The observation made Aiden laugh too. “How does she always do it?”
“Mom magic.”
Trip led the way into the lobby of the building, and they boarded the elevator for their parents’ ninth-floor apartment. Aiden knocked on the door, which was as undecorated as the rest of the hall, and was reminded of Thea’s joy over ditching rental life for home ownership.
He missed her. God, when had she become central enough that he missed her when she wasn’t around?
“My boys!” Gloria threw the door open and pulled them into a hug that Aiden sank into. “You’re here!” She waved her hand and pushed them toward the kitchen table. “I just pulled a breakfast casserole out of the oven. Sit and eat.”
Aiden caught Trip’s eye, and they exchanged quick, suppressed smiles as they followed her to the table.
“Thanks.” Aiden accepted a plate with sliced melons positioned next to a wedge of egg, ham, and cheese giving off the most delicious breakfast-y steam. “Where’s Dad?”
“Asleep. He had an appointment yesterday, and that always wears him out.”
Speaking of worn out. Their mother’s voice sounded tired, and she looked thinner than he remembered ever seeing her, although her smile was still as warm.
“You’re worn out too,” he said. “We should be here helping you. We should—”
“You absolutely should not.” Steel entered her tone. “You’re running the business, and I’m sure that’s hard enough with your dad and me gone.” Her eyes traveled to the window, which framed a square of bright blue Chicago sky. “Believe it or not, I like it here. We’re close to a park, and I’ve found a nice group of retirees to walk with. Your dad comes with me on his good days. If not, we have home health care.”
“Really? Dad joined a senior walking group?” Trip asked.
She tossed her head back in a laugh. “He grumbles the whole time. But Chicago’s been… interesting. How often does someone like me retire and move to the city? We’ve met so many people.” Her hopeful gaze turned toward Aiden. “Speaking of people, how’s Thea?”
Trip scoffed before he could answer, and Aiden bristled immediately. “You got something to say?”
“Yeah. It’s bullshit.” He lifted his chin as if daring his brother to contradict him.
“Language!” But Gloria zeroed right back in on Aiden. “Why is it bullshit?”
“It’s not,” he said, praying this would end the subject. But Trip scoffed again, louder this time, and Aiden’s temper flared. “What’s your problem with Thea?”
“It’s not with her, it’s withyou.” He crossed his arms over his chest with a glare, and Aiden’s overtaxed patience finally snapped.
“And what thefuckis your problem withme?” Aiden tossed his fork down and lurched to his feet, too furious with his brother to control his tone.
“Boys! Knock it off.” Their mother’s voice cracked through the apartment. She pointed a finger at her firstborn. “You, sit down.”
Aiden dropped to his seat but didn’t look away from his brother’s red, angry face.
“And you.” Gloria addressed her second-born now. “Apologize.”
“But I—”
“Apologize.”
Trip’s flush reddened, and he glared down at the remains of breakfast on his plate. “Sorry.” He sounded exactly like the sulky twelve-year-old Aiden remembered.
“What is going on with you two?”
Aiden crumpled up his napkin, tempted to shove food into his mouth to keep from having to reply.
But his mom wasn’t new to the parenting thing, because she leveled a hard look at him, then Trip. “I bribed you both with a perfectly good trough of food. Now spill.”
Aiden sighed and pushed the plate away. “You’ll have to ask him.”
But Trip just glared down and said nothing.
