“Reb’s asleep and even if she was awake, we don’t got our regular phones. These are flames.”
CJ smiled. “Burners, big head.”
“Yeah, those.”
“What’s the name of the hotel you’re at?” Ransom asked.
“It’s a house.”
“Are any of our clothes there?” CJ asked.
“We didn’t take no clothes, C.,” Axel answered. “We got here and went shopping and Mom buyed me a bunch of new stuffs. Her, Rebel, and Gunner, too. We got a bunch of food and everything. She even bought me a new gaming console. I got my own room. It’s awesome.”
Pain streaked through CJ, and he thought he’d faint. It sounded as if Mom didn’t intend to return anytime soon, and he felt so fucking lost.
“Axel?” Dad called, haggard and devastated. “Put your ma on the phone.”
“Mom don’t know I’m calling, Dad. If I give her the phone, she will.”
“Son, please. I just need to…she need to listen to me.”
“Mom’s already sad. If you make her cry again—”
“I swear I ain’t—” Dad scrubbed a hand over his face and swallowed. “Axel—”
“You won’t even take her to the cabin. Mom said she’s taking me, Gunner, and Reb.”
Dad pressed his lips together. “I’ll give you a thousand dollars, Axel.”
“How?” Axel asked suspiciously. “You don’t know where to send it.”
“I’ll find a way.”
“You’re lucky I’m broke.” The sound of a door opening came through the line, then Axel’s little feet slapping the floor before another door creaked open. “Mom?” he called. “Mom, Dad wants to talk to you.MOM!”
“What’s the matter, Axel?” Mom called groggily.
Dad closed his eyes as if just hearing her was manna from heaven. Maybe, it was if it felt anywhere near CJ’s relief.
“It’s Dad.”
“You called Christopher?” Mom asked, sounding wide-awake.
“In a moment of weakness, I called my attorney.”
“Axel—”
“Megan,” Dad interrupted, “where you at?”
“Objection!” Axel called. “You said you wanted Mom to listen to you.”
Gritting his teeth, Dad began bouncing his knee. “Megan, come home, baby. I…please. Ima take you to a cabin to celebrate our anniversary. Anyfuckinwhere you wanna go. And you ain’t gotta get the surgery. Cancel it—”
After everything Dad told her, it made sense Mom scheduled the hysterectomy, but it still shocked CJ and made him feel even guiltier now that he had time to think about it.
“You the best ma, the best wife, any motherfucker could ask for—”
“Why didn’t you tell me about Rule, Christopher?” Mom demanded. “He’s my son, too. I had a right to know hejumped out of a window.”
