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“And nobody thought to mention it to me?”
He’d been gone when I got back home just before dawn, but he’d said he had an early morning. I wasn’t on today, but with the way news spread, I couldn’t believe no one had called. Especially not my family.
“I’m sorry. I thought Aaron told you.” She banged the wooden spoon on the side of the pot and set it down. “First that woman I called a daughter cheated on him and now this,” she shouted. Then looked at me, pleading. “Hasn’t my boy been through enough?”
Did she know about the fight? Beat down was more like it. I wasn’t going to bring it up unless she did.
I’d seen people lose everything to fire more times than I liked to think about. Maybe things weren’t great at Joe’s house, but if it was all gone . . . that would do something to a person.
Memories, a lifetime of things he’d collected, precious possessions that had been Pop’s, photos . . . none of it could be replaced. At least he was okay, wasn’t he?
“Have you talked to Joe?”
“He said he’s fine. Another call came in and he had to go.” She pulled two plates from the cabinet above her head.
I shooed her out of the way. “Let me get that.”
I took them from her hands and set them on the counter. It was a relief to hear she’d spoken to him and he wasn’t hurt.
“Ramona said she heard it was arson.” She scooped chicken cutlets and gravy onto the plates. “Christina has lost her mind.”
I stilled as I grabbed one. “Sheset the house on fire?”
What the hell was wrong with that woman? She’d destroyed my brother and now destroyed the house. I didn't want to know what was next.
“Well, it’s not official, but after the scene she caused at your place . . .” She gave me that stern mother look that still made me nervous. “You should’ve called me.”
A pit formed in my stomach. I didn't like keeping stuff from her, but she didn’t need the stress, especially when there was nothing she could do about it.
“I didn’t want to worry you, Ma. The neighbors called the cops and she left. It was over almost before it started.” But not quick enough to keep her from doing even more damage to Joe first.
He’d been so dejected. So robotic. Like all that was left was his body and he was operating on autopilot. I couldn’t stand he was hurting so. I wanted to take it from him and carry it so he didn’t have to.
“You go pick up Joe after his shift and bring him to me. He needs to be home. I don’t care how old he is.”
I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Our mother was a great lady. The best. And she loved us in spite of what heathens we were. But she’d hover.
“He stayed with me last night.”
She patted my hand. “And you’re a good boy for looking out for him. But that’s no place for two people to live.” She hopped up. “Oh, I forgot the bread.”
In seconds, she had the fresh garlic loaf on the table. She sliced a piece and put it on my plate. “You should come home too. Help me keep an eye out on Joe. Then I can make sure you’re fed properly. You look thin.”
I glanced down, not sure what she was talking about. My diet lately hadn’t been the greatest, but I was still in good shape.
“This is good, Ma.” Too heavy for lunch, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. And it was the best thing I’d had to eat since I was here last.
“Since you won’t find a nice girl, your mother will just have to keep feeding you.”
Somehow, I didn’t think that was a hardship on her.
She forked some salad, then set it down. “I need you to watch out for Joe.” She pushed her mostly uneaten plate of food away. “I don’t have a good feeling. If she could cheat on my Joe, go ballistic like it was his fault, and then burn their house down, I don’t know what else she’s capable of.”
I swallowed a bite of bread. “What are you getting at?”
“I think she might kill him.”
Chapter Fifteen
