I was still mad at Charlie. I wasn’t going to forgive him that easily for not sticking up for me, but he kept texting me all afternoon. Sending me pictures of things that he thought I might like while he was out with his daddy. He knew the way to my heart. That dumb, stupid organ that beat harder when I saw his name light up my phone.
Charlie: What does this cloud look like to you? Does it look like a dolphin?
It looked like a cloud to me, but what did I know? I was just a hick from North Carolina, and Charlie was... Well, I didn’t even know where Charlie was from.
Jones:Where are you from? Is it New York or somewhere else?
Charlie:Boston.
That explained a lot. Especially the accent.
Charlie:Jonesy, when you come over tonight, I promise I’ll tell you everything.
I sank my fingers into my hair and pulled. Maybe I should stay home. Mama would understand since I hadn’t left the confines of my room. I was a sticky, smelly mess. My eyes were still a little swollen from crying. My throat hurt from screaming. I felt a little uneasy and detached. Like my brain was floating above the trailer and not inside my head. Maybe it could take my heart with it.
Only I knew I would go. I wanted to see Charlie. There was this weird pull inside of my chest. My stomach clenched at the thought of not seeing him again. Hearing his voice. Kissing his mouth. Touching him. Hearing that accent. Smelling his skin.
I decided to take a shower to try to clear my brain. I stood under the showerhead until the water ran cold, and I was shivering. My teeth clattered together as I dried off, but I felt a little more human. More like me than I had when I’d come home. My eyes were still a little red but less puffy. I put a little of Mama’s hair product in my blond locks before I combed it out and then managed to find a decent pair of dress slacks along with a shirt to wear. Something I usually saved for church. Mama didn’t force me to go often, but when I did, she preferred I looked nice.
“Jones, you can stay home. I don’t expect you to tag along tonight. I already told Remi you wouldn’t be coming over.” Mama was wearing one of her favorite dresses. It was a warm peach color that she saved for special occasions. She didn’t look a day over twenty-five, I swear.
I shrugged. “No sense in staying home. Besides, shouldn’t I meet my future stepdaddy?”Who caught me in bed with his son this morning and probably can’t wait to tell you all about it.
“Don’t be crass, Jones.” Oh, she was using her mother’s voice. “I think you should stay here if this is how you’re going to act. I don’t want you to misbehave.”
“Sorry, Mama. It won’t happen again.” I knew that wasn’t true.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Well, you do look handsome. I just know that you and Remi’s son are going to be the best of friends. He’s visiting for a few weeks. You’re about the same age. His name is.” She stopped for a moment, a frown appearing on her face. “Sweetie, what did you say your boyfriend’s name was?”
“Charlie.”
Mama knew. She had to know at that exact moment that my Charlie was her fiancé’s son. I saw it written all over her face. “Sweetheart, no.”
“Mama, I didn’t know until this morning. How would I? You didn’t tell me anything about Remi. Not even that hehada son.”
Mama pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. “You can’t see that boy again, Jones. Do you understand me? I forbid it. You’ll stay here tonight. I don’t care how you feel about him. It’s not right.”
“No, I will not.”
“Jones, don’t you tell me no. I am your mother. I raised you by myself. You will not have a relationship with yourstepbrother. That boy is not for you. Do you understand me?”
I gritted my teeth. “I’m an adult, Mama. You can’t tell me who I can and cannot date.”
“If you see that boy again...” Her chin trembled when she opened her eyes. “Jones Matthews, if you see that boy again, I will have no choice other than to stop all communication with you. What would the Lord think of you sinning like that? The Lord loves you the way you are, but you can’t...No.”
My stomach clenched at her words. “Mama, he’s not even my blood relative. He’s not—”
“Jones Jacob Matthews!” She middle-named me! That was never good. “Go back to your room and think about this entire situation. I’ll bring home something for you to eat if you don’t want to cook anything. But you will not be going to that house again. Do you hear me?” Then she opened the door and stepped outside, leaving me alone.
***
I was staring up at the ceiling lying on my bed, still dressed in my fancy church clothes, when I heard the knock on my window. I hadn’t bothered to check my phone or turn on the small television in my room. I kept all the lights off, hoping sleep would find me, but as of yet, it hadn’t happened. When the knocking started again, I sat up, flipped on the light, and climbed from bed to find Charlie standing outside in the dark.
“What do you want?” I asked when I pushed the window open. There was no screen onthe window. so it would only be minutes before bugs started flying inside the trailer.
“Are you really that mad at me?” he asked, the moonlight shining brightly behind him. I normally loved nights like this.
I wrinkled my nose in confusion. “What?”
