Page 25 of Clash
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I changed the subject quickly.
“Why are we parking in the back?”
Clash didn’t answer me. Instead, he fired off a text to someone, and a few seconds later, a pretty nurse appeared, all smiles and beauty.
“Mommy, can I stop saying my ABC’s now?”
“Yes, Alex, you can.”
He removed his hand immediately.
Clash exited the car, heading straight for the nurse who couldn’t stop smiling. She seemed elated to see him. Did he know her? “Chuckie!” she exclaimed, embracing him with open arms. “To what do I owe this surprise?”
After helping Alex out of the car, I watched her eyes widen when she saw the two of us emerge, pausing next to Clash.
“Mom, this is Gina and Alex. Alex fell off a slide and hurt himself. Do you think you can look at him?”
“Of course, Son. I just need her to fill out…”
He held up a hand. “Mom, I need this to be done on the down low.”
She looked around, then nodded. “I’ll get Dr. Isaac.” She held the door open for us, then ushered us in a room away from the rest of the hospital.
“That’s your mom? Did she just call you Chuckie? Like the Rugrats character?”
Clash nodded. “She’s the only person I allow to call me Chuckie and get away with it. My real name is Charles, but that’s never really fit my personality. I started calling myselfChuck from a very young age, and then Mom started calling me Chuckie.”
His mother entered the room, beaming. “He absolutely despises my little nickname for him, but I think it’s cute. I’m Isabella, by the way.”
“I’m Gina and this is my son Alex,” I reiterated, just in case she forgot our names. Her smile never faltered, she just kept grinning and smiling at her son.
“What?” he asked, suddenly looking uncomfortable.
“Oh, nothing,” she said, chuckling under her breath. “It’s just… well, she’s very beautiful.”
My cheeks instantly warmed from the innocent compliment. I wasn’t very good at taking compliments from anyone.
Clash shook his head. “Yeah, Mom, I know. Can you look at the kid, please?”
His mother brushed off his request, turning back to me.
“So, how did you and my Chuckie Boy meet?”
“Moooom,” he drawled out, rolling his eyes.
Alex, being the precious little being he is, spoke first. “Mr. Clash caught me stealing food. Then he met my mommy by the dumpster.”
Instantly, his mother’s face fell. “Oh no, are you homeless?” Pity filled her eyes, and I fucking hated it.
“Not anymore,” Alex continued. “Mr. Clash is letting us stay at his house. He has a TV and lets me watchSpongeBob. He bought me and my mommy clothes, and I got a big white Teddy Bear. Wanna know what I named him?”
“Sure,” Isabella said, though her pity remained.
“I named him Skittles because that’s my favorite candy. Mr. Clash bought me Skittles when he caught me stealing it, said he didn’t want me to get in trouble. Mommy says Mr. Clash is mean, but I don’t think he’s mean at all. He’s very nice and has taken care of us.”
Isabella’s head snapped to look at her son. “Chuck? Are you feeling okay?” She pressed a hand to his forehead. “You definitely don’t have a fever.” Her smile widened. “I don’t know what you’ve done to my son, Gina. But keep doing it. If a woman can knock the asshole out of him, then she’s alright in my book.”
“Can you just look at the kid, Mom?”
