Page 40 of Remiss
“Your attorney is an idiot,” Meggie said darkly.
Mortician cleared his throat. “Hey, Meggie girl.”
“Mom!” Axel gasped. “It’s a miracle. Uncle Mort is teleportic. He got my number from my brain and called me.”
“Telepathic,” Meggie said. “Nowquiet!”
“I’m the only man in the house,” Axel said, starting to cry, “I thought you liked me protecting you.”
Narrowing his eyes, Mort considered Axel’s words. He thought his sons and nephews were there, but perhaps, not…? Axel would certainly refer to Lou and Mark JB as men if not the younger boys.
“Are you okay, Meggie?” Mort asked.
“Come here, son,” Meggie said and didn’t respond to Mort until Axel’s tears had been reduced to little sniffles. “I’m fine, Mort,” she said finally.
The plaintive note in her voice suggested otherwise, but Mort kept his peace.
“We miss you,” he said, and held his breath. She remained silent. “Baby, I know Prez—”
“Don’t. He didn’t have the decency to tell me about Rule, Mortician. No matter how he feels. You didn’t have a choice, especially if he made it a club matter. He did. He could’ve told me because I’m Rule’s mother…never mind,” she said irritably. “It’s done. I have to go—”
“Are you…” He drew in another breath. Never in all the years he’d known Meggie had he felt at such a loss for words. “Prez…he not really ready for you to have a hysterectomy. Cancel it and then—”
“No.”
“Meggie—”
“He can’t jerk me around nor can you,” she said flatly. “One minute, I’m evil and selfish for not wanting the surgery and the next I’m evil and selfish because it’s scheduled. Make up your mind.”
“You got Prez all fucked up, Meggie,” Thumper snapped. “You. Not us, and especially not Mort—”
Mortician scowled at Thumper, debating on wrapping his long brown ponytail around his fucking neck.
“Thumper, I’m a moment away from calling Christopher and telling him to kill you,” Meggie said coldly, her words shutting all of them the fuck up. “I’m sick to death of everyone like you. Christopher wants me back home. Why should I come back to his resentment and everyone’s hatred and insults? The answer’s simple.He’smy husband and I love him, but I owe nothing to any of you. My tormentors dead would take care of one of my problems, so I suggest you sit down in a corner and shove your foot in your mouth since it stays there anyway.”
Mort couldn’t say who was more shocked, but her words shut Thumper up when no one else had been able to.
“Sweetness?” Cash called.
“I have a headache, Mort,” Meggie said as if she hadn’t heard Cash. “I’ll see you around—”
“Meggie, is Fee with you?” Cash asked.
Meggie snorted.
“Meggie?”
“What, Val?”
Bowing his head, Val glanced at the phone helplessly. “Why Puff mad at me?”
“She’s not.”
“But she left me too,” he said.
“She didn’t leave you, Val,” Meggie swore, her voice gentling.
Lighting a cigarette, Mortician took those words in too.
