Page 12 of Savage

“You don’t look good.” She stepped closer, trying to get a better look at me. “Is this about Joseph and the baby? You know I would’ve loved to keep Dalton...”

“It’s not about that.” I motioned my head towards the road. “I just thought I heard a motorcycle.”

“Oh, I’m sure that was just one of the boys. They’ve been working on a big renovation project downtown. They’re redoing the bank and coffee shop.” She sounded almost excited as she told me, “They’ve done an amazing job. You should go see it.”

“I don’t think so.”

“So, you’re going to do like you usually do and hide out the entire time you’re here?”

“If by hiding out you mean hanging out here and spending time with you and Dad, then yes. That’s exactly what I’m planning to do.”

“And what about the wedding?”

“What about it?”

I grabbed our bags from the trunk, then started towards the house. I hadn’t made it to the front steps when she said, “You know, he will be there.”

“Who?”

“Londyn.”

“Okay... And what if he is?”

“Are you going to talk to him?”

“I don’t know, Mom.” I wasn’t a complete idiot. I knew the time would come when I would have to face Malcomb and hash things out, but the wedding wasn’t the time or the place. “I haven’t really thought about it.”

“Well, I think the time has come for you to start thinking about it, because sooner or later, you’re going to have to face this thing with him.”

“You’re acting like I’ve never tried to talk to him. You know I have.” I knew it wasn’t enough, but I’d gone to the clubhouse three separate times to talk to him. Each time, there was something—a run or an issue with the brothers that prevented me from seeing him. I’d written to him countless times, but never got a response. I could only assume that he didn’t care about me or our son, so I gave up. “Besides, it’s not like he’s made any effort to see me.”

“Malcomb has made his fair share of mistakes. You both have... Maybe it’s time you both faced those mistakes and moved on with your lives.”

Mom had always been a very level-headed and understanding person. Even when I was completely irrational and downright stupid, she never judged me. She never told me I was wrong or that I was making a huge mistake. Instead, she always waited and listened to me, and once I’d said everything I had to say, she’d help guide me to find my own answers—and tonight was no different.

“You make it sound so easy.”

“Nothing about this is easy, sweetheart.”

Without saying anything more, she stepped over to me and took Dalton’s bag from my hand, then started back up the front porch steps. I followed her inside and put our things away. By the time I was done, Joseph had gone, and Mom and Dad were in the kitchen getting things ready for dinner.

I joined in, and while we took turns chopping vegetables, we caught each other up on all the things that had been going on in our lives. It wasn’t long before we’d put together quite a meal. We gathered in the dining room and continued talking as we ate.

After dinner, Mom followed Dalton into his room and helped him get ready for bed. Once he was settled, we each gave him a kiss goodnight and turned out the lights. I took that as my cue to turn to Mom and say, “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“So soon?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just wiped out.” I gave her a hug as I asked, “Why don’t we take Dalton to the beach tomorrow? We could take a picnic and spend the day there.”

“Oh, I would love that.”

“Then, it’s a plan.” I stuck my head into the hall as I shouted, “Night, Dad.”

“Night, Lou.”

With a smile on my face, I slipped into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and washed my face, attempting to wash away the worries of the day. Sadly, it didn’t help. As soon as I crawled into bed, my mind went straight to Malcomb, and the memories started playing over and over in my head like a broken record.

It wasn’t anything new.

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