Page 65 of Restless
“Go talk to Meggie,” Uncle Mort continued. “Diesel, bring Outlaw to the nursery.” He dug in his cut and pulled out his billfold. He handed Potter five one-hundred-dollar bills. “Meet me in Meggie room with the sleeping pill. We’re going to feed him and then make him sleep.”
Instead of poking her tongue at Bishop, she gave Uncle Mort a quick hug. “I’m hungry, too. Can I have a sandwich?”
“I’ll bring something for all of us,” Uncle Mort promised. “Maybe, soup for your momma.”
Rebel wrinkled her nose. “Tabitha’s here, too.”
“I’m going to send her home when I get Uncle Chris,” Diesel said.
Relief swamped Rebel and she smiled. “Bet.”
Diesel nodded.
“We’re all clear on what we’re supposed to do?” she pressed.
“You handle your business, sweetheart, and we’ll handle ours,” Diesel promised.
Relieved, Rebel turned to head down the hall to her mother’s room, but Uncle Mort’s voice stopped her.
“You saw Harley today, Reb?”
That was an odd question. Licking her lips, she faced her uncle again. The area was still full of brothers, so she wouldn’t pry nor would she reveal how angry she was at Harley, though curiosity still ate at Rebel. “At school. I went to watch her rehearse.”
“You mad at her.”
Rebel shrugged. “I tried to tell her not to travel down my road, but she won’t listen. I was never the levelheaded peacekeeper. Harley has always been kind and calm. She was our voice of reason. But she’s being so unfair to my brother. He doesn’t deserve her behavior.”
Pain flickered in his eyes, and he glanced away. A moment passed before he smiled at her. “Go and see your momma.”
“I’ll be happy to beat her ass for you, Uncle Mort. We’re both teenagers, so it would be equal.”
“I don’t want you fighting Harley or nobody else,” he said.
“Uncle Mort, Mattie acts like a pristine lady because she doesn’t want Uncle Johnnie’s wrath. She’s spoiled and can be pretentious and devious, but between me, Harley, and Mattie, she’s the best of us. She’d never disrespect her parents the way I did mine. The way I think Harley did to you. My dad…” Rebel swallowed, and for the first time since that horrible day when her mother collapsed, wanted to cry. “Daddy loves me, but he rightfully beat my ass. None of us expected Harley to turn into such a spoiled brat, least of all you. Whatever she said to you…just talk to Aunt Bailey, she’ll straighten Harley out. Even if she’s unfairly coddling Harley, she’ll never allow her to malign you.”
He bowed his head, then turned and started off without another word.
“Uncle Mort?”
He paused. “Yeah, baby?”
“You’re a great uncle and an awesome father. We’re lucky to have you.”
“Thanks, Reb.” He walked off.
Making a mental note to get to the bottom of Uncle Mort’s strange behavior, Rebel walked down the corridor towards her mother’s room. She felt Diesel’s presence behind her, yet she remained silent. The emotional toll of the past few days wore on her. Perhaps, that was the reason everyone was so out of sorts and on edge.
Daddy was on the verge of collapse and Momma was in the hospital. The rebellious demon that had invaded Rebel overtook Harley; everything was going to shit.
Despite the warm colors in the hospital, it was still a hospital with a faint antiseptic smell that Rebel hated.
As she reached the door, Tabitha stepped into the hallway. “You probably shouldn’t disturb your mommy and daddy, Little Rebel. They’re watching a movie.”
“Tabitha, enough with the condescension,” Diesel warned from behind Rebel.
His wife cackled. “No condescension, my love. I was offering sisterly advice.”
“Bitch, I have one sister, too young to offer advice. Not only don’t I consider you a sister, I don’t consider you a part of my family.”
