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“Oh, my poor baby,” she kept going.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I blurted, blocking her as she tried to step inside.
“I heard about Samson,” she replied, still trying to get inside. “Is Firebird with you? Where’s my boy?”
“Yourboy?” I sputtered.
I was so shocked to see her that I could barely even speak. We hadn’t seen my mother in years. One day she’d stopped by to have dinner and talk about how well she was doing and the next day her phone had been turned off, and she’d taken off to parts unknown. I hadn’t even realized she was still in Oregon.
“Ava,” Nana greeted, coming up beside me.
“Mom,” my mother said with a nod. “I heard what happened.”
“And like a vulture, you came flying in,” Nana said sadly.
“I came to check on my kids,” my mother snapped.
I couldn’t help the bark of laughter that flew out of my mouth.
Ava scowled.
“You checked on us,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’re fine, so go.”
“Where’s your brother?”
“He’s inside.”
“Go get him. I want to see him.”
“He knows you’re here,” I replied flatly. “If he hasn’t come to the door, he doesn’t want to see you.”
“Of course he wants to see me.”
“Has she always been this self-absorbed?” I asked Nana.
“Since birth,” Nana replied quietly.
“Where’s my son?” Ava bit out. “Firebird? Come here, honey!”
Nana always called ushoneyand the word coming out of Ava’s mouth repulsed me.
“I’m here,” Bird said, walking over to the door. He came to a stop a little behind me. “You’ve seen me.”
“Oh, my gosh,” Ava said, theatrically putting her hand over her mouth. “Look how big you got!”
“That’s what happens in four years,” Bird said flatly. “Kids grow.”
“You’re going to be tall, just like your dad.”
“You know who my dad is?” Bird asked sarcastically.
“Disengage,” I warned under my breath. Getting into an argument with Ava was not only fruitless because she would never in a million years see things from any point of view but her own, but it also was exhausting because she’d never let it go until she felt like she’dwon.
“Of course I know who your dad was,” Ava said, straightening. “I loved him.”
“Don’t,” I muttered, elbowing Bird lightly as he opened his mouth to respond.
“You’ve seen us,” I told my mother. “Now it’s time for you to go.”
