Wind Warrior Read Free Page B

ran a hand through his hair. It was
tangled from the wind and slightly matted from his sweat but it
didn’t bother him.
    His parents had already put food on the
individual plates and his father stuffed pieces of a dinner roll
into his mouth without looking up. Looking at his father was like
looking in a slightly aged mirror. His dark hair and equally dark
eyes came from his paternal side. Xander had to assume that when
his grandfather was younger, he would have shared the similar
features of his son and grandson.
    When his father finally did look up from his
dinner, his expression was piercing and sour. His gaze passed
quickly over Xander before settling onto his grandfather. The two
elders shared a look that left Xander feeling uncomfortable.
    “ What would you like to
drink?” his mother asked suddenly, pushing away from the
table.
    Xander broke his gaze away from the angry
men and looked sympathetically to his mother. “How about a
beer?”
    “ How about water,” she said
matter-of-factly.
    He smiled sheepishly. “Water’s fine, Mom.
Thanks.”
    As his gaze fell back to the two men, he
found their irritated gaze broken and both men eating noisily. They
seemed to purposely avoid each other’s occasional looks.
    Xander tried to ignore his gnawing curiosity
and began eating forkfuls of mashed potatoes. Before he could
finish the small pile of potatoes, however, his father dropped his
roll noisily onto his plate and leaned back in his chair.
    “ What are you going to do
with your life?” he asked, staring intently at Xander.
    Xander swallowed his
mouthful of food and wiped the corners of his mouth with his
napkin. “I’m going to college so I can do something with my
life.”
    His father snorted derisively. “That’s not a
real college. It’s where people go when they don’t apply themselves
enough to get into any decent schools. You’re not trying on any of
your assignments. You’re coasting through with a ‘C’ average.
You’re a junior, for God’s sake, and you’ve changed your major more
times than your underwear.”
    “ Where did this suddenly
come from?” Xander asked, perturbed.
    “ Does anyone want any more
to drink?” his mother asked, trying to redirect an uncomfortable
conversation.
    “ Stay out of this, Lily,”
his father interjected. “This is something he needs to
hear.”
    “ What more do you want from
me?” Xander said. “I’m going to college so I don’t have to work
some crappy menial job like you do every day!”
    “ You watch your tone. Don’t
think I haven’t noticed that you’d rather spend time with that
sorority girlfriend of yours than focus on your schoolwork. Even
Sean is living on his own and you’re still living with your
parents. When are you going to grow up?”
    “ Leave him alone, Jack,”
his grandfather said as he threw his napkin onto the table. “You
need to tell him what’s really upsetting you.”
    His father coughed once before scowling at
the older man. “No, we don’t.”
    “ He has a right to
know—”
    “ No,” his father said
adamantly.
    “ It’s going to have to
happen sooner rather than—”
    “ I said no!” his father
demanded, slamming his hand down on the table. The bowls and
glasses rattled from the impact.
    “ Is there something going
on between the two of you?” Xander asked. “Something I need to
know?”
    “ Yes,” his grandfather said
immediately.
    “ No,” his father quickly
corrected.
    “ Okay,” Xander said slowly.
“Is this something you’d like to share?”
    “ Yes,” his grandfather
added emphatically.
    “ No,” his father
said.
    “ Well, at least dinner
isn’t awkward or anything,” Xander said.
    His father grew disturbingly calm and set
his fork down next to his plate. “Then you’re excused.”
    “ Excuse me?”
    “ Take your plate with you
and go upstairs to your room.”
    “ You’re sending me to my
room? You know I’m twenty, right?”
    “ Go to your room and let
your grandfather