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His father tips his head in respect as I articulate my consent. “Then you have my blessing.”
Thrilled by the news, Adam shoots out of his seat, races around the table, and yanks me into the fiercest hug. Torn from my chair and into his arms, my son crushes me to the point I can barely breathe. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you!”
“You’re… welcome,” I croak between shallow breaths.
Gunz chuckles from the comfort of his seat as I dangle from our son’s arms. The tips of my toes sweep the floor.
Loving his innocent affection beyond words, I let Adam’s hug linger as long as he wishes. Turning my head to the side, I rest my temple against his collarbone as he carries on a conversation about the club with Gunz. It isn’t until he notices the time from a clock on the wall that he sets me back on solid ground and steps away, stuffing his hands into his front jean pockets.
A broad smile varnishes his handsome face. “Thanks again, Mom.”
Happy to have made his day, I chuck his dark, stubbled chin. “Don’t thank me. You’re puttin’ in the hard work.”
“I am, which means I gotta jet.” He thumbs toward the door. “Deke said I should drop by his place tonight to talk shop.”
Seeing our son to the porch together, Gunz types on his phone, then stows it away before giving Adam a one-armed man hug. Our son reciprocates the gesture. It’s quick and contains a single back slap. On his way back inside, Gunz drops a single kiss on the side of my head and squeezes my shoulder before leaving us for a private mother-son goodbye. Taking advantage of the moment, I embrace my son again, my arms around his muscled middle. This one I am left on the ground for. Resting his chin on top of my head, Adam rumbles an emotional, “I’m glad you’re happy, Mom.”
Grinning into the cotton of his shirt, I whisper, “Me too, baby. Me, too.” I’m afraid to let the realness seep into the universe. Afraid this could evaporate at any moment.
“He’s good.”
I nod. “I know,” comes as another whisper.
“I like him.”
My grin stretches at his admission. “I know that, too.” I pat my son’s back in understanding.
Having said what needs said, Adam breaks away and trots heavy-footed down the steps of the porch in a new pair of black leather boots. Jogging over to Deke’s, he throws a quick wave over his shoulder as I lean against the house, my arms tucked over my chest, watching him go. My boy is not a boy anymore. That mop of dark, styled hair and broad, muscled shoulders are not the body of a kid. He’s all man now. A man who needs to buy bigger clothes or he’ll be hulking out of that t-shirt in no time.
As if he knows I’m watching, Adam turns, throws me a brilliant, all-tooth smile, and wave, before disappearing into Deke’s. I wave back, fondly recalling the times we did this when he was a kid. I’d stand on the porch as he ran his little heart out to the bus stop down the road. Halfway there, he’d slow, wave to make sure I was still watching, then carry on to join his friends. Right as the bus would pull to the stop and turn on its lights, he’d look again, we’d meet eyes, and he’d smile, too cool to wave to his mom in front of the other boys. Not wanting to embarrass him, I’d smile back.
Scrubbing a palm down my face, to clear such memories, I push off the house and turn to head back inside when I’m met with a different person—Debbie crossing the street. In her arms is the pooch I have a soft spot for.
“Hey,” I greet, offering a small wave.
Stopping at the base of the stairs, Debbie lets Chibs down on all fours. Either remembering me or being a total affection slut, he clambers up the steps to sit at my feet. Debbie removes a backpack she’s wearing and sits it on the bottom tread just as I hear the front screen door open and Gunz’s voice. “Thanks, Deb.”
“Anytime. Everything he’ll need is in the bag.” She gestures toward it.
Wait. What?
“Anybody gonna fill me in?” I glance at Gunz standing beside me, then down to Deb, as she props a foot on the bottom step, her hand curved over the porch railing.
Kneading the back of his neck, a Dum Dum between his lips, Gunz jerks his chin at the pup. “You like him. I’m gonna be back to work soon. You’ll need someone here to keep an eye on things. Figured he could be yours.”
Holy hell.
“You got me a dog?”
Removing the paper stick from his mouth, Gunz points to Chibs with it. “No. I got youthatdog.”
“Chibs,” I comment for no other reason than I’m gobsmacked.
“Yeah. That gremlin-lookin’ one with the smooshed face.” Again, he points to the dog with his sucker.
“You said smooshed,” I blurt out of nowhere, before mashing my lips together to keep from saying anything else stupid.
We have breached the twilight zone.
