AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I come to a stop halfway down the block and sit on the curb. “Yeah?”
“Have a good game tonight,” he says, and that awesome smile coming through the line breaks my heart.
“Thanks, buddy. I will.”
But the team we’re up against? Something tells me, they’re not gonna have a good game.
Chapter 24
Cammy
Iwake, disoriented, coming out of a sleep so deep and hard I’m shaky as I push-up to sit. The light coming in from behind the blinds seems wrong.
It takes me a minute to remember it’s not morning and I haven’t just slept the night through. I only closed my eyes for a nap, I set my alarm, but— Where’s my phone?
Matty’s little laugh drifts in from beyond my door, and I smile. I can practically see him out there, playing with Rux, and—
I stumble as my brain catches up.
Not Rux, I’m reminded as my hand reaches the cold metal of the knob.
Jeremy.
That’s right.
My heart deflates a little, and again I glance around for my phone. Has Rux called, texted?
But another sweeping glance of the room doesn’t reveal anything, and I figure I’ll come back for it later. First, I want to check on Matty.
Stepping out into the hallway, I’m greeted by my little boy rocketing toward me for hug. Beyond, Jeremy’s sitting on the couch, looking a bit rumpled himself.
“Mom, you slept forever! Your alarm was going off, and Dad said maybe we should let you rest, so I went in and took your phone.”
Is that so? My eyes shift between my son and his father who’s rubbing the back of his neck, giving me an uneasy smile.
“I hope it’s okay. You looked exhausted and, since I was here, I figured why not let you sleep.”
I don’t want to make a big deal of it now, but I’ll talk to Matty about taking my phone in future.
“We played Play-Doh forever! Dad didn’t want dinosaurs to destroy their new house, so we putSarah’s Wrapover it and then played a board game. And then we put on a show, but he was tired too and fell asleep while we were watching. And I made this picture for Rux, so he can take it with him when he goes on road trips. I think he misses us when he’s gone.”
The flood of information coming at me at lightning speed starts to process and I rub my hand over Matty’s hair.
“I bet Rux would love that picture.” I lean down and give him a hug. “Show it to me?”
Proudly, he leads me over to the coffee table, and the single sheet of paper that has my heart aching and emotion crawling up my throat.
“Oh, he’s going to love this,” I say, hoping Matty can’t hear the tremor in my voice. No tears, damn it.
The picture is clearly of Rux in his Slayers gear, little lines beneath his feet indicating skates. Close beside him is a figure with blond hair and blue eyes, a slight variation on the picture he draws of me every time. And at his other side is Matty’s small form smiling wide, holding his hand.
Matty turns back to his dad. “You and Rux aren’t that good of friends yet, so this picture is just us. But the next one I make, you can be in.”
Jeremy’s smile doesn’t falter, but I’ve known this man since he was a boy. And though he’s doing a pretty good job of covering it up, I catch the smallest flinch of hurt.
“Can’t wait, kiddo.”
Matty lets me take a picture of his drawing, and then dashes back to his room to put it in a safe place for the next time he sees Rux.
