“We can go out to the living room.” I forced a smile for her, and she made a sound like she was watching puppies and cupped my cheeks before a determined expression spread across her face. She snagged my hand and didn’t let it go when I gently tried to tug away, dragging me out of the hallway. Her husband, Dave, stood near the couch, and he was in rougher shape than his wife. Most of his hair had gone gray, and something had happened to his left leg, because it was in a brace, but he marched over and wrapped me up in a hug, too.
“We thought you were dead, son. We looked and looked.” He patted my back and stepped away, and I was stunned to see tears on his weathered face. “Your mamma was beside herself when you disappeared. What happened?”
My face went white hot, and Jesse stared at me and fiddled with the top button of his uniform shirt as I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. What could I say? Did everyone here blame me for disappearing? I’d agreed to go with Perry... at first. I’d been so swept up when everything with my ex had started, and I’d thought I was getting everything I wanted out of a man. It didn’t take long for Perry to get scary, but by then I hadn’t known how to make anything stop.
“I.... I let someone talk me into something that wasn’t good,” I muttered.
Dave shook his head. “What have you been doing all this time?”
Surviving.I glanced around and found Daddy standing with his arms crossed behind the couch. “Nothing. After... Gian found me and helped me, I started volunteering at his church. I’m going to go back to school soon.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Bordelon snapped her fingers at Jesse, and he rolled his eyes but handed over a large beige envelope with a smile, which she passed to me. I stared down at the package as confusion washed over me.
“This is all your important papers and whatnot. Your mamma had them in her house, and when she died.... Well, we were the only people around here to wrap up her affairs. She had us down as the folks to get everything, since you were blowing in the wind. She had herself a little house, worked herself....” Mrs. Bordelon grimaced. “She worked herself right to death to get it, your poor mamma. We sold the house and put the money that was left, after the bank got their share, away in an account for you.” She tapped the envelope.
“Mom didn’t own a house when I was younger. She rented.” I frowned at her.
“Yes, well, the house she was renting went up for sale. All she did was work and search for you.” Mrs. Bordelon shrugged. “It isn’t much, only sixteen grand—the house was a tiny thing—but better than nothing.”
Stunned, I glanced at the envelope. “There is that much money in an account for me?” I nearly squeaked out that last word.
She nodded. “And all your papers are in there for everything, your birth certificate and such. She had it all in her lockbox.”
Groaning, I tapped my forehead with the envelope. “This would’ve been useful. I had a really hard time getting copies of my stuff to go back to school. I had to beg the community college to dig up my old records from before they switched everything over to electronic filing.”
“Oh.” She patted my cheek. “Where have you been, honey?” She searched my face for answers, and dread stopped my tongue from moving. What could I possibly say that would make sense to anyone outside of the group therapy meetings I was still going to?
“In town,” I said faintly.
She turned to stare at her husband as if that was the most outrageous thing she’d ever heard. Dave only shrugged.
Jesse frowned at his parents and crossed his arms. “Uh, I told everyone that you might not be up for an extended visit, but Ma insisted on coming to see you. She threatened me if I stood in her way, if you can believe it. An officer of the law and all.” He widened his eyes at her, but she flat-out ignored him, and I finally chuckled.
“Yes, maybe we can have you over for dinner sometime.” She grabbed my arm and her nails dug into me a little. I stared at her pink polish.
Nodding, I couldn’t bring myself to say no with the way she was watching me with heartbreak in her eyes. “D.... Gian, too?”
“Oh my, yes.” She smiled at Daddy. “Father Gian is certainly welcome. We’d love to have him bless a meal for us and hear about his good work.”
Jesse came over and physically removed his mother’s hand from me, which had me sharing a smile with him. “Okay, Ma. You’ve seen Phoenix, and now you can verify that I’m not cracking up and imagining things. I need to talk to him without you here.” Jesse rubbed her hand as if she’d been out in the cold. “It’s work stuff.”
Dave gave me the same type of pat on the head I used to get from him as a boy. “Don’t be a stranger. We worried about you for a long time.” The look he gave me, caught somewhere between joy and sorrow, made my heart twist.
“Of course. You’re welcome to come back for a visit,” I said, then forced myself to repeat the words loud enough to be heard. “And I would love to come to dinner.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Bordelon hugged me again, and this time I was able to squeeze her back without forcing anything. I wanted her to leave here happier than she’d arrived. “Can I take a picture with you, honey? I want to let everyone know you’re alive and kicking.” She tugged her phone out of a small white purse hanging at her side I hadn’t even noticed.
“Uh... sure,” I said. I didn’t like the idea of being plastered on some website, but I couldn’t say no. Daddy didn’t stop us as she put her arm around my shoulders and raised her phone, so he must not think it was a bad idea. She took several photos, and I got tired of standing still as she snapped a few more.
“Come on, Ma,” Jesse said with a sigh that had me snickering. “That’s enough.” He tugged the phone out of her hand and stuffed it back into her purse, which had her squawking and swatting at him.
“Well, I never. You’d think I was murdering him the way you’re acting.”
I glanced at the envelope she’d given me and didn’t know what to do with it, so I laid it on the coffee table and watched helplessly as Jesse wrangled his parents out the front door.
“You call me as soon as you leave,” Mrs. Bordelon said to Jesse, and she was trying to be quiet, but I heard her anyway.
“Yes, Ma,” he grumbled.
