Page 35 of Bad to the Bone

“So?” she finally asks, putting the magazine down.

“I want you to come with me right now. Today.”

“Where are you going?” She smirks.

“It doesn’t matter. Just pack a bag and let’s get out of here. I don’t want any part of this, and I know you don’t want to spend the rest of your life shackled to a man who doesn’t love you. So, let’s go!”

She smiles and leans forward, using her cool fingertips to brush the hair away from my face.

“Sweet, sweet Zayne. It’s not like that. I’m not shackled to him. I don’t really care about the other women. I mean, I did at first. Especially Shannon’s mother. I hated her. But after a while, over the years, I started focusing on the bigger picture. They don’t matter. They can’t make me happy and they definitely don’t make me sad.”

“Mom?”

“You’re all grown up now. Don’t be so innocent.” Her words sting, despite her sweet tone.

“You deserve better, mom.”

“Ha. Better? Better than what? I have a handsome, smart son, and a beautiful house, and a charming husband. What more do you think I want?”

“What about love?”

“It fades, Zayne. Nothing lasts forever. Under the right circumstances, all relationships will crumble. Just look at you and that Kimberly woman. You loved her right? And now you have Clarice.”

I search her unfocused eyes for any trace of laughter or sadness. There is nothing there. Just quiet acceptance of a horrible reality that she isn’t willing to change. She really means every word she says.

“I sent my evidence to the Feds, mom. Dad is going down. You could go with him. But, I will protect you. Just please, please come with me.”

She grabs both of my hands and squeezes them tightly in hers.

“You and I are the same. You have your plans, and I have mine. I’m not as dumb as your father would have you believe. I always knew he would get caught one day. I have my own way out.”

“So that’s it. You’re just going to hang around until the end?”

“He’s my husband, Zayne. Believe it or not, I could have done a lot worse. He could have done a lot better. But, we made a promise to stay together, til death do us part. That may not seem like it means much, but it means everything to me. I’m just sorry that you…”

She sighs deeply and her attention drifts away from me to some errant thought.

“You should just do what you have to do, Zayne. I support you. Leave your father to me.”

“Mom?”

She stands up and walks over to me. For the first time in years, she hugs me, nestling my head against her shoulder as I let bitter tears fall unchecked.

“I assume you have a plan,” she says after a few minutes.

“Yes.”

“Then get to it. Don’t let me hold you back,” she says firmly. I look up and there are tears gathering in her eyes.

I nod and then run up the stairs, gathering my things and taking them out to the car. As I load the last bag she meets me at the door and hands me a bank book and my cell phone.

“This is for you. You probably don’t need it, but I’ve been saving this for you,” she says with a smile.

“Thanks, mom,” I take the items and slip them into my back pocket without checking them out.

We hug once again before I jump in the car and pull away. My days in this house, in this town, in this sham of a family, are over.

I drive out of town as fast as I can, speeding towards a predetermined destination. I’ll need to lay low for a few days while the FBI raids the house and begins rounding up suspects and witnesses. I know it will all be a three ring circus and if I know my father, he will work hard at trying to preserve his image above all else.

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