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“Mel? It’s Dirt.”
“From Tourmaline? The Savage Angels, Dirt?”
“The one and the same.”
“Is Destiny okay?”
“It’s not Destiny I’m calling about, it’s Tobias.”
There’s a sharp intake of breath. “He’s the man who got shot. Is he the survivor or one of the dead?”
“Survivor. He’s in the Baptist Hospital in Pearl.” She doesn’t speak. “Mel, are you there?”
“Yes. I’m coming.”
The line goes dead, and I stare down at the screen. A pair of boots comes into view. Looking up, Lore is staring down at me.
“Tell me you didn’t just phone Tobias Mel.”
“Seems like I don’t need to tell you.”
Lore puts her hands on her hips and stares up at the ceiling. “Jesus, Dirt.”
“I thought she should know. They seemed close.”
Her head falls forward, and she sighs. “They were until she left him.” Lore spins on her heel, giving me her back. “Jesus, Dirt, what makes you think he’d want to see her?”
Standing, I lay a hand on her shoulder. “He might not want to, Lore, but maybe people need to see him.”
Lore shrugs my hand off and turns around. “He’s my son.”
“He is, Lore, and this is going to come out all wrong, but none of his friends know about you. I’ve fielded phone calls from lots of folks who want to see him or know how he’s doing, but you seem determined to keep us all away.”
Lore waves a hand at me. “And clearly, with you being here, that’s working.”
Keeping my hands at my sides for fear I might choke the life out of her, I say, “You trying to be the best mom in the world by keeping his friends at arm’s length isn’t going to sit well with Tobias when he wakes up.”
She steps back as though I’ve slapped her.
“Lore, I know you’re angry, and if it makes it any easier for you, I’ll keep away. But Tobias has a family here. He has friends and a life, one you don’t know anything about.”
Her gaze drops to the floor, and her nostrils flare a little as she takes deep breaths. The room feels heavy with unspoken tension as if it could shatter at any moment.
With a sigh, she finally lifts her eyes to meet mine. They’re filled with a mixture of sorrow and frustration.
“You don’t understand, Dirt,” she says, her voice trembling. “I’ve spent years believing I was doing what was best for him. I kept away and let his dad raise him. At the time, I believed I was doing right by Tobias, but I wasted all that time. You’re right. I don’t know my son, at least not as well as I should or would like to. If he dies—”
I step closer. “Lore, we’re all here for you and him.”
She nods slowly, her tears shimmering in her eyes. “I know I’ve made mistakes. But I can’t lose him, not now, not after all these years.”
My heart aches for her, understanding the depth of her pain. I reach out and gently place a hand on her shoulder. “Lore, don’t talk like that.” I glance down at Tobias. “He’s still here.”
Lore looks at me with a mixture of gratitude and fear. She nods and steps back, and my hand falls to my side as she once again puts space between us.
“He’s breathing on his own. The doctor seems happy with his progress, but he won’t wake up.” A single tear falls down her cheek, and she quickly brushes it away. “I’ll let one person in for ten minutes at a time during visiting hours.”
“Thank you.” Lore acknowledges me with a quick chin lift. “Can I get you anything?”
