Page 15 of Seven is Swell

I look back to August, but he looks dead serious. I’ve never actually heard them sing, but I doubt I would find it offensive. “You know I don’t care about how you would sound. It’s the gesture that I’d enjoy.”

August hums the whole way to my community leadership class, which I’m fidgety throughout, waiting for my mom to get back to me and wondering what’s going on with Ash.

I wish this was the day I had human behavior with Cory before Wilder’s history class, but I'm by myself here.

The second our professor dismisses us, I’m whipping out my phone so I can call and beg my mom for an update.

“There she is,” my mom croons. “We’re just having lunch with your mate here. Care to say hello, apple of my eye?”

“What? You have Ash? What happened? Is everything okay?”

The phone gets passed. “Delaney?” Ash asks, sounding like he’s sulking.

Knowing my mom has him is a relief, because now I know he’s safe. I’m still fucking pissed that he didn’t get me involved sooner, but I’m thrilled that we were able to get him out. “Hey. What happened?”

“Well, your mom made my dad shit himself in front of the entire pride, so that’s going to make family get-togethers awkward.”

“Are you… mad at me?”

“I asked you not to get them involved. It’s not that I’m not appreciative, but—"

I cut him off. He's being whiny. “Did they handle the situation, yes or no?”

“Obviously yes since I’m sitting here,” he snaps.

“You know what? Whatever. You can’t ask me not to get my family involved when my family has the connections they do. I was worried about you and didn't want to have to deal with all that I would have had to deal with had I come over there without them.”

“You mean you didn't want to have to deal with the pride? Withmypride? The one I’m now acting pride male for?That’swhat you didn’t want to get involved in?”

“You know that’s not how I meant it. It would have been ridiculous for me to drive all the way over there, when my parents are right near there anyway, just to try to appease your father. Who by the way I’m sure deserved to shit himself in front of everybody. I hope it was really loud and disgusting and stained his pants. I hope it ran down his legs slowly and then came out the bottom of his pants so that everybody had to witness it. I also hope it was really fragrant so that everybody felt like gagging because I'm pretty sure I hate that man.”

“Yeah? Well it was, you happy?”

I start laughing so hard that it's difficult to talk. Because yes, I am happy. I love my mom so much.

When I finally get air in my lungs again it’s my mom on the phone who assures me I did the right thing, even if I don’t need that reassurance. If Ash wants to be mad, fine. Let him be mad. I stand by what I did, and I’d do it that way again if I had to.

“We’ll have him home soon,” my mom tells me. Then she passes the phone to Papa Foster.

“Hey, short stack. Sorry we made your man here grumpy.”

“That’s okay, Dad, I appreciate you guys taking care of the problem for me.”

“That’s why we’re here, and we’re proud of you. Jericho had a fucking blast taking that guy down. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you this, but don’t you dare apologize to Ash for calling us. He needs to understand who he's aligned himself with.”

“Don’t worry Dad, I understand where I stand.”

“Good. I like him, he gives a good glower.”

I roll my eyes.

“Anyway, your brother broke his phone, so I haven’t been able to get ahold of him. Is there any way you could run over to the football field and show him something for me?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“I’ll send it over in just a second. He’ll know to do with it.”

“Alright, I have a gap before my next class so I’ll head over there now. Tell everybody else I love them.”

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