Page 50 of Reckless
“Everything! How old is she? What’s her name? Does she look like me? When can I meet her? And how the hell did this happen?”
No one but Loretta Silva would take this so easily. “And you were onmycase for covering with jokes.”
She blows a raspberry, and I can envision her flipping a hand across herself like she’s swatting a fly as if we were in the same room.
So, I fill her in on everything I know, noting the happy little sigh she makes when I tell her about Vivienne. I don’t miss the strangled sound that catches in her throat when I explain how it all got lost in translation.
“I could kill that Geoff asshole,” she mutters.
“No, he’s mine to kill.”
“Theo! You can’t threaten shit like that. You’re a father now.”
Fuck. I’m a father now.
“Okay, so I need to compose myself before I cross that bridge. And tell Winter’s dad since he’s Geoff’s boss, and that is all its own massive clusterfuck.”
“So, the mom is Rhett’s sister-in-law?”
“Well, the wedding isn’t until next month. Remember? You’re invited.”
“Don’t be like that, Theo. You know what I’m asking.”
My teeth graze along my bottom lip as I stare up at the white popcorn-style ceiling. Since I failed to put up any blinds, morning light has filled the room, and the blue hue gives the space a cool, serene vibe that reminds me of Winter.
“Yeah. It’s her.”
“Huh.Thatgirl, huh? Well, I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Vivienne?”
“No. Well, yes. But Winter too.”
I smile up at the ceiling. “Yeah, I think you’ll like her.”
“How is she holding up? I was never a single mom with a baby. But I remember your dad going on the road and leaving me home alone with you two. I would practically toss you at him and walk out the door the minute he got back, just so I could have a few minutes by myself.”
“I think she’s okay. Happy but overwhelmed, if that makes sense?”
“That makes perfect sense. If I wrote a dictionary, that might be the definition I put under motherhood.”
I laugh, lighter already for having talked to my mom.
“Theo, honey, the question any good dad would ask himself now is: what are you going to do to make her feel less overwhelmed?”
14
Winter
Sloane:Should I kick him out? I’d kick him out for
you.
Winter:It’s fine.
Sloane:Should I come back from vacation and beat him up?
Winter:I would pay good money to watch you beat someone up.
