He checked his phone messages, saw he had a bunch of new ones from Mitch and the other Northwest Ice guys, plus a few from his teammates.
He spent some time replying, then soon felt an inner sense to pray again.To pray specifically for Gen.He really hoped his mom hadn’t taken it upon herself to tell Gen what she thought of her.
He was finishing his afternoon snack of apple juice and pureed pears when his parents finally returned.Mom was in a foul mood.
“What took so long?Did they have to pick then roast the coffee beans?”he teased.
Dad shook his head at Kyle.“Not now, Son.”
Mom stomped to her seat and sat.“Can you believe she threatened to have the cops arrest me?”
“What?Who?”
“Your precious little girlfriend, that’s who,” she snarled.
Now didn’t seem to be the time to point out the very much former status of his girlfriend.“What?No.That can’t be true.”
“Oh, but it is.”
“What were you doing down there?”he asked.“You told me you were getting a coffee.”
“Well, I thought the cafeteria wasn’t too far from emergency.And I needed to make sure she knew not to bother you again, and—”
“Mom.”
“Don’t look at me like that, Son.It’s for your own good.”
“You stirring up trouble is not for my own good.Please Mom, don’t speak to Gen again.I don’t want you to feel like you need to speak on my behalf again, either.”
She inhaled sharply.“I’m only trying to help.”
Kyle pressed his lips together.Mom was never one to hear how her emotional manipulations had led to this growing distance between them.He loved his mom, but didn’t like how she took up arms each time she felt he’d been slighted.Maybe it was part of the price of being an only child.Whatever.The lack of angst had been one of the reasons he liked Gen.She’d never been one for playing games.She’d always been straightforward—Mom often said simple—but Kyle recognized it now as drama-free.Gen had been one of those few females he knew that could shrug off emotional attacks and keep the main thing the main thing.So he was pretty sure that Mom’s version of events was probably not even a quarter true.
“I’m pretty tired,” he announced.
“Are you saying you want us to leave?”Dad asked.
Mom, yes.Dad, not so much.Kyle fake-yawned, which triggered a real one that threatened to swallow him whole.
“Fine.I get the message,” Mom rose, collecting her handbag.“You’re still as enamored with that witch as you ever were.”
He clamped his lips together to prevent himself from saying something he might regret.
“We’ll be back tomorrow,” Dad said.He squeezed Kyle’s shoulder, saying quietly, “She bailed her up.I think she was pretty shaken.”
“She seems shaken,” he murmured.
“Not your mom,” Dad muttered.
“Are you two whispering about me again?”Mom demanded.
“It’s good to know you’re not ever paranoid,” he teased.
She sniffed.Kissed his cheek.“Make sure you get some sleep.And don’t let that woman entice you again.I won’t stand for it, you hear?”
“I hear.Loud and clear.”
“Hmm.I never really know if you mean that or if you’re just saying that to shut me up.”
