Page 80 of From the Noblest Motives
Glitch shrugged. "Wasn't hard. Getting the holograms to cover the top of the caldera—thatwas hard."
"I know, and thank you for that, too. I realize that was frustrating."
"No." Glitch gave another shrug. "I like hard things. Think of something harder than rigging a phone."
Without another word, Glitch ambled out.
"Interesting person," Blaze said with raised eyebrows.
"He's a machine talker. One of only two that I've ever met." Shudder took a seat on the bed and pulled Damien down beside him. "He just likes talking to them more than us."
Blaze thumped down on his other side. "You want us to give you some privacy? Damien and I can go visit baby goats or something."
"No, stay. Please." Shudder squeezed Damien's hand and leaned his head on Blaze's shoulder. "I'd like you to stay."
"We're here, Shuds. Whenever you need us."
He stayed where he was as he punched in his mother's number. The connection beeped and beeped, and he thought she wouldn't pick up.Leaving a message is fine. I can at least tell her I'm okay.
Finally, she appeared above the holoplate, frowning at what had to be Shudder's image. Still blonde though she was approaching seventy, the white strands hiding politely in her light hair, she wore a crisp, pale-green button-down and a sparkling diamond choker.
"Eugene Archibald Wallace McKenzie," she snapped. "You have alotof nerve."
"Hi, Mum."
"Don't youHi, mumme. Vanishing from the face of the Earth without a word, then holding a news conference without contacting my press agent? What were you thinking?"
"They took my phone at the courthouse, mum. I didn't have a way to call you."
"You couldn't borrow a phone? They wouldn't let you make a phone call in… inprison? Goodness. I'd hoped I would never have to say that to you."
"No, they didn't allow calls. And I didn't have a secure line. Mum, how are you?"
"Fine." She was still snappy but getting less so. The opening snappy salvo was wearing off. "Aside from being worried sick. And then that news conference. You looked terrible. So pale. Too thin."
"Ha. Thanks. I wasn't at my best, but I'm recovering."
Her expression softened a hair. "Are you safe, Eugene?"
"I am. Quite safe. And Mum…" Shudder held the phone farther away to include Blaze and Damien in the holo viewer. "I needed to call you to tell you about…"
"Is that Bailey? Hello, Bailey. My, you've gotten big."
Blaze's ears reddened, but he only said, "Yes, ma'am."
Shudder nearly chickened out. This was hismother, who criticized and picked apart everything. She'd have questions. Judgments.Yes… but I'm not seven years old anymore. I love my badass, vulnerable Blaze and my sharp-edged, compassionate Damien, and I refuse to hide that.Not even from her.
"I wanted to explain about my relationship." He turned up the wattage of his smile and met her piercing gaze. "Mum, I wanted to tell you about our triad." He leaned to his right. "You know Blaze, of course." Then to his left. "And this is our Damien. Damien Hazelwood. We're together now. The three of us." Shudder's smile started to feel pasted on as his mother continued to frown at him. "Mum?"
She clicked her tongue, her expression mirroring the one she wore when the wine wasn't to her satisfaction. "How many years have you been shilly-shallying about? Keeping poor Bailey waiting. I suppose you want me to congratulate you for putting an end to your ridiculousness." Her focus shifted, the lines of her face softening. "It's lovely to meet you, Damien. I hope I'll have a chance to see you in person soon."
Damien swallowed audibly. "Yes, ma'am."
She waited politely to see if Damien had more to say, but he was quite done and had shrunk back from the holo viewer. Some more of the sharp edges had worn off when she turned back to Shudder. "I'm glad you're settling down. It's really past time. Now. If you'd been able to contact me immediately, the mess would have been straightened out within a day or so. That attorney they gave you." Another click of her tongue. "Dreadful. Should be disbarred. I'll check with Neville on that and see what can be done. And speaking of Neville…"
She went on to tell them how her pet senior attorney had investigators working on leads regarding who had set Shudder up. Neville himself had filed a motion for mistrial and was putting together a wrongful imprisonment and defamation of character lawsuit that named the judge involved, the prosecutor, and half the chain of command for New Chicago's enforcement offices.
Shudder couldn't help a lopsided, overwhelmed smile.She hasn't been wrapped in her shawl worrying about her son. But that's never been her. "Thanks, Mum. I really appreciate all you're doing. And… I'm sorry. For worrying you."
