Page 80 of The Reluctant Hero

“I don’t want another phone call with you sounding like that again, Amanda Jane,” she says in a more serious tone. “I had to live through years of them, and it’s time for that to be done. Whatever you have to do to achieve that, I will back it up.”

My shoulders drop as tears well in my eyes.

“God damn it, Mom,” I choke up.

“Language. Take yourself out and do something instead of being a mopey ass. I’ll be over here setting up profiles to match you with men that will kill him and get you pregnant.”

“Jesus,” I mutter in defeat. She’s already hung up on me.

Now that I’ve had my ass chewed, I have a little more energy to follow through on the rational parts of my mom’s demands.

I treat myself to a cheap lunch and go to the nearby mall. I’m wandering aimlessly when I pass a hidden nook for public bathrooms. I stride past before my brain kicks in, and I realize I saw a random flash of blue hair.

I stop and walk backward to take in South, lurking in the dark.

“The fuck are you doing?” I ask, bewildered.

“Looking for you,” she replies flatly and steps out of the shadows.

“In the bathrooms?” I scoff.

“I saw you walking to the mall. You didn’t see me,” her eyes narrow suspiciously and I give her a look of disbelief.

“Because I have a lot of shit on my mind right now to distract me. Am I supposed to have South sonar?”

Her head tilts like she doesn’t believe me.

I raise an eyebrow at her creepy silence and slowly say, “Why were you looking for me?”

“You didn’t show up this morning.”

“Show up to what?” My chin drops as I groan in frustration. “I forgot about meeting you at the gym. I’m sorry, it’s been a shit week. Wait a second. I’m not sorry, andI never agreed to go!”

“I decided to make it a game,” she shrugs and joins me.

“Ok?” I shake my head in total confusion. “Was it fun?”

“Not what I had hoped, but it’s looking up.”

We stand in place, looking around as if we’re lost.

“There has to be something to do,” I grumble. “We can’t both be wandering around looking for entertainment. It’s just sad.”

“You were missed today.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, right. The only thing that misses me at that gym is the water jug. I swear no one uses it, and it’s free. It even has little mint leaves in it.”

“Maybe it isn’t for consumption,” she gives me a bland look.

I pause as a blush rises to my cheeks. “Maybe you never heard me admit it.”

“Maybe,” she gives me a feral grin.

“Or tell everyone,” I change my mind with a glare. “The water thief has mysteriously vanished. I’ll never be caught.”

“There are better things to steal.”

“I’m going to stop you right there because I’m not having a day of five-finger discount fun with you. We need somethingnormalto do.”

---