“What in the world? Is that a mobile home?”
I nod proudly. “Yes, ma’am. Bubba built it for us. Well, he put the trailer on top of the cabin. He didn’t build either of them.”
“Well, regardless of who built what, it’s beautiful, baby.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. Look at that craftsmanship. How on earth did he get it to stay up there?”
I shrug. “He sawed off the top of that tree and used it as a load-bearing column. I ain’t sure how safe it is, but we ain’t fell from the skyyet.” I point up at the window at the end. “That’s where Dallas and his stepson sleep. Bubba, Ezra, and I share the one on the other end.”
She furrows her brows. “All that space, and you’re still having to share a room?” A sad frown settles on her face. “I wish I could’ve given you your own room when you were little. I wish I could have given you a lot of things.” She takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. “You deserved so much more than what we had. All my boys do, but especially you.”
“Why me, especially?”
“Because you’re my baby,” she answers, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. I’m starting to worry she may be suffering from memory loss, because out of all the things she knows about me, I’d expect her to remember I’m her oldest kid. She chuckles. “You don’t have to be the youngest to be my baby.” I guess she can still read me like a book.
“Does that mean I’m your favorite?” I ask. She’s never outright said it, but I’m pretty sure it’s true. Maybe it’s down to my being the prodigal son, or maybe we’ve always had a special bond, but each time I came home, whether to visit, or under the belief I was moving home, only to skip town a few weeks later, I felt it. Growing up, I felt it too, but it was different then. She would always give me the biggest slice of cake. I’d always have first dibs on Daddy’s hand-me-down clothes too. She never made a big deal about it, and she didn’t act like I was some golden child in front of my brothers, but we had a special bond. Much gentler than her bond with Pete or Barrett. While they were mud-wrestling out back, I’d be inside, clinging to her coattails, soaking up all her wisdom like a sponge.
“I never said that,” she says coyly.
“Sometimes saying nothing is the same as saying everything.”
She winks at me and taps the side of her nose like we’re sharing some well-guarded secret. She whirls on her heel and heads in.
When we make it inside, I have to do a double take, because Pete is sitting on the sofa, fully naked, holding an equally naked Jaden in his arms. Ezra is on the other side of the sofa, looking completely disgusted. Pete stares at the television in wonder, the same way I stared at those DVDs at Walmart when I moved to Texas. I don’t know what the hell Jaden has playing on our flatscreen, but whatever it is makes Pete’s eyes bulge halfway out his head.
“This is the best part. Wait for it …” Jay lifts his index finger toward the ceiling before dipping it downward like a falling nuclear bomb. “And boom goes the dynamite.” Pete sucks in a sharp breath, and when I look at the television set, I see why.
“Holy shit,” I whisper.
“Mother of God,” Ez says.
Momma’s jaw practically hits the floor. “Oh, my Lord.” She turns to me, her face flushed with color. “Baby, I think I’d really like to find that water closet now.”
“You and me both.” I have to clear my throat and look away, because I don’t know if I can look her in the eye after this. On screen, my god-nephew is kneeling in front of a man with the biggest cock I’ve ever seen. It puts even Bubba’s dick to shame. His face is coated in cum as the other guy slowly tugs his spent cock. I feel like I’m going to be sick, because Jay is like family to me, and I ain’t into incest. God knows what Momma’s thinking. There’s a man preparing to blast Jaden from here to Kingdom Cumdump, and knowing what a prude Daddy’s always been, I doubt facials were ever in their wheelhouse. Fuck. And now it’s immediately where my mind wanders. I groan, slamming my eyes shut and shaking my head, trying to dislodge the mental image.
“What’s a water closet?” Ezra asks.
“The bathroom,” I say to him, then I point to my right, motioning toward the stairs so Momma knows where to go. “It’s just up there.Our room is to the right.” As mom heads upstairs, I spot Ezra, eyeing me curiously.
“What’s wrong?” I mouth, but he just shakes his head.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Bubba says. When I look over, he’s staring up at the ceiling, his head tilted at an awkward angle.
“Don’t worry about Dad,” Jay says to Pete, snuggling in closer. Pete’s got his hand on Jaden’s hip, gripping tightly as he stares at the video of Jay on screen, dazed. “He’s always super protective. He’s just mad I found the love of my life so much quicker than him.” He taps the tip of Pete’s nose. “Okay, here’s the other part I was telling you about.”
Pete swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “I didn’t think you were serious.” He looks over at me for support, I guess. “He can’t be serious, can he? People don’t do that here, do they?” His hand tightens around Jaden’s hip, thumb brushing back and forth. “Fuck, little man.”
“Don’t do what?” I ask.
Jay cozies even closer to Pete, resting his head on my brother’s chest. “Ignore Johnny. Keep your eyes on the screen. The guy in the video only let me do it once, and it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it situation.”
“Holy hell,” Pete whispers. On the television set, a big, perky ass fills the screen, and then the guy bends over, exposing his hole. Jaden’s face approaches the man, his tongue poking out, aimed at the dude’s entrance.
He’s got to be shittin’ me. I was outside for all of five minutes. What the hell could’ve happened in here to prompt a family viewing of a Jaden Jenkins sex tape.
Unfortunately, Bubba chooses this exact moment to dry-heave, causing him to move his head, his eyes inadvertently traveling across the screen as Jay’s tongue touches the guy’s hole. Bubba’s entire facegoes green, and he covers his mouth with his hand, rushing to the downstairs bathroom, looking like a cartoon character.
