“Oh, hush. You’ll understand when you have kids of your own. You two are perfect for each other, but I thought you were either going to come out to me as gay or a nun and Zach was happier using his little brain to do the thinking for him.” She blows her nose in my ear. “I want to know every single damn detail, do you hear me?”
“Now?” I whine.
“No. I have to speak with that idiot sperm donor of yours. But when you’re back home, I demand girl talk.”
“Only if we can grab fried chicken and ice cream first,” I wheedle.
“Absolutely.” That she doesn’t complain about the calories tells me she’s serious.
Orthat the lawyer guy isn’t as obsessed with her weight as Dad was.
If so, I already like him.
“Hell, if it takes those godawful chili fries and Klondike bars to get the truth out of you, I’ll do it. Every detail, Denver Parilla. You hear me?”
I grin at my shoes. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“You bet I do. God, I wish Jo were here. We’d all get together anddiscuss this. It would be so fun watching you both squirm.” She sniffles. “Life sucks.”
“I didn’t even know you two were that close,” I admit guiltily.
“We didn’t have much in common aside from you kids. Helmie and I are more in sync. But that doesn’t mean Jo didn’t fit in in her own way.”
“Mom?”
“Yes, baby.”
“Zach’s suffering.”
“I heard from Helmie that his temper’s running away from him. He always did get angry when there were circumstances out of his control. You burrow away with ten books, Pecan disappears to the rink, and Zach…” She sighs. “…earns eight detentions for fighting.”
“What do I do to help him?”
“You just be there for him and hope he doesn’t get expelled in the process.”
“Mom!”
“I’m joking!”
“You weren’t.”
“Your dad wouldn’t let him get expelled.”
Her offhand comment has me digging my heels into the sodden ground. As dirt kicks up about my ankles, I mumble, “Why is he so invested in Zach’s future?”
“All agents have prospects, you know that. Plus, Zach’s a part of the family.”
“Nothing else?”
“Maybe. Hockey’s your dad’s love. The rest of the sports are cash cows, but the ice is where his heart is. Fitting, really,” she tacks on, bone-deep bitterness souring her tone.
“Why did Alec think Dad could fix anything related to team politics?”
Her silence is answer enough.
“Why, Mom?”
“It’s related to something dumb he did years back when he was attending Oakwood. But it’s fine. I’ll make sure of it.”
