AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But sometimes, I didn’t have all the answers. “I’m not sure yet.” I went with honesty. “But as soon as I know, I’ll tell you, okay?”
“Yep.”
The line went dead, and for a second, I thought he’d hung up on me. It wouldn’t be the first time. But then I heard him make a soft tsking sound. Over and over.
“What you doing, buddy?”
“Feels good,” he said, the sound growing louder and louder.
“Scottie, give Mom the phone. I’ll speak to you soon, okay?”
But he didn’t answer, lost in his self-stimulating behavior.
“Mason?”
“Hey, Mom. Is he okay?”
“A little agitated. But he’ll be fine.”
“Dad?”
“Stopped by for ten minutes the other day. I swear Scottie’s whole face lit up, and something inside me died, Mase. Gosh, sweetheart, I’m a horrible person—”
“No, Mom. Don’t ever say that.” Anger bubbled inside me, but I reined it in for her sake. “Scottie has always had a weird hero-worship bond with Dad.”
“It hurts, Mase. I know it shouldn’t.” She let out a weary sigh. “But it does.”
“I get it, Mom. I get it.”
My old man had walked away a few years ago after Scottie was diagnosed with autism. We’d always known he was different. It had been apparent right from when he was a baby. But Dad didn’t want to admit it—he didn’t want to accept it. No son of his could possibly be autistic.
So I got it—I got how hard it was for Mom to watch Scottie idolize the man who had walked away when shit got too hard.
“I told him I can’t stop by tomorrow, but I’ll call as soon as I figure out when I can get there.”
“Mason, it’s okay to miss a week, sweetheart. You have so much going on with the team and practice and class.”
“It’s fine, Mom. I promised him—”
“I know you did, baby. And it’s commendable. Truly. But Scottie is not your responsibility.”
“Mom…” I swallowed over the giant fucking lump in my throat.
“Gosh, sweetheart, that came out all wrong. I just mean, I know how much you love your brother, but you’re at college, baby. And you deserve to have the full college experience. I don’t want you to keep worrying that I can’t handle things here.”
“Mom, stop. I’m ninety minutes away. I love spending time with Scottie. Besides, you deserve a break every now and again too.”
She let out a soft sigh, but it was laced with pain. “You’re a good boy, Mason. And you know your brother idolizes you.”
“He’s a good kid.”
“He is…” Her voice trailed off because raising Scottie hadn’t been easy on Mom. Which is why I went home as much as I could.
My father might have walked out on them, but I wouldn’t.
Laughter filled the night as my friends spilled out of the bar.
“I’ve got to go, Mom.”
