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Kellen in but then he paused, listening to Kellen’s low voice again. “That’s alright. Get inside while I grab some money from Karen’s purse in the kitchen.”
    Dad left the door open as he headed for the kitchen. Kellen didn’t come inside. I could see his lower half through the doorway. Only his motionless legs and feet illuminated by the porch light. Old tennis shoes and holey jeans.
    Dad came back with money in his hand. He went outside to pay whoever was waiting in the driveway. I didn’t hear anything for a long time. Then there was the sound of tires on the drive again. This time they were leaving. Kellen’s feet still hadn’t moved.
    “Inside,” dad said sternly. He came back into view. His naked feet were standing beside Kellen’s. Waiting. “Let’s go. Now.”
    Finally Kellen moved. He stepped into the house, his body coming into view through the doorway but leaking from sight in the shadows. I could see his outline. He was moving stiffly, almost hesitantly. It was something I’d never seen him do before. Dad came in behind him, firmly shutting the door and locking it.
    “I’m sorry about the cab,” Kellen said. His voice was off. Strange. “I didn’t know what else to do. The buses are running but I couldn’t sit still. I—“
    “It’s alright. Don’t worry about it.”
    “I’ll pay you back.”
    “You don’t have to worry about that.”
    “No, I will pay you back,” Kellen insisted, his voice rising. “I have the money. Just not on me.”
    “Hey,” dad said softly, stepping in front of him, catching his eye. “I know you’re good for it. Let’s not worry about it right now, alright?”
    I saw Kellen nod.
    “I’m sorry I came here,” he said sounding exhausted. His voice was growing quiet again. “I didn’t want to wake any of you but I—I didn’t know where else to go.”
    “This is where you go, Kellen. Always. This house is where you go, do you understand that?”
    “Yes, sir,” he whispered.
    “Now, how bad is your eye? Do we need to go get you stitches?”
    Kellen shook his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t looked at it. He started laying into me and I tried to walk out but he kept getting in my way. He was telling me to hit him. He was begging me to but I kept thinking about what you said. I kept thinking that I’m almost out. I’m almost free and clear and my own man but he just kept at me and I wanted to hit him so bad, just to get him to shut up. Finally, he got tired of waiting and he started punching me.”
    “What was he saying to you?”
    “He told me I’m no good. That I’m playing house with a rich girl but she’s slumming and she’ll drop me when she gets bored. He said I’m trotting off to some big college thinking I’m hot shit but that I’ll fall flat on my face the second I get there. He said I’m a poor bastard child of an Irish immigrant whore and that’s all I’ll ever be.”
    “That son of a bitch,” dad muttered. “And you didn’t hit him after that? Kellen, I’m proud of you.”
    “I was so close. I’m still shaking from it. I feel like I need to hit something to get it out but if I do, if I get arrested again, I’ll lose everything.”
    Dad touched his shoulder gently. I saw Kellen jump.
    “Not everything, son.”
    “No. You couldn’t let me back in here after that. I wouldn’t want you to. I couldn’t look Karen in the eyes. I couldn’t face Jenna and Laney after that. What would they think? I’d be everything he said I am. Shit,” he groaned, running his hands through his hair. “Maybe I already am.”
    “Stop it,” dad snapped. “You know who you are. Don’t ever let anyone tell you, because they don’t know. No one knows but you. Look me in the eyes, Kellen, and tell me that you’re nothing. When you’re in school making better grades than half the rich brats there, are you nothing? When you’re pulling in acceptance letters from colleges across the country willing to practically pay you to go