Page 110 of Deliverance

“I’m never too busy for you.”

My pulse ratchets up. “Really?”

“Really.” A pause. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore. Useless. Dumb.”

“Whoa. Those things don’t usually go together.” She laughs.

“No, they don’t.” I agree. “My mother doesn’t make it easy.”

“She’s still there?”

“She’s determined to drive me into an early grave. Luckily, this is a big house. When it gets tough, I just hide in my studio.” Mother Dearest never goes there. It’s the one rule she’s not allowed to break if she wants to keep coming over to my place as she pleases.

“Are you playing yet?”

“A little.”

Silence swells between us. It’s not awkward, though. It’s just the way some of our conversations go sometimes.

“Hey,” I say after a few seconds. “Remember I asked if you could spare a couple of days?”

“You did. Yes.”

“How about the second weekend of November?”

“Let me check.” I hear the soft patter of her feet against the cement floor. She’s barefoot. Then there’s a rustling noise. Then several seconds of nothing. Finally, she responds, “Okay. I can make time.”

“You’ll need to bring a change of warm clothes, a jacket, and a toothbrush.”

“A toothbrush.”

“A two-day trip.”

“S-sure.” She inhales loudly.

“I promise, no unpleasant surprises. No funny business.”

“Okay.”

“Just trust me on this one.”

More silence. “I do trust you. It’s me I don’t trust.”

Leo’s truck roars down my driveway later that evening and I walk outside to meet him and Toby.

“This is some tight view, dude,” Leo says with a whistle, gawking at the expanse of the ocean and the darkening skies.

Toby’s carrying his guitar case. For once, he’s pulled back his hair and I can clearly see his face.

“Just a heads up. My mother’s staying with me,” I warn them as we move into the house. Not that it’d stop us from cracking fart or dick jokes. My parents weren’t overly strict with me when I was growing up. Of course, I didn’t end up getting caught in the act with an older woman like Justice did, but I have my fair share of embarrassing stories. Ultimately, I’m my own man and do and talk as I please, even when Mother Dearest is around. She’s too smart of a woman to try and interfere with my life.

Although she did try earlier today. Pulling that shit with her tears was a low blow.

Unease crawls through me at the memory and I shove my emotions down.

“How you feeling?” Leo asks, approaching the fireplace. He locks his hands behind his back and carefully studies Drew’s piece that’s up on my wall.

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