The only consolation he could find was in the plan he was hatching to get a more stable job. A job where he could afford a house with steady paychecks arriving in the mail. Once that happened, he would try to get custody of Aston for himself. He would make up for the poor job he had done in Ciarra’s childhood by giving them both a stable place to live. Tomorrow, he would go to ask for a job at every trucking company he could find.

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 27

“I used to put it down to the fact I wasn’t fit enough or I didn’t look good enough or how big my nose was or that my legs look like chicken legs or whatever. But I really think all that had nothin’ to do with it. I was just avoiding the bigger issue.”

Taylor was eating an oatmeal cookie that he had saved from the free lunch he had been given at the church. He chewed it while he talked. “I mean, I knew there was somethin’ wrong with me when other boys wanted to start hangin’ out with girls and I just wanted to hang out with them. I basically did everything in my power not to face it. I think I just felt so much shame I couldn’t admit to it until I kinda had to, you know?”

Aria was listening to him from the back seat of the car. The rest of the car lot was void of movement. Everyone else had already turned in for the night. “There was this boy in middle school, Brian Meyer. He was the first boy I ever kissed. I don’t know, he was prob’ly just having fun. Straight guys like to do that sometimes. But I was so in love with him I used to write my name and his, and then my name with his last name in my school notebook over and over. I was stayin’ with this real Christian family at the time. The mom found my notebook and kicked me out of the house ’cause of it. I guess the idea of movin’ in with someone is just scary ’cause it means I kinda have to own it, you know. Like I still feel like maybe it’s somethin’ I gotta do in secret. But if I’m living there then everyone kinda knows.”