Page 9 of Shattered Dreams

“You said he broke his wrist.” I try to keep my voice low. “How the fuck did he—”

“Showing off at the track. He said you taught him a new trick on the bike…”

I sigh in defeat. Maddox’s favorite thing in the whole world is BMX and giving his mother and I a heart attack. He’s been riding since he was four, so it’s not like he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing. But that’s where Amelia and I don’t see eye to eye. She thinks he’s too young to get into competitions, and I feel like if we put him in competitions, it’ll be the best thing for him because maybe then he can utilize all that chaotic energy and put it towards something more constructive. Other than driving ‌both of us crazy. He needs an outlet. Especially now. It’s only going to get worse the older he gets. I know that from experience.

Which is why I told him I’d show him how to do an X-up if he passed his spelling test, which he did.

Of course, I told him not to do it without me present. Even told him it could be something we could work on together so we could brush up his skills and get him ready for some beginner competitions. Made him pinky swear not to tell his mother until we’d worked out all the kinks.

“Yeah, I showed him, Amelia. As in I demonstrated it and explained all the safety shit and told him not to do it without me there to watch him and make sure he’s doing the right things.”

There’s a tense silence between us as the guilt seeps into me, and she knows it.

“He said he did it because he wanted to impress the other kids at the track,” she says softly. “Thought maybe if they saw how good he was, they’d want to be his friend.”

My heart plummets at her words. Things haven’t been easy this last year; hell, they haven’t been easy since I moved out of the house two years ago. Then adding the school stuff…

Maddox is trying. I just wish there was something I could do to help. Really help…

“Those other kids are idiots,” I say. Amelia lets out a soft laugh. “Maddox is way better than them.”

There’s a pause as I let out a sigh, glancing at Dre who looks to have settled.

“I’m sure the cast will really impress them,” she says. I hear the humor in her voice. “And if it doesn’t, I’m sure he’ll tell everyone in great detail all about how tough it is.”

The tension fades, and I breathe a little easier.

“You and Andre have fun?” she asks, her tone back to her sweet, casual self.

I nod as I glance at Dre, who shifts a bit, closing his mouth as he lets out a sleepy grunt. The setting sun pours through the window, lighting him up in shades of gold and orange, illuminating his sharp jaw and faint shadow of stubble.

“Yeah,” I say, my voice cracking just a bit. I don’t know why I feel so weird; like I am about to cry or some shit. Maybe I’m just frustrated with my son.

Or maybe I’m just frustrated with life in general.

“How far away are you?” she asks.

“Bout two hours,” I breathe out, the anxiety and panic lessening now that I know he’s okay.

I mean, he’s got a broken wrist, and I’ll have to talk to him—again—about the importance of safety and not putting himself or others at risk just to look cool.

Which I will do, after I tell him I’m proud of him for pulling off a fucking X-up at eight years old!

That’s my boy.

“You want me to keep him an extra night?” she asks nonchalantly, like it’s no big deal. And maybe it isn’t. Amelia and I both agreed we wouldn’t become those divorced parents; the ones who hate each other and cause problems for everyone else because of it.

I know if I said yes, she wouldn’t have a problem with it. But after three days away from my kid, the last thing I want is to come home to an empty house.

“No. I’ll get him. I’ll be home around nine-thirty. Will swing by your place to get him on the way to Dre’s.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

I let her go and settle my phone in the cupholder, feeling equal parts excited and guilty.

Exhaustion sinks into my limbs, and I yawn, just as I feel a hand on my arm. I don’t jump or startle; if anything, I relax a little, knowing the familiar, warm touch.

“I’ll take over,” Dre says, his voice still a little groggy from his nap.