I shrugged, cracking my knuckles. “That could be a possibility.”
“Matt, is she worth losing your friends over?” Mom asked, sporting her serious face. Mom’s grave face was enough to crack even the most stubborn liars when we were kids. How does that phrase go? —I’m not mad, just disappointed.
Yeah, right.
“No one is going to lose anyone,” I said.
“Well, okay,” Mom said, shaking her head as the bell over the door rang for a new customer. “As long as she doesn’t break your heart.”
I shook my head no and looked up automatically towards the door where a guy was coming in, shrugging off his jacket. I immediately recognized him with ugly glasses and shaggy blond hair. It was Jason, Renee’s Whatever He Is, and right behind him was the Queen of the Hour herself.
“Fuck.”
“Matthew James, don’t use that language around me.”
“Sorry, Mom.”
Following my eyes, Mom turned around in her seat to check out what I was staring at. It took her a minute when Renee stepped out from behind Jason, but I knew she recognized her.
“Is that her?” Mom whispered, swiveling her head back in my direction. She was whispering now like we were in some undercover op, and Renee was our target. “You’re right,” she hisses. “She really grew into herself, didn’t she?”
“Mom, be quiet.”
“Oh, sorry, am I embarrassing you?”
“Yes.”
“Hey, Renee, right?” Mom swiveled again in her seat, one hand shooting into the air as Jason and Renee hung up their jackets and stepped inside. Renee looked in our direction, confused. Then she spotted me, and something dark draped over her expression. She whispered something to Jason, who nodded, looking annoyed, but followed the waitress to their table. Renee, however, came walking in our direction, and for the first time in my adult life, I felt like I’d instead be swallowed by an unrelenting tidal wave.
“Um, hi,” Renee said, stopping at the table. Mom was getting out of her seat to stand up and hug Renee.
“Do you remember me?” Mom asked her. “I’m Matt’s mother, Melanie Nelson. We were just talking about you.”
“Oh,” Renee said with a hint of surprise, her eyes landing on me. “I hope it was nothing bad.”
“Oh, no, sweetie, not bad at all.”
“Mom, sit down, please,” I said between clenched teeth. Across the room, Jason was glaring at us with venomous hate. “Renee, we’re sorry to keep you. Said hi to your boyfriend for me.”
“Boyfriend?” Mom repeats, looking past Renee and at Jason. “I’m sorry, dear, I had no idea—”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Renee assured her, squeezing my mom’s hand. I could see how Renee looked at my mom now; it was the same way everyone who knew her before looked at her now. “Mrs. Nelson, how have you been? It has certainly been a couple of years since I last saw you.”
“She’s fine,” I snapped. I was overwhelmed right now, unable to keep the simmer of rage from reaching boiling point. I was angry to see Renee with Jason and even more furious that Renee was standing here talking with Mom and me like we’ve been nothing but good friends the last six years of our lives.
“Matthew James, if you take that tone with me one more time tonight, I’ll smack your mouth,” Mom said, wheeling on me viciously. “Keep that attitude checked, son.”
Renee smirked, just a little bit, but I couldn't say anything to this or even defend myself because everyone knew my mom was not the person you wanted to mess with. She would take you out before you even realized what was coming.
“Sorry,” I muttered instead. Mom turned back to Renee.
“I’m fine, dear, nothing relevant to bring up.”
Yeah, except your fucking cancer,I thought. Even Renee knew better than that, but she didn’t push it either.
“It was terrific to see you, Mrs. Nelson,” Renee said, giving my mom a final hug. Her eyes floated to mine, and I knew she still wanted to punch me after our run-in earlier.
As Renee walked over to her table to join her geeky boyfriend, Mom sat back in her seat and focused her eyes on me.
