“Again, no offense. I’m sure you have some sense of why I’m repeating that’s none of your business.”
She threw both hands out to her sides. “I was hoping that you’d?—”
“Stop hoping,” I stated firmly. “I won’t.”
“I’m not sure you understand?—”
“I am sure I understand you left him. When he was eleven years old. I also understand it was unsafe for you. But it was unsafe for him too. He was only a child, and he didn’t hear from you in any meaningful way for nearly twenty years.”
“I had to?—”
Okay.
Hell no.
I was not doing this.
And yeah, the slim hold I had on courtesy was out the window.
“Listen,” I spat. “I don’t really give a fuck what you had to. That was your son you left behind. Actually, three of them and a daughter. And you left them behind with a known criminal who did not, and you knew this too, have very good parenting skills. Or any at all.”
“I’d like to explain to Knox?—”
“Talk to Knox. Not me.”
“He won’t talk to me.”
“Then leave him alone.”
She straightened her shoulders. “I’m his mother.”
“And I’m his woman,” I shot back. “And he got himself a good one. Now, allow me to explain what that means. If I can shield him from pain, I will. If he needs a listening ear, I’m there. If he makes a decision about his life, I back him. And if he has issues with his family, the only side I’m on with that…or anything…is his. In other words, this is not your play, Ms. Chambers. Furthermore, when Knox finds out you pulled this, if he had any desire to speak to you again, he’ll lose it. Because he’s all those things to me as well.”
“I see he found a good woman. Please know, that’s a comfort.”
“I’m not here to comfort you. I don’t want to be talking to you at all.”
“Loon?”
I turned at Raye’s voice.
Regrettably, I was in no mood to compliment her on her wine-colored sweater dress that was sleeveless, off-the-shoulder, had a ribbed waistband that made her waist look tiny, and a daring, matching scarf tossed across her neck that gave the overall effect of class. She looked great.
I couldn’t tell her that because I was too busy talking myself into not rushing Knox’s mom and getting in a catfight.
I might break a heel.
Or a nail.
“Who’s this?” she asked when she got up close to me.
She was looking at Knox’s mom.
“I’ll just go now,” Cynthia Chambers said.
“Bye,” I replied shortly.
She gave me a lingering look then turned and picked her way through the dead weeds and gravel that delineated Oasis Square’s parking lot and the property next door, which was a medical complex that housed dentists and such.
