Free Don't Explain by Audrey Dacey Page A

get
excused from class.”
    Caitlyn’s mother ignored him and turned back to her daughter, “You know
you should really tell me if you’re going to bring someone by the house with
you. At least he’s not dressed properly either, but what if he was?”
    Caitlyn shook her head, and she heard Michael slip a giggle behind her. “Jesus,
Ma, you need to open a window.” Caitlyn walked into the den, waving her hand
through the dense smoke, and opened the two small windows.
    “It’s too damn cold outside. Besides, I like the smoke.”
    “A little too much.”
    Caitlyn took a seat on the brown sofa, Michael sat next to her, and her
mother moved to her recliner.
    “Is he the reason you’re too busy to come visit me these days?”
    Michael placed his hand on Caitlyn’s thigh and began nodding, but Caitlyn
quickly removed it. The more she pushed away the more he pulled her back in.
    “He’s just visiting for a few days before he goes back to California.”
    “That’s too bad. You need to get married and have kids before it’s too
late,” she gave Michael a once over, “and he’s better than nothing.” There it
was: the Cat Murphy charm. She wondered why Caitlyn never came to visit, that
was it. What she thought was an innocent comment was actually a
not-so-thinly-veiled insult.
    “He’s a doctor.”
    “Being a doctor doesn’t make someone successful. You know there is a
website that you can rate doctors so you can avoid the real bad ones. I haven’t
seen it, but I’ve heard there are a lot of low ratings. Hopefully it will put
the hacks out of business. Are you on that website?”
    Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to answer that.”
    “It’s alright. She’s right. I’m not that successful. I haven’t been able
to open my own practice yet. And I haven’t looked at the website, but I promise
I will. I’ll let you know if I am a hack or not.”
    “Have you been to her coffee shop, Michael? It’s almost as good as
Starbucks.”
    “I have. I’d say it’s better.”
    Cat huffed.
    “We’re not going to stay long. We have to meet Alexis to watch the game.
Do you need anything while I’m here?”
    Caitlyn’s mother ignored her and instead turned to Michael, whose smile
had not left his face. “She never stays long. You’d think that she couldn’t
stand me.”
    “I’m sure that’s not true.” His face got all twisted, his voice rose an
octave, and he rapidly tapped his thumb on his thigh. God, he was a terrible
liar. Her mother seemed to buy it nonetheless.
    “Maybe you’re not so bad after all. Could you talk to her about moving
back to town? I’d like to have my only daughter close.”
    Caitlyn stood. “Alright, Ma. We’re leaving.”
    “If you must.” Her mother looked blankly at the TV that had been running
muted in the background. Caitlyn hated this part. She knew that her mother
wasn’t made of the evil that spewed from her mouth, but she couldn’t be around
it. Between the smoke and the comments, the house was physical and mental
poison.
    “I’ll call you later this week.”
    Michael said goodbye, and they left quietly out the front door.
    “What the hell happened?” Michael asked as they headed back toward the
car.
    “She lost the love of her life and couldn’t figure out how to move past
it.”

Chapter 6
    “Go, go, go, go, go!” Caitlyn shouted at the big screen TV in chorus with
twenty other people, followed by a loud cheer as they watched the Patriots halfback
rush for thirty yards.
    Michael smiled at her as she sat back down in her bar stool. “You really
get into this, don’t you?”
    “It’s hard not to,” she shrugged. “Remember the Wildcats games?”
    “You weren’t this excited.”
    “Inside I was, but it really comes out for the Pats. And it didn’t help
that the Wildcats kinda sucked.” She smiled and took a sip of her beer, putting
her attention back on the screen.
    “Where’s Alexis?” Michael liked Alexis. She was humorously honest,