The sight of my mother dressed for the airport shoots a bolt of fear throughme.
She starts talking like it’s not a big deal she’s going to another state. “I told Tori where to find Cody’s hiding places. How to get the kids to brush their teeth. Where the emergency numbers are. Their daily schedule. Everything’s gonna befine.”
I was never a momma’s boy growing up. That was Logan. But I’ll admit I’m a little torn up seeing her go. Probably ’cause we relied so heavily on each other after my fatherdied.
We head into the living room where Tori is on the floor, dressed like a princess, compliments of my daughter’s styling efforts. Cody is hanging off Tori’s neck, and Mila is debating which bauble would look best on her newbabysitter.
“Give your grandma a hug goodbye.” I motion for the kids to getup.
Mila takes one look at my mother, sees the suitcase behind her, and immediately starts bawling. Rushing into her grandmother’s arms, she cries so hard, she startshiccupping.
Mom coos in her ear. “Honey, calm down. I’m only going for a month or two. I’ll be backsoon.”
“But wha-wha-what if you don’t come back? Wha-wha-what if you stay away like Mommy? What if you don’t want usanymore?”
I close my eyes, my daughter’s words a cattle brand on myheart.
Does this ever geteasier?
“Sweetie, I’m always,alwaysgonna want you and your brother, and your momma wants you guys too.” Her voice is thick with emotion. “She’s just going through a rough time is all.” Smoothing down my daughter’s hair, my mom whispers, “I’m only a phone call away. Call me any time, night or day.” She pulls out of my daughter’s hug and holds her shoulders. “Hey, look at me.” Mila’s tear-stricken face cuts me to the core. “I need you to be a big girl and take care of your daddy and brother. Two men in a house by themselves need a good woman to look afterthem.”
Mila nods and wipes away snot. “I can make Daddy Pop Tarts for breakfast so he’s nothungry.”
“Thatta girl. And you remember how he likes his coffee, right? Two sugars and a good helping of milk. Don’t use half-and half even though he likes it because he should watch those trans fats now while he’syoung.”
Hearing the two most important girls in my life worry about me makes my chestache.
I’m wondering how I’m gonna get Mila out of my mom’s arms when Tori approaches them and whispers in Mila’s ear. Not sure what she says, but Mila starts laughing, and Tori picks her up and swings her around so she’s on her back, clinging to herneck.
“Have a great trip, Beverly,” Tori says cheerfully, like my whole family isn’t on the brink of an apocalypse. “Mila and I are going to have a big surprise for you when you get back, aren’t we,Mila?”
My daughter wipes her eyes and nods and smiles at my mom. “Big, big, bigsurprise!”
I stand there, a little dumbfounded that this train wreck has turned around, until Tori mouths, “It’s okay. Go.” She turns her back so she and Mila are facing the otherway.
As I’m walking my mom out, I pause in the doorway to look at my kids, who are playing with Tori like nothinghappened.
Only one thought comes to mind—thank God she’shere.
It’sdark when I get back, much later than I thought I’d be. Austin traffic sucked, as always, and Mom’s flight was delayed. That was when I realized I didn’t have Tori’s cell number, and she didn’t have mine. I was thinking I was the worst parent ever when I remembered my mom had shown Tori the emergencynumbers.
My brother’s sprawled on a couch, flipping through baseball channels, when I stride into thehouse.
“Thanks for comingover.”
When I realized I couldn’t call Tori’s cell and she wasn’t picking up the office phone—why would she?—I called Logan and asked him to check on the kids and let Tori know I was runninglate.
“No problemo. Wasn’t like I had plans.” His brow liftsmeaningfully.
“On a Mondaynight?”
“Yeah, with this hot-as-fuck waitress I met last week. Thanks for cockblocking, by theway.”
I roll my eyes. God forbid my brother doesn’t get laidregularly.
He waves the remote in my direction without taking his eyes off the TV. “Do you need Joey to babysit for you this weekend? She says to call or text if youdo.”
“Yeah, I might need an extra pair of hands.” I told Tori she could have the weekends off, and I don’t want to break thatpromise.
