Ever the Same (5 page)

“And this is Grainger, Daddy. It’s his birthday.”

“Hey, Grainger. Happy birthday. Thanks for inviting Randi. That was very cool.”

“Sure.” Grainger couldn’t say anything else without being rude, and Audie knew his boy wouldn’t do that.

Randi rolled her eyes, though, and stuck her tongue out. Audie had to stifle his laugh with a cough.

“Miranda Elizabeth, are you being rude?”
Oh damn. Caught!

“Sorry.” She grinned, completely unrepentant. “They have a shooting game, Grainger. Sure you don’t want to come?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Sara, you coming?”

“Uh-huh.” Sara gave Dixon one more searching look before following. Clearly, blindness wigged her out.

Audie brought Dixon his Coke, put the cake on the table before him. “The cake’s right in front of you. It’s chocolate with white icing.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem.” He sat across from Dixon, keeping an eye on Grainger. “Christ, this place is loud.”

“Yes. Painfully. The kids seem to enjoy it, though.”

“They do.” He sighed. “It’s all the kid has talked about for six months.”

“So what happened?”

“Mom insisted he let Sara come. He was okay with that, even though she’s a girl, and he only wanted to invite boys. But then we had to invite Jason, the new kid, and your girl.” He chuckled. “I don’t think it’s the people he objects to as much as the principle of the thing.”

“Let me guess. None of the boys he wanted to come showed.”

“Oh, two of them did.” Audie lowered his voice. “At this point it’s really a battle of wills with his Gran.”

“Oh man. I take it he’s winning?”

“Yep.” Now he raised his voice again. “Spankings have been threatened. I defended him.”

Grainger just got smaller and angrier, the hint of tears showing up now.

“Well, I’m sorry he’s having a bad party, but I really appreciate the invite. It meant a ton to Randi.”

“She looks like she’s having a ball. Thanks for coming. Have you got a ride home?”

“My brother, Dalton. He’s here with a bunch of his friends.”

“Your brother?”

“He’s seventeen. Old enough for this to be fun.”

“Oh, good deal. Well, you holler if you need anything. I hate to abandon you, but I’m fixin’ to go rescue my kid.”

“Cool. Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Audie stood, gently touching Dixon’s shoulder on the way by. He liked the man’s spirit. Then he headed back over to Grainger. “Come on, kiddo.”

“Is it time to go?”

He held out his arms. “We’re gonna pretend to go to the bathroom.”

“Okay.” Grainger came to him, the tears right there, fighting to be held back.

He picked up his son and headed outside. Grainger had said his thank-yous and all, and Audie’s mom could make sure the kids all got home.

“Waffle House or El Chico? Waffles or queso dip, kiddo.”

“El Chico’s?”

His boy was a taco hound. “Good deal. I’ll text your Auntie Grace once we’re gone. Thank you for trying, bud.”

“I don’t never want no more parties, Daddy, okay? Please? They aren’t good.”

“I’m sorry this one made you unhappy, bud, but it will get better.” He deposited Grainger in the truck and let him buckle into his little seat.

Of course, at six, nothing was as bad as right now. This had to be the worst day of Grainger’s young life. He headed for the El Chico’s, humming along with Jason Aldean on the radio. Music could always cheer Grainger up.

“Can we have the green squishy stuff, Daddy?”

“Guacamole? You know it. I love that stuff.” He didn’t love the pizza at Chuck’s, so he could definitely eat.

“Me too. Granny doesn’t like it.”

“I know.” She would gag, and it felt like they were being really bad.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, kiddo. I really do.” He smiled at Grainger in the rearview mirror, feeling like he’d made a shit situation better already.

Grainger nodded to him and offered a quirky grin. Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t Audie in trouble, it was his mom, and he’d take it.

The rest would work itself out, and even better, he had a feeling the fights at school might stop now.

Chapter 6

“Sara. Sara,
Sara, Sara. Sara, Sara. Sara.”

It was the only thing Randi talked about.

Sara was in pre-K in the same school as Randi. Sara’s daddy was in the Army. Sara’s hair was black, not red like hers.

Dixon was going to kill someone if he heard the name Sara one more time.

“Daddy! Sara’s momma called and asked if I could come over. They have horses!” It was a long weekend, and Randi was making everyone nuts. So much so that Dalton had left with his girlfriend for the day.

“There’s no one to drive you, baby.”

“Daddy! Please!”

“Honey, Gran and PopPop are gone for the weekend. The festival. They’re gone ’til Tuesday.”

“Please?”

“Let me talk to her.” He’d explain.

“Okay.” She ran to the other room, then came back to press the phone into his hand.

“Hi, uh.” She couldn’t be Mrs. Barrack. Sara’s mom was Audie Barrack’s sister.

“Grace.”

“Hi, Grace. This is Dixon White. I’m sorry, but I don’t have anyone here to drive, to see where she is, nothing.”

“Oh, well, I didn’t think on that. I could send my brother to get her, and you’re welcome to come if you like. We’re having a picnic lunch, and Audie is giving riding lessons.”

“I… I have to be honest, I’ve never been in this position, and I don’t know what to do.”

She chuckled. “I’m an Army wife. I have. Are you busy? If you’re not and you want her to come, Audie will come get y’all. If not, I totally understand.” She sounded utterly calm, just really nice.

“I think if I say no, she may smother me in my sleep. If you don’t mind, I would love for her to come over.”

“I don’t mind a bit. Your folks have the old frame place on the road to Commerce? With the llamas?”

“The llamas, yes. Thank you. Can I bring anything?”

“Maybe some chips or something? Oh, and make sure she brings closed-toe shoes.”

“Sure. Right. Okay. See you.”

So, sneakers and, God, did they have chips? His mom could be pretty harsh about junk food. “Randi? Get your sneakers, baby. Do we have any Ruffles?”

“Uh-huh. PopPop buyed some.”

“Bought some.”

“What?”

“Go get a new couple bags if we have them. We’re going to Sara’s house.”

“Daddy!” Her squeal rocked him, and she tackled him, squeezing hard.

“Grainger’s daddy is coming to pick us up. You’d better motor.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Chips and sneakers!”

“God.” He chuckled, tickled she was so happy. He could sit at someone else’s house and do nothing as easily as he could his own. “Sweetie, can you get my guitar too? Maybe I can pick a little while you ride.”

“I will. I’ll be careful with it. I promise!”

“I know you will.” He trusted her with it. “Just don’t run.”

“I won’t.”

They ended up on the porch, waiting for their ride. He texted Dalton, let him know where they were headed. Then he sat, his guitar in its case, slung across his knees.

“Daddy, why do you talk into your phone?”

“Because I can’t see to type.”

“Are you the most scared of the dark?”

“No, ma’am.” He reached out and grabbed her in for a hug. “I’m most scared of something happening to you.”

“I’ll be okay, Daddy. Sara says her uncle is a real cowboy. Not like Pappy and Dalton.”

“Oh, is he? What is Pappy, then?” He had to hear this.

“A double sipper!”

“A double sipper….” Okay. Okay, think. What the fuck could she…. Oh. Oh! “Double dipper. Yes, he is.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that Granny and Pappy had jobs, and they retired, and now they’re raising llamas.”

“Oh.” She sounded like she lost interest, and then he heard her bounce up and down. “Here comes a truck.”

“You stay right here, young lady.”

“I will. No running until he stops.” She came to stand next to him, patting his leg. “I know cars are scary, Daddy.”

“Yes, well, I want you to remember.”

God, he was getting in a car with a stranger, going somewhere he couldn’t see.

Yay.

Gravel and grass crunched when the truck pulled up next to the house. The door opened and closed, and he heard Audie’s voice. “Hey, y’all. You all set to go?”

“Yeah. Is there room for my guitar? I thought I’d bring it for something to do….”

“You got it. I can put it in the toolbox, if that’s okay. It’s empty and clean, as I helped Sara and Gracie move. I’ll have a care.”

“Thank you. Thanks for the ride too. I just… you know. It’s awkward.”

“I hear you.” Audie laughed, gently tugging away the guitar. “When Grainger was three, I broke my leg in a fissure out in the pasture. I was laid up for weeks, and it was a weird thing, depending on folks. Hi, Randi. Sara would have come, but Grainger wanted to go for a ride.”

“Hi. Hi, Grainger. I brought your rock.”

His rock?

“Thanks. Your shell is at my house.”

What? Were they blackmailing each other?

“Y’all trading?” Audie chuckled, so maybe it wasn’t as serious as all that.

“Yes, sir. Not for keeps, just ’cause Grainger wanted to draw my shell in his book.”

“Ah. Well, good deal.” Audie came back for him, hand on his. “You ready?”

“Yeah. Y’all have an extra car seat?”

“Sara needs one too, so yeah.”

“Cool.” God, there was so much to this, so much shit.

“Mister, is that a guitar?” Grainger asked.

“Yes, it is.”

“Oh.” Grainger was quiet, but Dixon could hear him thinking. “I always wanted to learn to play.”

“I bet you could learn. You’re old enough.”

“Could you teach me?” Listen to that hopeful voice.

“Well, I used to give lessons, but… honey, I can’t see.”

“Why do you have to see?” Grainger snorted. “You’re showing me.”

“Grainger, be polite.”

“Daddy, you can do it. You can.” Randi reached up to the front seat and touched his shoulder. “You’re so good at it.”

“Y’all back off and let the man think on it,” Audie said. “Not everyone wants to hang out with hooligans like you.”

Grainger and Randi both giggled, said “Yes, sir.”

Okay, this man was his official hero.

He was probably grinning like an idiot, but that was okay. Dixon shrugged. “I can try, Grainger, but I won’t promise anything. I need to be able to see your fingers sometimes.”

“I’ll just watch today, then.” Grainger sounded so sure of him.

“Sure. Sure, kiddo.”

They settled into listening to the radio for the rest of the short drive. Grainger had a good voice, singing along with the classic country station Audie put on, and Audie drove carefully enough to put him at ease.

“Thanks again for the ride. She’s very excited.” That was the understatement of the fucking decade.

“No problem. Sara likes her so much, and I think she’s a good kid.” Audie had this easy, slow drawl that made Dixon think of sun-warmed honey. He wondered what the man looked like.

He didn’t sound old, really, maybe even younger than him. And he smelled good, like Old Spice and horses and clean male musk. Okay, no macking on the obviously sleeping-with-girls neighbor.

None.

They turned off the main road, and they stopped. “I just have to get the gate. Man, I’m so ready for Grainger to be out of that car seat so he can.”

“I could do it now. I could.”

“I know, bud, but you’d take a long time to get in and out of your seat.” Audie hopped out, and he heard the gate rolling.

“Do y’all raise cattle?” he asked Grainger.

“Uh-huh. Beefmasters and then horses. Daddy likes horses.”

“He does, huh? My mom is scared of them.”

“Granny says that’s why I can’t have one,” Randi piped up.

“Oh, horses are the best. The really best. I have a foal that I’m raising.” Grainger warmed to the subject, his feet swinging audibly.

“Show me?”

“Sure.”

Listen to those two, getting along and all.

“What color is he?”

The kids jabbered, and Audie swung up in the truck, jostling along forward. “Nice to hear, huh?”

He didn’t pretend he didn’t understand what Audie meant. “Yeah. Totally.”

“Better not say it too loud, huh? Oh hey, you’re not scared of dogs, right? I heard a few barking in your house when I drove up, but we have a border collie, and one of my cowboys has a cattle dog.”

“Not at all. I love dogs.” They were one of the constants in his life. “We have a pair of dachshunds from Austin.”

“Honey and Beaker. They’re old. They live in the house.” He thought he could hear Randi rolling her eyes. “Honey always steals the ball.”

“Oh wow. Duke will chase a ball for hours. He’s the border collie.” Grainger liked dogs. Dixon heard it in his voice.

“Yeah? That’s so cool.” Randi was jealous and admiring all at once.

“It’s true.”

They pulled in someplace and stopped, finally, and Audie came around to help him out. “Come on and have a sit, and I’ll bring your guitar.”

“Thank you.” He felt the heat of the sun get brighter and then ease back at the same time he heard his footsteps change from grass to concrete.