Contents ( 42)
- The Art of Breathing
- Part One: How We Became Who We Are
- Prologue: Or, Where the Kid Hears the Word of the Day
- 1. Where Tyson Learns to Breathe
- 2. Where Tyson Makes a Phone Call
- 3. Where Tyson Graduates and Bear Freaks Out
- 4. Where Tyson Says Good-Bye
- 5. Where Tyson Gets the Mail
- Part Two: Coming Home
- 6. Where Tyson Comes Home
- 7. Where Tyson Gives a History Lesson
- 8. Where Tyson Attends the Most Awkward Party Ever
- 9. Where Tyson Plans Attends a Protest
- 10. Where Tyson Gets Arrested
- 11. Where Tyson Gets His Ass Handed to Him
- 12. Where Tyson Writes Bad Poetry and Gawks at Frat Boys
- 13. Where Tyson Decides to Man the Fuck Up
- 14. Where Tyson Asks Some Questions
- 15. Where Tyson Remembers Theresa Jean Paquinn
- 16. Where Tyson Learns the Benefit of Therapy
- 17. Where Tyson Meets the Man Who Becomes Helena Handbasket
- 18. Where Tyson Gets Screwed at His Own Birthday Party (And Not in a Good Way)
- Part Three: Just Breathe
- 19. Where Tyson Goes to Helena Handbasket’s Sex Dungeon
- 20. Where Tyson Beholds the Awesome Wonder That Is Paul Auster
- 21. Where Tyson Receives Advice from the Six Sages
- 22. Where Tyson Makes a Phone Call
- 23. Where Tyson Hears the Inevitable
- 24. Where Tyson Meets His Match
- 25. Where Tyson Says Hello, Where Tyson Says Good-bye
- 26. Where Tyson Touches upon the Inevitable
- 27. Where Tyson Faces the Music
- 28. Where Tyson Breathes
- 29. Tyson And Dominic
- 30. The Art Of Breathing
- Epilogue: Or, Bear’s Perspective, As It Were (Yeah, He’s Gonna Freak)
- Author’s Note
- Excerpt
- Prologue: Or, Where Bear Answers the Door
- More from TJ Klune
- Readers love the Bear, Otter, and the Kid Chronicles by TJ Klune
- By TJ Klune
“Really? You left, Kid. Doesn’t get much more the same than that.”
“Creed,” Bear says. “That’s enough.” His voice is hard. “I told you not to talk about this.”
“You did?” I ask, unable to keep the surprise from my voice. “When?”
Bear sighs. “Before we left New Hampshire.”
“Why?”
“Because it needed to be said.”
I’m pissed, though I can’t quite figure out why. “So you just thought that I shouldn’t be aware of this? Poor, fragile Tyson couldn’t possibly handle it?”
“Panic attack,” Bear snaps. “Two hours ago. On the beach.”
“That’s not fair!”
He shakes his head. “It’s not. But that is how it is. I was just trying to do what’s best for you. As I’ve always done.”
“Maybe I don’t need you to do that,” I say coldly. “I’m not a kid anymore.”
“You better believe I’m going to do it. As long as you live under my roof, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you—”
I laugh. “Practicing already, Dad? That’s not quite how it works.”
“Tyson!” Otter barks in that voice even I can’t ignore. I’m such a fucking shit, but I can’t stop the anger rolling through me. I feel betrayed.
Oh? it whispers. You thought… what? That just because you stopped seeing him that the rest of them would? That just because you couldn’t handle the thought of him loving anyone else but you that they’d feel the same? Tyson. Kid. Child. You may be a genius, but sometimes, oh sometimes, you are so very fucking stupid.
“Apologize,” Otter growls. “Now.”
Bear’s trying to keep the hurt off his face, but he’s not quite succeeding. Goddammit. How did we get here so quickly? We were just laughing. All of us.
“Sorry,” I mumble. I’m pretty sure I’m the world’s biggest dick.
Bear shrugs. “It’s okay.” It doesn’t take away the pained look in his eyes.
“You and Dominic had a fight?” JJ asks me.
“That’s enough,” Anna says. “Time to eat.”
“It’s fine,” I say, waving her away. “Yeah. We did.” And he broke my heart. And somehow, every single person in the room knows it. Which means they all know I was in love with my best friend. That’s… fuck.
“When?”
“A long time ago.”
His face scrunches up as he thinks. “Then why are you still mad?”
“I’m… I don’t know.”
He nods. “We’re not related, right?
“Not by blood. In other ways, though. That matters. Just as much.”
“And Dominic’s not related either?”
“No.”
“But he is too, though. In other ways. Just as much.”
“Yeah, JJ.” My voice is hoarse.
He smiles. “Then you can’t stay mad. Dad says that’s not what family does. He says we can get mad, but we always forgive.”
Creed looks adoringly at his son.
Plates are handed around. Food is served.
Corey squeezes my leg in comfort. Otter whispers something to Bear. Conversation picks up about children and homes and school and the weather and how Mrs. Paquinn would have just loved this, would have just loved every piece of it.