Page 21 of Pages of My Heart
“Ma, are you sure you’re okay? Has Pops been drin—”
“Stop fussing, Chippy,” his mother says, cutting him off and patting him gently on the cheek. “Always my soft, sensitive boy. Come on, introduce me to your friend.”
He sighs but takes his mother’s hand, leading her into the sitting room where Thomas is seated, Evie so close she may as well climb into his lap. Thomas is smiling awkwardly as Evie bats her eyelashes at him, and Charlie cannot refrain from rolling his eyes again.
“Evie, dear, please give our guest some space,” his ma says, raising her eyebrows at her daughter.
“Ma, this is Thomas. Tommy, this is my mother, Loretta Miller.”
Thomas hurries to stand and tips his head in greeting, even going so far as to do a little half bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Miller. Thank you for having me in your home.”
“It’s my pleasure, Thomas. We don’t have too many guests here, and Chippy never brings any friends home, so it’s a pleasant change. Please sit down and I’ll fetch us some refreshments.” She clears her throat. “Evie?”
His sister startles but then raises from the couch, quickly affecting a demure posture. Charlie thinks his eyes might roll straight out of his head.
“I’ll help you, Ma,” Evie says, giving Thomas one last coy look before following Loretta back into the kitchen.
Charlie sits down next to Thomas—not too close—and Thomas leans in, eyebrows high. “Chippy? Did I hear that correctly?”
Charlie jabs Thomas with his elbow. “Only my ma calls me that, so don’t even start, O’Reilly.” He chucklesat Tommy’s wounded expression. “So, uh, sorry about Evie. She throws herself at all the boys. She’s got no self-respect.”
“Nah, she’s nice. I like her. I think we might end up as friends.”
Charlie frowns and is about to object when his mother and sister return with glasses of homemade lemonade and a plate of chocolate chip cookies.
“I made these fresh this morning,” his ma says. “I hope you have a sweet tooth, Thomas.”
“I do. Maybe not as much as Charlie, but these look great.” Thomas picks one up and takes a bite. “Mmm . . . you are a splendid baker, Mrs. Miller. Thank you.”
“Please, call me Loretta, or Mrs. M. We’re not formal around here,” she says, settling into a chair. “Now tell me about yourself. Chippy tells me you met playing pool?”
“Yes, we did. I attend the college on South Halsted, and a fellow student took me to the pool hall he frequents. He introduced me to Charlie and we got to chatting. I enjoy learning about automobiles, and Charlie can tell me all about them. I’ve even been down to Jimmy’s a few times now to see some of the luxury models. I hope to own one someday.”
“You must be so smart, going to college and all,” Evie says, crossing one leg over the other and letting her dress ride up a little too high. “What are you studying?”
Thomas smiles politely. “I’m majoring in literature, and I hope to become a teacher or even a professor one day. But Charlie here is far smarter than I am,” he continues, his smile turning more earnest as he directs it at Charlie. “He understands how an engine works and can pull it apart and put it back together. I could never do that.”
Charlie feels a warm rush of pleasure at the pride he hears in Thomas’s voice and has to duck his head to school his features.
“So do you have a special girl in your life, Thomas?” Loretta asks. “Maybe you can help Chippy find a nice girl. It’s been a while now since he and Ruthie parted ways.”
Charlie closes his eyes, bracing for the worst. Of all the conversations to have, why this one? But Thomas doesn’t miss a beat.
“Actually, Mrs. M, Charlie and I went on a double date with two sisters last weekend, and we’re taking them out again tonight. With a bit of luck, maybe neither of us will be lonely bachelors for much longer.”
Charlie is almost frightened by how easily Thomas lies to his family, charming them into the bargain. His mother seems quite taken with him, smiling approvingly. Evie, on the other hand, upon hearing about Thomas’s perceived interest in another girl, now looks like someone drowned her kitten, a fact that amuses Charlie to no end. All in all, things are going great—Thomas was right, no one suspects they are anything but buddies. Charlie doesn’t even know why he was so hesitant about it before. Leaning forward, he takes not one, but two cookies from the plate, then relaxes back and enjoys his mother’s baking while everyone continues to make small talk.
As the afternoon stretches on, Charlie starts to consider how he is going to get Thomas out of the clutches of his mother and sister. But before he can put a plan into action, his father’s incensed voice pervades the house, chilling him to the bone.
“The fuck are you doing here? Thought I kicked you out, pansy boy.”
It’s as if all the blood in his body seeps out onto the floor, puddling around him like it would a gunshot victim. This cannot be happening. Everyone has frozen, heads turned toward Robert, who is standing in the doorway that divides the kitchen and sitting room. He must have come in through the back door,explaining why they’d had no warning of his arrival. Robert looks deranged, wild fury emanating from his every pore. His cheeks and nose are ruddy, indicating he is already drunk and therefore past reasoning with, but Loretta tries anyway.
“Robert, please don’t. Please, honey,” she says, moving toward her husband like a timid animal, futilely trying to placate him. “Chippy is just visiting with a new friend. Come and sit down in the kitchen and I’ll get you a beer.”
It is only then that Charlie becomes aware that Thomas has risen to his feet, his hands balled so tightly into fists that the skin around his knuckles has turned an unnatural white. Charlie’s never seen Thomas’s sweet face twisted with such rage. Before Charlie can intercede, Thomas puffs out his chest and lifts his chin defiantly. His voice rings true and strong and doesn’t waver.
“Mr. Miller, that is no way to speak about your son. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
