“Me too.” She closed the door and buckled up.
“Where’s E?”
“Arguing with Mama.” Unbothered, she waved her hand.
“Is Grey home?”
“No. He’s at a coach’s camp until tomorrow.”
I jumped out of the car and hurried inside. The raised voices of my son and Darren hit my ears when I walked inside. I followed the voices to the kitchen.
“I’m not giving you any more money if you can’t follow the rules.”
“Fine, don’t give me shit. I’ll just work more.”
The two faced off in the kitchen. My tall son, who looked more and more like me the older he grew, loomed over his mother. My ex had her finger in his scowling face. “School is your priority. Drop out of school, and I swear to God, I’m breaking that lease.”
“Man, I don’t need school.”
“Quitting school isn’t an option.” I jumped in.
Darren’s head whipped to me, and she folded her arms. “Please take him. I don’t want to look at him right now. Tired of him thinking he’s too grown to listen to me.”
Ethyn glared at Darren and started to brush past me, and I grabbed his arm. He looked like he was about to buck from me, and I stared him down. “Go back and kiss your mother. Apologize.”
He threw his long arms wide. “I didn’t do anything wrong. She keeps trying to treat me like I’m this little kid.”
“You raised your voice to her. I could hear you as soon as I opened the door.” When his nose flared, I tightened my grip on his arm. “Have you ever heard me raise my voice to your grandma even when we all knew she was wrong?”
“I’m not you...,” he started and winced from my grip.
“Have you?”
“No, sir.” He lowered his defiant glare.
“Your mother went through a lot to bring you into this world and spoils you rotten. Allowing you to get an apartment while you were still in high school without talking to me. She would do anything for you. So, I know that you’re not in here disrespecting her.”
“I wasn’t. She started with me this morning when I got here about moving back home. I’m not having it.”
I jerked him closer to me. “You’re only talking big because Grey isn’t here. He wouldn’t let you talk to his wife like that, and I’m not going to let my son talk to his mother like you just did. Apologize and then wait in the car for me.”
Darren tapped her foot and held her cheek out for him to kiss. He mumbled an apology before he eased past me, making sure not to touch any part of me.
Once the front door closed, I jammed my hands in my pockets. “What now?”
“That boy gets on my nerves, thinking he’s grown.” She held her hand up. “And I don’t need to hear your mouth that I deserve all of this because I let him live on his own too soon.”
“Don’t think I need to say it.” I smirked.
She groaned. “You love being right about the kids, and I hate it when you’re right.”
“That’s the best part.” I chuckled, and she hit my shoulder.
“Ouch, I forgot your body is made of steel.” She rubbed her hand. “I think we need to stop helping him pay for his apartment.”
“After you convinced me to help out so he and I can be closer?” I folded my arms. “Since you and E like telling me shit years after it happens, what is he doing? Is he not paying his bills or having wild parties? I thought he was being responsible.”
Still tapping her foot, Darren accused, “Elle and I stopped by last night to see if he wanted to see a movie, and a girl was in his bed. He tried to hide it, but the dumb girl came out of the bedroom barely dressed to see who stopped by.”
