Page 14 of Fly Boy
“Urgh, and I miss that too. All the dinners Mom makes for you,” Teddy groans.
“Nice, when are you going? I’ll come too,” Bowie asks, talking over our brother.
“No idea, but I’ll text Sadie after I land tomorrow and see when they’re free. I’ll let you know, though.”
“Dude, why don’t you call her ‘Mom’? I really don’t get it,” Teddy asks as he props his phone up to lift something round and silver into view and starts to polish it. “I mean, she basically is your mom.”
“Teddy,” Bowie warns with a pointed look, but he ignores him, his attention not on the screen but instead on whatever he’s doing.
“What? It’s weird, right? Our mom has beenhismom for almost his whole life, but he still calls her Sadie. I know she’d love it if you called her that.”
My stomach turns to lead as tension seeps into my shoulders and down my back. Yes, Sadie isn’t my biological mother, and yes, she has been in my life since I was nine, but bringing myself to call herMom…
I tried—really tried—for the first year, but then Bowie and Teddy were born, and it didn’t feel right. She wastheirmom, not mine.
The silence across the phone is deafening, the distance in the states between us like a chasm. I know what Teddy wants me to say, but I can’t.
“I just think that... I mean... It’s not—”
“Wyatt, aren’t we keeping you up?” Bowie interrupts, and I give him a grateful smile.
“What? No!” Teddy exclaims. “It’s too early.”
“He’s right. Sorry, but getting up at three a.m. isn’t going to feel good if I don’t get my sleep.”
“But it’s still light out,” he tries to argue.
I laugh, the sound hollow. “That’s the light from my lamp. I have blackout curtains, Teddy, so it will be pitch dark as soon as I switch it off.”
He grabs his phone, the camera shaking until it steadies on his face. “Fine, I better go get some food anyway. Speak soon?”
Bowie nods as I say, “Yeah, give Ana our love.”
“Will do. Later losers.”
“Bye, dickhead,” Bowie says, and I click the end-call button without a word.
I stare at the blank screen of my phone. Teddy doesn’t understand. He’s never lived not knowing one of his parents, all the while being completely aware that she’s out there somewhere, just doesn’t care enough to be part of his life. Of having to live with an emptiness inside his soul, and no matter how much he tries to fill it, nothing ever does.
Nothing good comes from wallowing, especially when I’m about to sleep. Reaching behind my nightstand, I grab my charger and plug in my cell before checking my alarm. Just as I’m about to set it down, it vibrates in my hand.
Bowie
Ignore Teddy. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Mom knows you love her no matter what you call her.
I stare at his text, my fingers hovering over the keypad, but I don’t reply. Releasing a breath, I place the device face down and turn off the light. Lying on my back, I stare into the darkness, my mind racing, my stomach churning, until finally, I drift off to sleep.
Chapter Six
“The scores are in:143.76 for the free skating program, giving them a total of 213.65. Team USA takes the gold in the NHK Trophy!”
“What a phenomenal score, Luke. A great result after narrowly missing first place at Skate America last month.”
“Pippa is proving to be one to watch this season, Jessica, that’s for sure. She and Evan could be unstoppable.”
“Couldn’t agree more. And so, Pippa Cartwright and Evan Thomson for Team USA are heading into the Grand Prix final in France in as little as four weeks. It’s going to be an event you don’t want to miss.”
“What the hell are those?”
