“Well, maybe I’ll cash in on that.” She sounded awful, a tired and haggard version of her usual self.
“Was it him?”
There was a pause before she said, “Yeah. He just has a way of making me feel like shit. And then once I feel bad, it’s like my brain’s signals get all fucked up and my pain is worse.”
“Fuck,” I breathed. “What did he say?”
She sighed. “He’s always mad I don’t keep Aspen up past his bedtime to talk to him. He wants to talk on his own terms. He never calls when we schedule a time, and it makes Aspen so sad. It’s just—” her voice broke off. “It’s hard to see my boy like that, you know? And it’s my fault he feels bad because I’m the one who picked him for a dad.”
“I’ll kill him.”
Mara’s laugh was wet. “Yeah, see, I knew you’d resort to violence.”
“He hurt Aspen. He hurt you.”
Mara was quiet for a minute. “Well. Enough about me. How was your day?”
“Not like that,” I said. I’d settled into the hotel desk chair, crossing one ankle over my knee and drawing little shapes in my suit pants like it was a wool blend zen garden.
“Good. I want to hear about it.”
“Seems unfair if I had a good day and you’re in pain and had a bad one.”
“Absolutely not!” she objected. “Tell me everything. I need good news.”
I tugged at the back of my neck. “So, I, uh, hit 500 career points.”
“Jack!” Mara cried. “Holy shit! When were you going to say something?”
“I don’t know, never?”
“That’s a really big deal, right? A major accomplishment?”
I finally felt it: a tiny little twinge of the joy I wanted to feel when I hit the milestone. Mara really was happy for me, just like I thought she would be. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“You guess? Jack, that’s incredible. Congratulations, seriously. How are you going to celebrate?”
This.I swallowed hard as that hit me. Celebrating was talking to Mara.
But it was just the need for companionship. Nothing more.
“Maybe grab a beer with the guys or something. I don’t know. Get up tomorrow and do it all again.”
“Well, drink one for me. Or wait, let me send you beer money!”
I laughed. “I think I can afford my own beers, Mar.”
“That’s not the point! It’s the ceremony of it. I can’t be there with you, so I’ll be there in spirit.”
“You could also just marry me, if you’re looking to do favors,” I tried.
“Oh my god,” she breathed. “You never quit, do you? Don’t you have some beer to be drinking? I should let you go. Go call your mom or something.”
I popped my jaw, my stomach turning. “I did hear from her. But it’s . . . complicated.”
I could almost feel Mara’s nod on the other end. “I get it.”
My throat was dry as I tried to brighten the mood again. “What about you? Can I send you bad day pill money?”
