Page 57 of Lost In London

“I’m your mother and you will respect me. Shannon is a good woman who can fix you.” Dad and I both flinched. “And the next time you call yourself trying to…”

Taking a step back he looked at Dad and then at mom. “Drinking won’t silence those voices. Berating us with your words instead of holding up the mirror in front of your own face won’t make you feel better. And yes, I will continue to stand in as my brother's keeper because that’s who I am. The last person on this earth to ever try to tear them down is their mother but you do it each and every time you're faced with change. I don’t give a damn what triggered you to drink but this will be the last time you speak to any of us like we didn’t come from your womb. Until you get help and face your own demons we won’t be around.”

“Now, son. You can’t…” Dad should’ve known that Quest wasn’t going to bend for him.

“I can't do what? I can’t protect them from her like you’re supposed to? I can’t stand up for them when that’s supposed to be your job? Yes, I can and I will. Before…”

“Annette!”

“Mom!”

She’d hauled off and slapped him. “Who do you think you are? You can’t keep my sons away from me!” She yelled, trembling with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Calm as ever, Quest touched his lip and nodded. “Watch me.” Having had enough, he turned to me and started for the door. “Let’s go.” I took one last look at my parents and followed.

However, he and I should’ve known she wasn’t going to stop. “Both of you are ungrateful bastards!” She yelled at our backs. “You’re nothing but a murderer! A waste of a man! A killer! I didn’t raise you to be a killer!” She followed us out to his truck, banging on the window like a crazed lunatic. And my dad just leaned against the front door watching her antics not doing a damn thing.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up divorced.” Kameron shook his head before rolling down the window. “Come get your wife!” He yelled out to dad, who sluggishly walked around to pull her back. He pulled her inside kicking and screaming.

I’ve never seen her like this.

Sad part is I had more empathy for Quest than her.

“I booked us a table so we won’t have to wait.” We all turned to Kandon. I’m sure the looks on our faces were of confusion. “What?”

“Tired of her bullshit too, huh?” Kameron snickered.

It was rare that Kandon sided with us when it came to mom. His need to kiss her ass to remain CEO at Maverick was often sickening to watch.

His solemn eyes made my chest tight. “That’s mild compared to the stuff she says when y’all aren’t around.” He shook his head. “I filed for divorce and she’s threatening to vote me out.”

We all sat stunned.

It was our first time hearing about him wanting to divorce his wife. When it came to relationships he was like the rest of us - we kept mom out of it and at two arm's length away.

“Whatever you need, we got you,” Quest promised backing out of the driveway.

There was a shift happening within our family and I felt like this was just the beginning, good and bad.

Love: Wish her well and leave

Love: Stop procrastinating

Love: Since you want to sit there all night and make googly faces

Love: Bring me back some cookies

Soon after a notification popped from my bank alerting me that someone had Zelle’d me some money. Out of curiosity, I opened my bank app and started choking once I saw the amount he sent for some damn cookies.

Me: Sir, that is way too much.

Me: Do you think I went to Pillsbury World to make them

Me: ???

Love: That’s for my cookies and the last supper you're having with that woman

Love: A nice parting gift

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