Page 10 of Wreckage of Me
“Dylan, your father tells me that we have to adopt Ethan,” she cries. “What’s going on? Did you ask him to do that?”
The fucker really planned all this, I muse. How could I have been this stupid? I thought I had any feelings about Becca under control, but I must be pussy whipped not to have paid attention to what my father was up to in the last couple of weeks. Or IthoughtI was paying attention. But he flew under the fuckin’ radar.
“Ma, listen to me,” I cut her off. “You need to pay attention, okay?”
She sniffles into the phone but agrees to listen. “Okay.”
“There is no way in fuckin’ hell that I would agree for Pops to adopt my kid,” I go straight for the jugular. “It’s got nothing to do with you,” I add when I hear her whimper. “But I got other plans.”
“What plans?” The surprise in her voice can’t be disguised. “You’re about to go to prison for a long time, Dylan. Your father said that…”
“Never mind what the fucker said. Listen to me. Focus,” I snap when she seems to be lost in her own head.
“What do you need me to do?” she finally asks, sounding different all of a sudden, stronger. I let out a huge sigh of relief. I really need her help on this.
“I want Wyatt to take Ethan in,” I finally spill out the piece of information that’s been sitting on my chest like a piece of the heaviest metal.
“I, you, what?” Yeah, I’m just as surprised. I never imagined that my little brother would be my son’s savior at some point in our lives.
“Wyatt will take good care of him, Ma. He’ll be safe there,” I add when she doesn’t say anything. “I need him to be safe. Away from the club.”
“You’re right,” she agrees after a few awkward moments of silence. “I just wish that… I wish that,” she stutters. “When am I ever going to see him?” she finally tells me what’s weighing on her mind.
“I’ll figure something out, Ma,” I assure her. “But you need to help me get Ethan out of there. Please,” I beg. I never thought I’d be begging my mom for anything.
“Tell me what to do,” she responds with zero hesitation, making me regret all the times I pushed her away. But it’s always been for her own good, so there’s that.
I tell her about the plan I hatched with Devereaux’s attorney, praying that she’ll remember all the details.
“Is there anything specific you want me to tell your father about this?” Ma’s voice sounds firm now, she’s got her shit together and she’s not afraid to show it.
“My attorney will communicate with him about it. Although, I don’t think I even have to tell him anything about what I want to happen with my own son,” I reply to her, my tone turning bitter toward the end. Not because of Ethan, but because of this entire scheme my father came up with to make Ethan his.
“Dylan, you need to know that he said… he said…” She’s struggling to talk now, and I have a feeling that I know why.
“That Ethan is his?” No reason to avoid this shit anymore.
“Yes,” Ma whimpers. “And I just… Ethan’s so little, his heart is so kind. He’s gonna ruin him if he keeps him.”
“Ethan is not his,” I assure her, and the big sigh coming over the line cannot be mistaken for anything other than what it is. Relief.
“I would’ve taken care of him regardless,” she states, making my heart grow in my chest. “I would never ruin another child like that again. I need you to know that…”
“Ma,” I cut her off. “Enough of that.” I don’t think I can handle talking about feelings right now. I got enough shit going on. “Do what I told you, got that?” Once again, I sound like the asshole she knows me to be.
“Got it.”
“Tell Wyatt that…” I don’t even know what message I want to send to my brother for what he’s about to do for me and doesn’t even know it. “Just tell him I said thank you. For everything.”
“I will,” she promises.
“And thank you to you too, Ma.” I feel like I owe her big for this one.
“Anything for you, Dylan. Always,” she assures me, and I know she means it.
“The papers from the attorney should be there in a couple of hours. You’ll need to sign for them. Only you,” I make sure she understands. “They’ll ask to see your ID.”
“No problem, I’ll be here,” she promises in a soft voice. “We’ll get this done, Dylan.”
