Page 139 of Now and Forever

I don’t answer. I can’t. He’s correct. Suddenly, the garage door opens, and Sonia and Marta walk in.

“You two, we’ve been trying to call you. Why do you even have cell phones if you’re not going to use them?” Sonia says.

I’m surprised to see them here.

“Mom, how could you give this bike to Judith?”

I sigh.

“Son, come on, relax. That bike was just collecting dust, and when Judith told me she did motocross like Hannah, I thought about it and decided to give it to her.”

Eric exhales heavily. “How many times do I have to tell you not to get involved in my life? How many times?”

“Excuse me, Eric. It’s my life!” I clarify, offended.

When she sees her brother’s mood, Marta shouts, pointing at him, “Number one: don’t yell at Mom like that. Number two: Judith is old enough to know what she can or can’t do. Number three: just because you want to live in a glass bubble doesn’t mean we all have to.”

“Shut up, Marta!” Eric shouts.

“You’re not going to shut us up. We’ve been listening to you from inside the house. And I have to tell you, I understand why Judith chose not to say anything about the bike or the other stuff. How could she? It’s impossible to talk to you. You’re Mr. Command and Control. You have to get what you want, or you throw a huge fit.” And, looking at me, she says, “Have you told him about Mom and me?”

I shake my head, and Sonia, raising her hands to her mouth, whispers, “Marta, for God’s sake ... be quiet.”

Eric looks at us in disbelief. His face grows darker by the second. He takes off his jacket, leaves it on the hood of the car, and puts his hands on his hips.

“What haven’t you told me about my mother and my sister? What other secrets are you hiding?”

“Son, don’t shout at Judith like that. Poor thing.”

I can’t speak. My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.

“Just so you know, Mom and I have been taking a skydiving course for months. There! Now get angry and yell like you always do, brother.”

Eric’s face says a thousand words.

“Skydiving? Have you lost your minds?”

Suddenly, Simona comes in, a look of distress on her face.

“Sir, Flyn is crying. He wants you to come up.”

“What is Flyn doing up at this hour?” He takes a step but then stops short. He looks at his sister and mother, and asks, “What happened? Why are you two here at this hour?”

He doesn’t give them time to answer. He goes off like a shot toward Flyn’s room. Sonia follows him.

“What’s going on?” I ask Marta.

She sighs. “Dear, I’m sorry to tell you my nephew fell on his skateboard and broke his arm.”

When I hear that, my legs buckle. It can’t be true!

“How?”

“We called you on the phone a thousand times, but you didn’t pick up.”

“There was no service where we were. Is he all right?”

“Yes, but he just keeps repeating that Eric’s going to be angry with him.”

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