see into the future often sparked these episodes. He would burst into anger and create as much damage as his little self could. Luckily for Cain, Ashton listened to Cain during these episodes.
That was something both Cain and Ashton could boast about. When all they could see was red, they still heard the voices of reason and were quick to listen. Unfortunately, most of the time they acted without thinking, and way before anyone could speak past the rage flooding like fire in their veins.
He remembered being Ashton’s age and feeling the same way. There was always an itch under his skin, to scream and throw something. Cain’s release was watching glass break; from the sounds of it, Ashton preferred to punch something.
Ashton looked down at a blue and white striped shirt. As he pondered what Cain had said, and he bent down, Cain backed off to allow him to move, and inspected the shirt.
“I guess,” Ashton said.
“That’s a good choice. I think it will look very good on you.” Cain ruffled Ashton’s hair and finished by saying, “Now put it on and make your bed.”
He would have to finish Ashton’s other chores, but it would give him a way to burn time. All he had planned really was to ponder if he had reacted correctly to Marshall’s request, but his thoughts kept straying to Nora.
It was clear that Nora thought he didn’t give Ashton enough attention, but she was only judging from what she saw. If she could see how Ashton and Cain spent their mornings, she wouldn’t question his parenting. He could have told her as much last night, but he shouldn’t have to. Ashton was his son. He knew how best to take care of him.