Page 101 of Send It
I shake my head, “You make me want to drag Reiss to Colson’s house and force a conversation.”
She pops a piece of candy from the dish in the kitchen into her mouth, “You can’t do that but you can control what you do. If you want to see Colson before his surgery, then you should do it.”
I slump in my chair, “I can’t do that. There’s no way Colson will speak to me without having talked to Reiss first.
“It’s not just about Colson and Reiss. It’s about you and Colson, and you and Reiss. Those are three very different relationships.”
I think about what she said and try to rationalize with my heart, but eventually it wins. I have to see Colson before his surgery tomorrow.
50
Colson
I stare at the unopened text messages I sent Reiss over the past four days.
Colson
We need to talk about this.
Fuck man, I’m sorry. Please just let me explain.
Reiss, please. It’s not just some fling, it’s Lincoln. I swear to you I’ve never thought so hard about something in my life.
I should’ve told you. I was just afraid of how you’d react. I didn’t feel like I was good enough for her. I still don’t. She deserves the best and I know you don’t think that’s me. Hell, I don’tthink that’s me.
I contemplate sending another but think better of it. I want to talk to Reiss before I text Lincoln. It feels wrong reaching out to her without having that conversation with him first because as much as I love her, I was Reiss’ friend first. Until that conversation is had, talking to Lincoln will feel like betraying him all over again.
I lay back against the couch watching one of Nana's game shows she’s obsessed with while she sits in the recliner next to me. My dad is busy in the kitchen debagging some takeout he ordered from the hibachi grill in town, when the doorbell rings.
Part of me wishes it is Lincoln, but the other part hopes it’s Reiss. The voice I hear in the foyer isn’t either of those.
It’s my mom.
“Why did you ring the doorbell?” My dad asks, “This is your house too.”
She steps inside and I watch her as she drops a designer bag to the ground. “It didn’t feel right to just walk in.”
Her presence kind of annoys me, “What are you doing here?”
“I came for your surgery tomorrow,” she states.
“Why? I didn’t ask you to come.”
She shakes her head, “You didn’t need to. I’m your mother. Dr. Marlow still has me on your contact list for emergencies and when you didn’t answer for your pre-op interview, they called me looking for you.”
My dad’s face falls, “You know about the surgery?”
“Yeah?” she says.
“Don’t you think that should have been something to discuss with me?” he asks, her face still buried in herphone like she could give two shits about what my dad is saying.
She rolls her eyes, “Don’t be dramatic, Brian. You were already here, I figured you knew.”
Dad and I share a glance and it’s a secret apology for not telling him about the surgery.
“You can leave,” I say. “I don’t want you here.”
She drops her phone to her side and she stares up at me, “Not you too! Why are you Raines men so damn moody all the time.”
