Page 60 of Waiting Game

Life.

“Why isn’t Callan talking to you?”

Disturbed from my thoughts, I blink at Mum. “He is.”

Her brow arches. “He walked into the kitchen, saw you, walked back out again. What did you do?”

Huh, I didn’t notice that.

“We had a disagreement.”

She purses her lips. “Are you planning on speaking with your father soon?”

“Unfortunately. Colt informed me that I’ve been summoned. Pops doesn’t like that I’ve been avoiding him for three days.”

“Will you tell me what his game is when you find out?”

I shrug. “Of course.”

The prompt reminds me that I was heading to Pops's room before I got waylaid with thoughts of Mia.

Mrs. Abelman smacks my hand when I try to drink OJ from the carton. “I know I didn’t see you do that, boy.”

“I’ll have you know I’m very much a man now, Mrs. Abelman,” I drawl as I drag her in for a hug she doesn’t want but accepts with an impatient sigh.

“Men don’t drink from the carton,“ she tuts, making Mum snicker behind her china teacup.

“Oh, I see how it is. You two are gonna gang up on me, are you?”

“Damn straight,” Mrs. Abelman assures me, though it doesn’t escape my notice that the normally dour housekeeper-cum-surrogate-mom-to-us-all is unusually chipper.

Mum’s influence, I guess.

Pouting at the pair of them, I pour half a bag of milk into a tumbler instead of OJ then start drinking it as I leave the kitchen with half an ear on their chatter.

I lose track of their conversation about Callan’s celiac issues when I make it to the wing where Pops’s rooms are situated.

He’s sitting up and looks brighter when I walk in. That means he either feels better for realorhe was wearing makeup the last time I saw him.

The thought of my misogynistic father wearing makeup is hilarious enough that I’m hiding a chuckle as I drink some more milk before I throw myself on the armchair beside his bed.

"What's so funny?" he grouses.

"Nothing."

“Cody got in last night.”

“I didn’t realize.”

“He only came to see me,” is Pops’s smug retort.

I’m not sure why he thinks that’s a burn but it clearly is to him.

That Colt didn’t inform me or Mum, I have to reason he’s not lying.

“Is he okay?”

“Of course he is. He’s Cody. It’s good to have my sons under my roof again. You don’t come back home enough.”

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