“You’re going to want to settle down yourself soon, Lucas. You’re not going to want to be living with your mother and little brother.”
Lily had three and a half more years at Bribury before we even thought about what we’d do after she graduated. Whether we’d stay here in Schoolport, or go elsewhere. Although that didn’t mean that we couldn’t live together while she finished Bribury. Maybe her junior year we’d—
My thoughts screeched to a halt as I realized how completely—and how easily—I’d woven Lily into my future.
And just how right it felt.
And who knows, while Lily was getting her degree, maybe I could look into finishing up mine. I’d done okay at USC—for a jock—and probably only needed a year and a half to complete a degree. I was pretty sure there was even a break on tuition for Bribury employees, for continuing education purposes. No doubt an effort on the administration’s part to reach out to the community that served the college’s needs. It made them look good.
“I’m going to be around and available for a few years yet,” I said to my mom, not willing to talk to her about Lily right now. This visit wasn’t about how happy I was with Lily, it was about my mom’s fight. “And I think it’s great you want to stay another thirty days.”
She leaned across the table and put her hand on top of mine. Hers was cold and had just the slightest tremble to it as she grasped mine.
“Thank you, Lucas. I really think I’m going to make it this time. It feels different.”
Which, actually, was something my mother had never said before, and so I believed her. “Whatever you need, Mom.” And then reality crashed in. “Will your work insurance pay for the extra thirty days?”
Her hand clenched a tiny bit, and she pulled it away. “They’ll pay for fifteen, forty-five total days. And, of course, I don’t get paid while I’m in here. But I am guaranteed my job when I get out. I have some money put aside, not much, and it was supposed to go for the rent on the apartment while I was here.”
I was doing the math in my head. I made better money on the third shift at Bribury than I would have on first, but I was just starting out and the pay wasn’t great. It was enough to help, but not enough for rent, food, and everything else.
My mom’s eyes flickered away from me, taking in the room around her, as if she wanted to get her last looks in because it would soon be taken away from her. Her hands folded onto themselves, and she began picking at her nails.
“We’ll be fine. I’ve got it covered with my job. Use the money for this place.”
She looked at me with hope in her eyes, a look I hadn’t seen in a very long time. I swallowed down a lump in my throat. I would make damn sure she was able to live out this newfound hope for her future.
She was my mother and I loved her. When my father had been alive, she’d been a great mom, and we’d been a very close family unit. Even with all the shit that happened after my dad died, she still did the best she could, and I always knew that she loved me, and wanted to do right by me. It was that sometimes she just…couldn’t.
I would find a way to take care of the bills so she could be in here as long as she needed to be.
Speaking of huge bills I had no way of paying…
“I spoke with a lawyer yesterday about putting something in place to make me a legal guardian of Andy for when you’re in here, or if…” I didn’t want to go there, didn’t want to say, “If this ever happens again.”
But she knew. With a sad smile, she said, “That was a good idea. It’s best to have something in place, just to keep CPS off your back a bit.”
“Yeah. So, they’re going to have something ready in a week or so.” (Or whenever I could pay Janine the fee for it.) “And I’ll bring it here for you to look over and sign.”
She nodded. “Make sure that it’s you only, Lucas, that’s listed.”
“Who else would I put on it?” Stick helped out with Andy more than he had to, and had actually been pretty cool with me having to move out of our apartment and back in with Andy, but he wasn’t legal guardian material by any stretch. I couldn’t think of anyone else.
“I mean, not that I think that asshole would care. But I do not want Andy’s father showing up now and demanding custody or anything because he heard I was in here.”
A cold chill ran down my spine as I thought about the man who gave my mom her first taste of drugs…cocaine at a party. “You don’t seriously think that’s a possibility, do you?”
The guy had been married, and had dropped her when she was pregnant with Andy. I never knew what happened to him; he lived in Chesney, not Schoolport. But now I wondered if my mom had kept tabs on him. She had given Andy the guy’s last name, I think hoping that he’d step up and acknowledge Andy. Never happened.
“No, I don’t think it’s likely. But if he knew I was in here…”
“He’d all of a sudden care about the well-being of his son, after not giving a flying fuck for six years?” She flinched, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of my language or the raised voice. “Sorry,” I said softly, apologizing for both.
“I shouldn’t have even brought it up. It’s so unlikely. But it just makes me feel even better that you went to see a lawyer, Lucas. I should have thought about it myself before I came in here.” She let out a strangled chuckle. “But I wasn’t in any shape to think about something like that.”
“I’ll call the lawyer and tell him about Andy’s father. Make sure that we have that base covered.”
She was nodding. “Yes. Yes. Thank you so much, Lucas. It’s so much easier to spend the time in here on things I need to work on when I don’t have to worry about Andy.”
