Ever the Same Read Free

the back of his head, damn near killing him. He got it. He did. It sucked here. Austin was liberal, for Texas. It was big; it was hip. This was… backwater hell.
    What other choice did he have? Houston with Ron’s people, where eventually he’d get forced out of his daughter’s life, maybe get to go to her cotillion when she was a teenager?
    No. He’d had to come to his parents’ place.
    He squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to block out the screaming, the noise. He didn’t know how to talk to her. How could he, when he couldn’t even look into her eyes? He wasn’t sure he even remembered what color they were.
    “Miranda Jeanette White,” his mother snapped. “You have until the count of three, or I will stop this car, and you and I will have a prayer meeting.” There was a beat, and then Mom said, “Two.”
    Randi gulped, the sound swallowing the rest of the noises.
    Wow, Dixon wished he could learn how to do that. He guessed having a teenager still at home kept the mommy voice honed. He hated to admit it, but Randi was a daddy’s girl. Daddy Ron. The dead one.
    He’d always been the dad who did mornings, got her to school. He’d been working as a sound guy in the clubs at night, hadn’t been home in the evenings. Heck, he’d been the fun dad, taking her and the dogs to the park on the weekend, taking her out on the boat on the lake.
    Now he was the worthless dad, the disabled one. The one who was left behind.
    Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Ron’s voice played over and over in his head.
    Shut up. The idea of Ron lecturing him made him grin.
    “Do you think this is funny, Son?”
    “What?”
    “Pay attention to your expressions.”
    Shit.
    “Sorry.” It was harder than he’d imagined, to look like everyone else. It hadn’t been long since he’d seen his face in the mirror, but apparently time wasn’t kind once you lost your sight.
    He felt the road change under them, and they were in the driveway, Randi still sniffling in the backseat.
    “I have to go into town, buy groceries. I’ll drop y’all off here by the porch.”
    “Can I come, Gran?”
    “No, ma’am, you may not.” That tone held no softness. “You fought at school. You hit that little boy like a hellion. You can go inside and think about how bad little girls don’t get to have fun.”
    “ I hate you !” The door opened, slammed shut, and then he heard the storm door do the same.
    “She doesn’t hate you, Mom.”
    That earned him a snort. “Don’t be a dipshit, Son. I know that. She’s pissed off at the world, and she knows she can’t hurt my feelings. You need to speak to her, though. The hitting has to stop, or they’re going to expel her.”
    “I know, Mom. I will.”
    “We’ll figure it out. I promise. You want fried chicken or chicken fried steak for supper?”
    “Fried chicken, please.” Cutting and finding pieces was still hard. Hell, he was supposed to go spend some time “training” to be blind down in Austin, but he couldn’t leave Randi right now. “I’ll give her a minute with the pups, and then I’ll go sit and chat.”
    “You can do it. Dalton should be home soon. He doesn’t work today.”
    “Uh-huh.” Because all seventeen-year-old boys came home right after school. Not that Dixon had any idea how that was supposed to help. “Can you buy Pop-Tarts?”
    “Sure, Son. What flavor?”
    “Randi likes cherry.” He loved the brown sugar, but she wouldn’t eat those.
    “Okay.” His mom was trying so hard, but sometimes he could actually hear her looking at him, trying to get him to see her.
    “Okay. Heading in. Love you.” He got out of the car and got his cane. Tap. Dirt. Tap. Dirt. Tap. Sidewalk. Woo. He didn’t trip, which made him ridiculously proud. The dogs met him at the door, his two dachshunds, his mom’s Westie.
    Okay. Okay. Stairs.
    “Five stairs, Daddy.” Randi’s voice was rough from crying, but she was still there.
    “Five?” He nodded. “Help me