Page 83 of Grease Monkey
“Yeah, Dad.”
“That’s nice of you, honey,” Mom says as Dad mutters something in the background. “I bet she really appreciates it.”
“It’s not like that, Mom. She’s here for work, her car broke down, and we’re the only mechanic open around here.”
“But still…”
“I’m just doing my job,” I say, pulling my hand from my pocket and reaching up to play with my hat.
“Teddy, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Of course he does,” Dad’s voice booms down the phone, and I need to hold it away from my ear. “He’s a professional, like his dad. Works on a car without complaint, regardless of who the client is.”
Except my dad would have fitted the part and sent her on her way, unlike me, who had the new cylinder in my desk drawer for nearly a month.
“Make sure you charge that girl extra for labor, Son. I don’t care how unethical it is. She broke your heart, it’s the least she can do.”
“Miles, will you go away?” Mom berates. “I want to talk to our son without your hot head getting in the way.”
There’s a scuffle, and then a door closes before Mom’s voice sounds through the speaker. “Sweetie, you’re not doing anything stupid, right?”
Define stupid.
“Not sure what you mean.”
“I know you, Teddy. You’re just a hot headed as your father, and I know seeing her again after all this time can’t be easy.”
“It’s fine.”
“You can’t lie to me. Remember, I can see through your bullshit just as easily as I can with your dad. Why do you think I never bug you to come visit? I know you can’t stand being somewhere that reminds you of Morgana.”
How does the woman do it? See straight to the bottom of everything without ever having to be told.
“All I’m saying is, don’t be mean to her because of the past.”
“Be mean? What is this? Sixth grade?”
“Teddy,” Mom warns. “Don’t hold what happened between you two over her forever, baby. You never saw her after you left. She was just as heartbroken, if notmorethan you. Whatever reason she had for ending things… it took some of her sparkle from her. Don’t take any more because you’re still angry at her.”
There’s nothing worse than a mother’s guilt is there?
“I won’t, Mom.”Well, not any more than I already have.
“Good. I love you, Teddy.”
“Love you too.”
“So, Dad doesn’t like her much, huh?”
Mom tuts. “You’re dad’s a big drama queen. I think he feels somewhat responsible for everything that happened. If you two never got together, you wouldn’t have left, and I wouldn’t have cried myself to sleep for a month…”
“Mom,” I whine, feeling like a little boy.
She laughs. “Have I made you feel bad enough now that you’ll call me more often?”
I smile, feeling a little lighter. “Yeah, Mom. I’ll call you more.”
We hang up after a couple more minutes of catching up and several more tellings-off about not being in contact with my brothers as much as I should be, and I vow to call them later in the week. I check the time on my phone and notice Morgana is running late. Shit. I should have fixed her car when it first came into the garage instead of being a major douchebag and making her wait. I really need to grow the fuck up, stop holding my grudge, and move the fuck on.
