Page 43 of By The Book
“I knew it. You’ve been acting weird all day.”
“I haven’t acted weird. Have I?” she asked.
Tommy shot her a look and she inhaled and moved closer to where he stood. “Okay, fine. Maybe I have, but only because I don’t want you to be upset, but I know you’re going to be at least a little. Just, please remember that I’ve looked at every option and…I think this is the best for us.”
“Me, too.”
Tommy’s response couldn’t have shocked her more. “Excuse me?”
“I think you’re right.”
“Okay. Who are you and what have you done with my kid?”
“Mom,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“I—I’m not sure what to say except I’m glad you feel that way.”
“Denz said that part of being a man is doing stuff I might not like because it’s important for someone else.”
Denz said, huh?
“I don’t want to move, but I get that the house is too much, and I can tell Grandpa is lonely.”
“Yeah. Grandpa… I talked to Grandpa and he says we can have the apartment as long as we need. Would you like that? Living so close to Grandpa and the beach?”
“It would be okay. Grandpa’s already said I could work with him in the summers and after school and save up for a car.”
A car? Oh, that was a reality that wasn’t all that far away, wasn’t it? “When did he say that?”
“The other day.”
“Sounds like you’ve made some plans of your own.”
Tommy shrugged. “Maybe.”
She placed her hand on Tommy’s bony shoulder and gently squeezed, wondering how her six-pound ten-ounce baby boy had grown so much. “I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think it was best for us. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I guess. If we move, do I still have to go to therapy?”
“Yes. Sorry, kiddo, but that’s nonnegotiable.”
“Denz says he’s gone to therapy.”
He had? “Oh?”
“For the shooting and the military and stuff. He said it’s not a big deal and I need an open mind.”
“Does that make therapy more tolerable now?” she asked, “knowing that men like Denz talk to people about what they’ve been through?”
“I guess. It definitely doesn’t make it seem like loser-ville.”
“Well, there is that, I suppose,” she said, smiling.
“I’m hungry.”
“When are you not hungry? Come on, let’s get moving so we can feed you.”
“Mom?”
