Camden by Shey Stahl
My mom stares at me. No judgment, no what the fuck were you thinking. She’s the complete opposite of my dad in so many ways. “River….” She sighs, knowing what this means for me. My career is over. I’m eighteen, and now going to be a mom?
That’s just… crazy to me. And probably her.
My broken leg, my career-halting injury, the pins I’m going to need, the surgeries that could follow, that’s the least of my worries. Me being pregnant? That’s, well, disappointing?
“I know what you’re going to say.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Do you?”
“That’s I’m irresponsible and failed you.”
She blinks, taken back. Her lips flatten. “You didn’t fail me and you’re not irresponsible. Though I wonder, did you use protection?”
I nod. “I always do.”
Her hand cups mine, holds it and a memory flashes in my head. When I had nobody, when my entire world was ripped apart by an oak tree, this woman took me in and treated me as if I was her own, always. And now here she is, not passing judgment, just holding me.
That is until my dad walks in. He scowls at me. Do you see that look? The hard lines of his face, the dark eyes that look like they’ve swallowed any rational reaction. That look tells me he’s out of control. He’s going to say and do things he wouldn’t ordinarily do because he’s scared and this is how reacts. Harshly.
He screams and yells at me. Asks me how irresponsible I am and tells me this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. He doesn’t hold back when Scarlet comes into the room, or even Camden who follows her.
“Lay off,” mom warns when tears roll down my cheeks.
“I won’t calm down. She really fucked up this time,” he snaps, punching the wall.
“Tiller, man.” Camden groans, unable to keep calm any longer. He looks like he’s ready to punch my dad in the face for making me cry. “Come on.”
Immediately Tiller shifts his attention to Camden. “Where were you, asshole? You’re supposed to keep an eye on her.”
Camden clenches his fists at his sides. “Fuck you,” he growls at my dad and shoves him out of his face. “She’s not a goddamn child anymore and you have to stop treating her like one. And me. I’m not ten!”
I glance between them nervously, too nervous to meet Camden’s stare. “Dad, stop,” I snap. My eyes narrow in on my dad. “It’s not his fault. And in case you forgot, I’m eighteen.”
He whirls around to face me, pointing an accusing finger in my face. “Eighteen or not, you just ruined your career.”
“Tiller!” Mom grabs his arm. “Stop it. You’re not helping.”
“This is on me,” I add. “I’m not a fucking child, Tiller.” His scowl deepens that I called him by his name instead of Dad. “How’d you really expect it to go any other way. You raised me in a party house.” Okay, I know that one was low for me to say, but come on. If he’s going to dish it out to me, he better be ready to take it.
Tiller lets out a weighted breath, shaking his head in disappointment. “Do you even know who the dad is?”
I meet Camden’s eyes for the first time and lie. “No.”
Our stare locks. Something in his stare ignites me. A spark. A realization that this guy, he loves me, but he can’t show it. He’s fighting through emotions in front of me. Flipping through them like the pages of a book, each one a different one. Anger, coldness, concern, betrayal… it’s all there. His hands hang on the back of his neck, gripping, pulling, anything to relieve what he feels, and he walks out.
Which is exactly what I expected of him.
