Page 8 of Bone's Destiny

Lady M gasped, her gaze darting to the door.

“What is he talking about?” Buff asked.

“Why would you say Lady M isn’t your mother?” Cobra asked next. He and Buff stood at the end of Lady M’s bed.

“You boys misunderstood your brother.” Lady M waved her hand at them.

I wasn’t going to let the insanity go on anymore. “She’s lying.”

“Bone, don’t,” Dad said in a warning tone.

“Don’t what? Keep lying to my brothers? Keep pretending I’m one of them?”

“Micah, you are one of them.” Tears filled Lady M’s eyes. “You are brothers.”

“Only halfsies.”

“What in the ever-loving fuck are you talking about?” Buff gripped the railing on the end of the bed. He appeared to be on the edge of losing it.

On the other hand, Cobra stared at me with understanding in his gray eyes. Probably replaying the numerous times, I was an angry shit, usually after Lady M and I had it out. I’d always take my aggression out on Cobra. He’d even overheard us a few times, but Lady M had managed to talk her way out of it.

“I want you out of here now.” Dad pointed to the door. “Are you trying to kill your mother?”

“She’s not my mother,” I muttered, eyeing her. “No, I don’t want to kill her. I only want to know what happened to Eleanor Hebert. I’ve tried to find her, but it’s like she doesn’t exist.”

The heart monitor’s alarm went crazy. Lady M’s eyes were wild as she gasped for air.

“Get him out of here!” Dad shouted.

Cobra and Buff grabbed my arms, but I shoved them off me. “I’m going. This isn’t over.” I nodded to Lady M.

Stitch and a couple of nurses ran into the room.

I paced, flexing my hands open and closed as sweat beaded on my forehead and soaked my armpits. I didn’t want her to die now or ever. If she did, I would be to blame, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

Her words came rushing back. They were always the same, constantly pleading for me to drop the subject of Eleanor Hebert.

“I know you’re hurting, sweetheart. You just have to believe me when I say I am your mother. Blood doesn’t make people family. Love does.” She tucked me into her side and rocked. “And I love you more than anything, Micah. You’ll always be my baby.”

“Why won’t you tell me about her? Why isn’t she around? Is it because Dad had an affair? Did he make her leave?” I had a million questions. Why wouldn’t she answer me?

“Enough, Micah. You’re getting worked up, and that’s not good, honey.” She pressed her lips to my head. “Your dad didn’t have an affair. Never think that.”

“I don’t understand.” I started to cry into her chest. If Dad didn’t cheat on Lady M, how did I come to be?

“You don’t need to understand. All you have to do is trust me. I’m your mother. That’s all you need to know. Enough with all the questions.”

Deflecting and redirecting was all she ever did. I was so damn tired of it. No matter how often I asked about Eleanor, Lady M refused to discuss her.

“Brother, let’s go for a walk. Get some fresh air.” Cobra put his arm around me and led me out of the wing. “Just know I’m here for you.”

His words stunned me, but perhaps they shouldn’t have. We’d been thick as thieves when we were young, but then I had changed.

I wanted to be close to my brother again. The only way to do that was for everyone to finally know the truth about me.

We exited the doors and went to a bench. The evening air was crisp as the sun was setting. It felt good after getting overheated in Lady M’s room.

I couldn’t do this in front of anyone, a stubborn jackass to the end, so I’d take this opportunity to get some stuff off my chest. “Cobra?”

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