“My shoulder hurts. Did I fall? Are you the new nurse? Where’s the nurse? I’m hungry.”
“I know, Dad, I know.” I hug him, even though it makes him more agitated. “I love you so much.”
He wiggles and I let him go. His frown is steep—but for one brief second, he stares at me, and I swear there’s a part of him that understands.
“I hate to be a dick, but would you lovely folks mind if I borrowed your basement?” Prime stands and hauls Carbone up with him. “Just for a few minutes.”
“Door’s that way,” Mom says, gesturing toward the kitchen.
“Thanks a bunch.” Prime drags Carbone down the steps. The basement is always damp and dim with a concrete floor and old brick walls. I follow him, but Prime waves me off as he dumps Carbone on the ground.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll clean up when I’m done, I promise.”
“Prime—“
“Go upstairs. Talk to your mother. Explain to her what happened if you can. You don’t want to see this.”
“But I don’t?—“
“Deanna.” The look he gives me leaves no room for argument. “Go upstairs right now.”
I back away. I’ve caught glimpses of this side of Prime and it both excites and terrifies me.
As I leave, I hear the sound of gagging and choking, and Prime’s voice, low and menacing with an edge of joy. “I’m going to make this slow, Marco. It’s going to hurt.”
I shut the basement door behind me.
Mom’s sitting at the kitchen table. I start making tea, mostly for something to do, while Yolanda takes care of Dad and gets him back upstairs.
“Is blood hard to clean out of carpets?” Mom asks vaguely when I place a mug in front of her.
“I honestly have no idea.” I sit down and sigh, slumping on my elbows. “I should’ve told you about him sooner.”
“It’s okay. He seems nice.”
“That’s not the word I’d use for him.”
“Honey.” Mom reaches out. She grabs my wrist, her eyes fixed on mine. “If you love him, enjoy every second. Good and bad. I promise, one day you might miss even the annoying parts of him.” Tears fall down her cheeks. I can’t remember ever seeing her cry over dad before.
“Mom…”
“I know he isn’t getting better.” She chokes out the words. “I’ve always known. I loved him, Deanna. He was everything, my entire world. What am I without your father? I don’t know anything… I can’t do anything… he was always there to take care of me, and now I’m supposed to take care of him, and I don’t know how. I’m failing him, and I love him, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Oh god, Mom.” I move around and pull her against me. “I’m so, so sorry. You’re doing the best you can.”
I hold her tight as my mother cries in my arms, finally mourning the loss of her husband.
Prime comes upstairs ten minutes later. He washes his hands, compliments my mother on a lovely home, and says he’ll be back to take out the trash in a little while. “In the meantime, do you mind if I borrow your daughter?”
“She’s your wife now, isn’t she?” Mom smiles, wiping her face and sipping her tea. “You know, if my husband were still himself, he’d give you a stern talk about treating Deanna right.”
“Mom,” I say, swatting at her.
“It’s okay. I wish I could tell your husband that he has nothing to worry about. That I’d die for your daughter.”
Mom nods gravely. “Most people say that and don’t really mean it. But I have a feeling you do.”
