Page 154 of The Home Grown
“I probably need to find a new hobby,” I say. “Maybe I should join video game night with Liam and Danny, listen to audiobooks about the civil war or spend my time figuring out who’s behind the ‘justice for Bettsy’ hashtag … because since the forum posts have died down, so has my own personal cheerleader. Danny says there’s not been a peep?—”
“Why would you want to do that?” she says.
“I’m just curious … that’s all,” I say. “I mean … there’s someone out there on my side—apart from you, of course… and my immediate family and guys. Someone random. Someone I’ve probably never met before. If I can figure out who it is, maybeI can thank them for keeping me going through the tough times.”
“Mike—”
“Fine, maybe I should join a mariachi band, then?”
“You’re joking?”
“No? If Kelly can play the cello, I can learn the trumpet—the genes are there.”
She chuckles down the line. “Okay, park the trumpeteering. What would you normally do in your spare time? Why can’t you do that?”
“I’m saving myself for you,” I say, trying to suppress a grin.
I can hear the frown in Ellie’s voice. “You’re insatiable.”
“Forgive me, but sweetheart, I’m dying here. I miss you. Hey, what are you doing later today? I could drive to your place, and you can help me relax,” I say. “Help me take my mind off things.”
“Come on … by the time you get here, it’ll be time to turn back, and I mean, we’re—” Ellie inhales sharply. “—oh, crap.”
“Is everything okay?” I say.
“My sister has just pulled up outside.”
“Wait—how did she find out where you’re working?” I say.
“I don’t know, but she doesn’t look happy.”
I don’t remember Kathryn all that well, but I don’t recall ever seeing her happy, not unless she was bossing someone around.
“What do you think she wants?”
There’s a beat of silence before Ellie replies. “I think it’s about my visit to her salon.”
“Visit? What visit?”
“The night of the event … I?—”
“Did you do something?”
There’re voices in the background, and the unmistakable sound of a door slamming before I pick up a shirty greeting from Kathryn.
“I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
She hangs up, and I’m left staring at my phone for a few seconds before putting it away only for it to ring again and, assuming it’s Ellie, I answer it with my most playful voice, hoping that she’s changed her mind about visiting tonight.
“Is that a yes to the sex, then or?—”
“Michael.”
But it’s not Ellie. It’s my mother.
ELLIE
Kathryn looks tanned.The kind of tanned that screams carrot oil and questionable SPF choices. Like she’s been baking somewhere hot, trying to bronze herself into a new personality.
