Page 136 of Rock Chick Rescue

“Mi hijo.” Blanca was there and speaking quietly in Spanish to Eddie. He responded in Spanish and his mother’s startled eyes came to me. “Sí,” she said.

Eddie turned to me. “Your mother stays here tonight, tomorrow she moves to Tex.”

It wasn’t the time for discussion and certainly not the time to argue. Eddie was beyond angry. I was scared speechless. Trixie and Ada arrived, Mom leaning on Trixie, all of them looking worried.

I nodded.

“You’re with me,” Eddie went on.

I nodded again.

“The party’s over,” he finished.

FIFTEEN

WHACKED

Once Eddie announced the party was over, I learned how Blanca could pull off such an extravaganza so quickly.

Eddie’s sisters and aunties went into action, clearing, cleaning and tidying while the interested parties moved to Blanca’s living room: Me, Eddie, Mom, Trixie, Ada, Blanca and, for moral support, Indy and Ally.

Hank and Lee came with us and stayed for a bit then, when Tom brought in my mother’s chair and handed Trixie’s keys to her, they all went into the hall and formed a male huddle with Malcolm, talking in quiet voices with tight faces.

Hank and Lee peeled off and disappeared. Malcolm and Tom hooked up with Kitty Sue and left.

I noticed this and didn’t, mainly because I was busy trying to tell Mom about the mess I was in without giving her another stroke. I sat on my knees on the floor in front of her. She was sitting on the couch and Eddie was standing beside me.

I told her the story of my week.

Mom’s face got pale.

Then her eyes got hard.

When I was done she said, “Yourfuckingfather.”

Wow.

I didn’t think I’deverheard Mom say the F-word.

“Mom, stay calm,” I urged.

“I’m calm. I’m calm enough to say when they put me away for murdering your father, they’ll know it’s premeditated. One-armed or not, I’m gonna kill that jackass.” She looked up at Eddie. “Sorry, Eddie.”

He cocked his head slightly, indicating he wasn’t going to cuff her just yet.

Mom’s eyes turned back to me. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t—” I started but she interrupted me.

“I know what you didn’t,” she snapped in a mother-talking-to-idiot-daughter voice. “You didn’t want me to get sick again. Jet, for goodness sake, I’m not made of glass. You can’t handle me for the rest of my life like I’m going to shatter.”

“Easy for you to say,” I whispered and stared at her.

She didn’t see herself in the hospital bed after it had happened, her whole left side limp and slack, even her face, her voice slurred and her eyes unfocused. It was horrible.

I wasn’t going to say it but I didn’t have to.

Her hand went to my cheek.

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