Page 34 of Dirty Pucker

“It was expected. He was ill for a long time. And he was ninety-one years old. It’s still hard when it happens though.”

“Of course.” I pause. “Have you thought more about cutting back your hours?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound too pushy.

She gives me a look I know all too well. That Mom look that shows she knows exactly what I’m hinting at.

“Del honey, I told you, I’m too young to stop working. I’m not even fifty yet. It’s important that I have something to focus on, even though you take care of so much for me already.” She pats my hand. “You already paid off the mortgage to the house. And you paid to remodel the kitchen and the bathrooms. And you got me a new car. And you don’t let me pay for anything when we go out or take a vacation together.”

“I make more than I need, Mom,” I say. “You’ve worked hard your whole life. You deserve to rest and take it easy for a while. Even if you quit working, there’s still a lot of less stressful things you could do to keep you busy. Like travel.”

She shakes her head and laughs. “I’m certainly not going to retire early so I can go galivanting across the country on my son’s dime.”

I shrug. “Why not? You could do that.”

I hate talking about money. I always have. Growing up, money was always tight and we never had much to go around. My mom worked herself to the bone to provide for my sister and me, but we still almost ended up in dire straits multiple times.

I lost count of the number of times the power in our house was shut off because she couldn’t cover all the bills, despite all the hours she worked. I remember catching rides to practice with my teammates because our car had broken down and my mom couldn’t afford to fix it until the next payday. I remember my feet throbbing after games and practices because I had outgrown my skates, but we didn’t have enough money to buy new ones.

When it became clear that hockey was going to turn into a lucrative career for me, I vowed to take care of my mom and my sister.

I still remember when I signed my first contract after being drafted in the first round, right after my freshman year of college. The second my pen touched the paper, I became a millionaire.

And I remember how the primary emotion I felt in that moment wasn’t joy. It was relief. Because from that day on, I could financially support my mom and sister. We’d never have to struggle again.

She tilts her head at me and flashes a knowing smile. “I appreciate it, honey. I really do. But I’m perfectly happy with my job. I love being a nurse. I’m not ready to give it up just yet.”

I nod, even though I wish she would reconsider. As sweet as my mom is, she can also be stubborn.

We finish our tea and take our empty mugs to the sink.

“Has Dakota been by lately?” I ask.

“She came by last weekend. We had a fun girls night and watched a movie and ordered takeout.”

“That sounds nice.”

“It was,” she says. “She’s dating someone. The gym teacher at her school.”

“Really?” I try to keep my tone easy, even though I’m instantly in protective mode. My sister has a habit of dating jerksthat break her heart. As much as I hope this new guy is a good one, I have zero faith that he actually is.

When my mom chuckles, I look up at her. She hands me a clean dish rag to wipe my hands.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she says.

“I’m not thinking anything.” I lean against the counter.

“Del Anthony Richards, you are a terrible liar, and I love you for it.”

“You know the losers that Dakota’s been with. I can’t help it if I’m not thrilled to hear she’s dating another one.”

“Honey, your sister is a grown woman. Sure, I agree with you. I’m not a fan of who she normally dates. But she’s allowed to date whoever she wants. Even if they suck.”

I burst out laughing. “I’ve never heard you say anyone sucks.”

She chuckles and shrugs. “How about you? Are you seeing anyone?”

I shake my head. She makes a disappointed sound. I hate it when my mom gets on my case about dating stuff.

“Mom, you know how crazy work is for me. Dating is impossible with my schedule.”

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