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Max nudged Dave in the ribs and grinned. “Look at that. She’s analog. Like you.”
Sabine shot a shy smile to Dave that hit him directly in the chest and left him a little dazed.
Sabine and Max went over their lists and plans, and Dave faked following along. But they could have quizzed him immediately after and he’d have come up blank.
It didn’t matter. He wasn’t in charge of planning for a reason.
That reason being he sucked at it.
Also, planning was boring.
Like…if he had to name the most boring things in the world, planning would be at the top of the list. And then he’d obviously not finish the list because fuck that noise.
All he had to do was show up and eat.
Which he could do.
His phone pinged and he glanced at it.
Oh. His ma’s flight had landed.
“Mama Capone is coming after all,” he announced, replying back to her.
When all that followed was silence, he glanced up.
“Is she now?” Max asked carefully. He forced a small smile. “Well, that’s very generous of her.”
“It is,” Dave agreed. “I wasn’t sure if she’d be here. Sometimes she has other stuff going on,” he explained to Sabine. “You’ll like her.”
“I’m sure I will,” Sabine replied with a smile and her eyes bounced to Max.
“Yes,” Max confirmed tightly. “You will like her. She’s a likable woman that Mama Capone.”
Dave stood, sliding his phone into his pocket. “I’m going to use your restroom.”
* * *
SABINE
The door to the bathroom closed behind Dave and Sabine zeroed in on Max.
“What’s going on, Max?” she asked quietly.
Max’s mouth flattened into an unhappy line. “Mama Capone is… well, she’s unreliable if I’m being honest. But you’ll understand when you meet her.” He glanced at the bathroom and dropped his voice further. “She travels. A lot. She took off when Dave was sixteen and never really came back.” He tilted his head and smiled to himself. “That was when I took over as a caregiver in Dave’s life. I think I did all right.”
Sabine shook her head, trying to keep up. “So his mom is…flighty?”
Max rolled his eyes. “In a sense. But I always got the impression that she just didn’t like the responsibility of being a mom.” He squinted as if that explanation didn’t sit right either so she waited.
He took a deep breath. “Right after Dave was diagnosed, she took off. And she doesn’t really acknowledge that he is the man he is.” His face pinched in frustration. “You’ll see what I mean. If she even shows up tomorrow.”
But Sabine understood pretty well what Max was saying. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had to deal with a parent in denial of their child’s neurodivergence.
Though it would be the first time it happened with someone she cared for way more than one of her students.
That distinction hit her like a punch to the gut.
She cared for Dave way more than she cared for a lot of people.
