Page 213 of Fury

“Go away. Both of you. Just leave me alone.”

I got off my bike and stormed across her lawn. “Not leaving you alone!”

Tania shot me a glare, raising a hand. “Hey—”

“I’m not going anywhere until I know you two are talking and she’s calmed down!” I said.

“Well, that’s not going to happen unless you back the fuck off,” Tania replied.

“I ain’t backing off. Not ever.”

“You need to calm down,” Tania said to me.

I got in her face. “Don’t tell me what I need to do.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Tania raised her voice.

“Stop it!” Lenore’s searing gaze came back to me. “I put the gun away, so you don’t have to worry I’m going to do something stupid. I wouldn’t do that to my son.”

“Gun? What gun?” Tania exploded. “What the hell is going on?”

“You think I would’ve dragged you here if it wasn’t important?” I said.

“Go home. Both of you,” said Lenore.

Tania moved toward her again. “Lenore, please, talk to me—”

“I don’t want to talk! I don’t!” Lenore shut the door, and the firm slide and click of two bolts resounded in the still night, flying bugs swirling in the glow of the porch light over Tania.

A haze of rain began. Tania descended the stairs and came to me. “Well, that went well. She pulled a gun on you?”

“I was mad, she was upset.”

Tania tugged up the hood of her light jacket over her head. “Did we just make it worse?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll check in on her later.” She glanced at her watch. “I should get going.”

“I’ll take you home.”

“No.” She let out an exhale. “I have to go to Butler’s.”

“You got it bad, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“So does he,” I said.

“Well, I have explaining to do. And I have to do it tonight. Me leaving Dead Ringer’s with you the way we did…”

“I hope it works it out for you and him,” I said. “If that’s what you really want. I hope—”

“God, don’t you dare tell me to be happy. The last time you said that to me, things didn’t end up too great.”

“No, I’m not going to tell you that,” I said.

“We should say, ‘Be conscious,’ ‘Be aware.’ ‘Be mindful,’ and definitely, ‘Be good to yourself.”

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