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“I’m aware of your little conversation with my wife.” I stare at her, fighting my temper.
“It wasn’t my finest moment, darling, I’ll admit it. But there’s some truth to what I told her. This life isn’t easy, and it’s certainly not easy to raise children in this family. She’s not wrong to want something else.”
“She’s wrong to want anything but me.”
Mother pats my arm. “That’s sweet, but you can’t really think that’s reasonable.”
“She all but said we’re a bunch of criminals and monsters. How can you ignore that?”
“We are, darling, and don’t you forget it.” She says it sharply and I stand up straight.
“That doesn’t excuse what she did.”
“I’m not excusing anything. I simply understand the decision she made and I’m trying to get you to see that the sky is not falling. You love her, don’t you?”
I take another drink. “I thought I did.”
“Again, don’t be melodramatic. You love her, don’t you?” She speaks firmly and my jaw ticks.
“Yes. I love her.”
“Good. Then stop drinking. Sober up. And figure out how you’ll get her back.”
“Mother, she doesn’t want anything to do with our family. There’s a reason she never told me. There’s a reason she kept saying she’s not staying with me long-term. It’s all because of that baby.”
“You’re going to sit around and accept that?”
“I never said that.” My thoughts turn dark. Kidnapping is on the table.
“Good.” She gently takes the bottle from me. “Darling, I love you very much. You and all your brothers. But you are dangerously close to fucking this up with this girl.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “You know just what to say.”
She pats my cheek. “You’re my child. I pushed you out into this world and I raised you myself.”
“With a lot of help,” I point out.
She pats me again, a bit harder this time. “Don’t be fresh.”
I sigh, glance at the bottle in her hand, but look away back at the pool. She’s right, I have to get myself together if I want any shot at fixing things.
Only I don’t know how. All I know is Keely’s carrying my baby, and I won’t let her go. I won’t let either of them go.
“I have to figure out a way to make her understand,” I say, speaking quietly as the breeze blows the floating giraffe in a wild circle.
“Yes, you do,” Mom says as if she knows exactly what I mean. “So how are you going to do that?”
“I don’t know yet,” I admit. “But you’re right. Sitting around here drinking won’t solve my problem.”
“Good boy.” She pats my shoulder. “You and your brothers are such a pain, you know that? There are always a thousand fires to put out.”
“This is a pretty big fire, mother.”
She pulls away, looking thoughtful. “Do you know what your father did when he decided he wanted to marry me?”
“No, and I don’t think I want to know.”
“He threw me over his shoulder, slapped my ass, and dragged me off to the courthouse.” She gives me a dreamy smile and takes a long drink. “It was very romantic.”
