Page 183 of Playing By Ear

“Oh.” Perry gripped the edge of the mattress, bowled over by this turnaround.

“I’m sorry for trying to shame you. I hope I failed in that regard.”

“Well, mostly. I got over it.” Mostly.

“I think it came from the part of me that’s been fending off shame my entire life.”

“Really?” Perry had never seen her show an ounce of anything but confidence.

“I doubt I’ll ever celebrate your choice,” she said, “but I can accept it and be willing to hear how it’s been good for you.”

“Good, because I’m putting it in writing.”

His mum hesitated. “That essay you mentioned?”

He told her what he’d just told Jamie, and she listened without interrupting.

“I won’t pretend it doesn’t make me nervous, Perry. But you’re an adult. And you’re my son, so I will love the bones of you to the end of my days.”

“Thank you.” He meant those two words with all his might. “I love you, too.”

They left it there, in a better place than Perry could have hoped for after their quarrel in the car.

Then he joined Jamie in consuming a well-earned double chocolate chip muffin. They munched in silence as indistinct voices filtered through the wall between their bedroom and Martin’s.

“Hold on,” Jamie said after a minute. “Who told Stuart about your camming?”

“He said it was a rival who wanted leverage against your family.”

“Weird. I get that Martin MacKray’s son’s partner being a sex worker is juicy gossip, and nae doubt it’s part homophobia. But everyone knows my dad cannae be embarrassed. He’s shrugged off bigger scandals than this.”

“Maybe they’re striking now because they know he’s weak?”

“I wish I knew what they want out of it.” Jamie sucked chocolate off his fingers. “What if there is no ‘rival’? What if it’s just Stuart wanting leverage against me? He might’ve kept tabs on my name, looking for ammunition.”

“Why?”

“Dunno. Old-school in-law rivalry? He knows I want nothing to do with the business.”

“But you’re a good influence on your father, and that’s bound to make Stuart nervous about what comes next.”

“Aye.” Jamie reached for the baby monitor. “Let’s find out.”

“You want to eavesdrop on gangsters?”

“I want to eavesdrop on my family.” Jamie flipped the switch.

The monitor screen glowed a light-gray rectangle. Perry leaned in and discovered that’s all it was. No picture, no sound.

“Stuart must’ve turned it off. The switch is out of Dad’s reach.” Jamie sat back with a frustrated huff. “Anytime those two are alone together, I worry they’re cooking up something behind Belinda’s back.”

“Her own husband could be scheming against her?” This truly was the most disturbing family Perry had ever met.

“I don’t know Stuart well enough to know what he’s capable of.” Jamie licked muffin crumbs off the wrapper’s foil interior.

Martin’s door opened, then Stuart appeared outside Jamie’s room. “Perry, can we have a wee chat? Alone?”

Jamie stiffened. “Anything needs said, can be said in front of me.”