Chapter Thirty-Six
Taylor
Dylan looked stressed when I saw him at school a few days later. He’d been out of class, but he’d assured me it was just work. He wasn’t sick. I hoped he was keeping up with his school work. I hated to see him get behind. He had such potential, and now, he had ambition.
I stopped him before math class. “What’s wrong?”
“My uncle is selling the land and the trailer I’m living in. In a few months, I’m going to be homeless. I can’t afford rent.”
“Oh, Dylan. That’s terrible.”
He frowned. “I know, but don’t worry. I’ll figure it out.”
“You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”
“But I am alone, Taylor.”
I shook my head. “You have me.”
“What can you do?”
“I’m sure I can figure this out. Trust me, Dylan. Don’t do anything drastic until I’ve exhausted all possibilities,” I said.
I would fix this. I can’t imagine that my father would let Dylan be homeless. I had to appeal to him. Dylan smiled down at me. “Thanks for being on my side, Taylor.”
The day couldn’t go fast enough. I really wanted to talk to my dad.
“I don’t think he’s going to change his mind and he might be mad that you still talk to Dylan,” Helena said at lunch.
“I have to risk it. Dylan will be homeless.”
“Won’t his uncle take him in?”
“No, and his uncle doesn’t live here. He lives somewhere else and wants nothing to do with Dylan because of his mother.”
“I wonder where Dylan’s father is. He should be stepping in.”
“Dylan doesn’t know. He’s never seen his birth certificate.”
“Maybe he should find it and find out who his father is. The man needs to step up and take care of his son.”
I nodded. “I’ll suggest that to him, but in the meantime, I’m going to talk to my father. I have to make him see that Dylan needs us. That he took responsibility for him once and needs to do it again.”
“Boy, when you get on a subject, you are unstoppable,” Helena said. “I’ve never seen you like this.”
“I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about Dylan.”
“Oh?”
“I think I love him, Helena.”
“Wow. That’s deep. And, sort of cool. I can’t say I’ve ever loved a boy.”
“He isn’t a boy. He’s a man and he likes me back. Me. Selfish, immature Taylor Dean.”
“Go figure, but I don’t think that you are as selfish as you once were, Taylor,” Helena said.
That made me feel good. I smiled at her. “Thanks, Helena. That means a lot to me.”
“Let me think about Dylan’s dilemma. If I come up with anything, I’ll text you,” she said.
“Thanks.”
I pondered the situation for the rest of the school day. I probably should have paid more attention, but the thought of Dylan homeless made me nuts. That was so unfair. Life sucked.
Where would he live? Where would he get mail? He had to go to college.
I sighed. Daddy picked me up after practice since my car was in the shop. This was the only part of Dylan being gone that I liked. I had my dad all to myself.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hello, kitten.”
I kissed him on the cheek. “I have something to talk to you about.”
“Sure, Taylor.”
I took a deep breath. “Dylan’s uncle is selling the trailer. He’s going to be homeless.”
“His uncle won’t take him?”
“No, he won’t. Dylan won’t have a place to stay. I’m worried about him.”
“You shouldn’t even be talking to him, Taylor.”
“We are in math together. I see him five days a week. You can’t expect me to go from being his friend to ignoring him,” I said.
“It was being more than his friend that was the problem.”
“Daddy, you know more about Dylan than you did any other guy who took me on a date. You invited him into our home.”
“Not to date my daughter.”
“I know that, but think about it. You know what his family life is like. You knew where he lived.”
“He can’t live with us. He betrayed my trust.”
“I did, too, Daddy, but you didn’t kick me out.”
He stared at me for a moment and I thought I might be getting through to him. “It’s not the same. You’re my daughter.”
“You said he was the son you never had,” I countered. I was going to play on every emotion of his that I could. I was going to win this.
“Taylor, that isn’t fair. Both of you acted irresponsibly.”
“Then you’ll set rules for us.”
“You’d stop seeing him and not go with him to the prom if I let him back in the house?”
“Yes, Daddy. It’s that important to me. Who taught me that? You.”
He eyed me as if he was seeing me for the first time. I must have impressed him because his face softened. “Let me think on it.”
“Thank you, Daddy. Wouldn’t you feel guilty if in five years you saw him working at a gas station having never gone to college?”
“I probably would, kitten, but both of you have to follow the rules. You aren’t together. Someone else takes you to the prom.”
I would get past the prom issue, but not today. My mother always said to pick your battles. “Whatever rules you lay down, we’ll abide by them. I’ll go to the prom with someone else. We won’t be boyfriend and girlfriend. Promise.”
“Okay. Let me talk to you mother, and if she has additional rules, you follow them.”
“Of course, Daddy. I just want Dylan to be safe. That’s important to me.”
And, I would follow all the rules. Well, except for prom. I really wanted to go to that with Dylan. I could convince my father that it would be okay. Dylan was a good kid.