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I take a sip, enjoying the burn as it slides down my throat. It helps ease the cowardice I feel knowing I'm about to call Ma and ask her to come over now.
I pull up her contact and call her. She answers on the second ring.
“What's wrong?”
I scoff. “What? Nothing's wrong. Can't a son call his mother?”
“Not at this time of day,” she replies.
“Please, Ma, you're probably on your second cup of coffee already.” I take a sip and set my mug on the table.
“I'm still on my first. Are you offering to bring me a cup of coffee?”
I tilt my head to the side, surprised by the turn of conversation. “Do you want me to bring you coffee, Ma?”
“I wouldn't turn down gifts from my sons.”
“Okay,” I drag the word out, shaking my head a little. “I was calling for a favor.”
“Of course, honey. What do you need?”
“I need to go into the garage early today. Can you come over early? I don't want to make Evangeline come two hours earlier than she usually does.”
She's quiet. It lasts long enough that I pull the phone away from my ear and glance at the screen. Every so often, we drop all service out here for reason. Something about the cell towers and weather interference.
“Ma? You there?”
“I'm here. You're not avoiding her, are you, Silas? Because that's not going to work after today.”
I grit my teeth, irritated that she saw right through my shit already. And over the phone too. I feel like that's just adding insult to injury.
“I know that. It's just for today. They're behind since I took a day off this week.”
She sucks her teeth, the noise sharp in my ear. “Alright, honey. I'll get ready and head over.”
“Thanks, Ma. I made omelets. And there's one for you in the warming drawer.”
“You didn't have to do that.”
I run my hand over my head. “It's the least I can do. You've been a godsend this summer.”
“Hanging out with my favorite boys is hardly a hardship,” she says with a chuckle.
I clear my throat. “Well, I appreciate it.”
“I know you do, honey. I'll be over soon, yeah?” she says, ending the phone call.
I hit the home screen on my phone and blow out a breath, letting my cheeks puff up a little.
* * *
I liftup the hem of my shirt and drag it across my face. If Tune doesn't fix that fucking air conditioner soon, I'm going to lose my fucking mind. We had more cars in our bays today than usual, because someone fucked up the scheduling today. I didn't have the energy to deal with it, so I grabbed my shit and took off as soon as the last car was done.
Anxiety and annoyance twine together as they curl around my spine. I don't even know why I was so fucking worried about Evangeline coming over this morning. She's been watching Hunter with Ma for a couple of weeks without a hiccup.
Something about her being in my house, maybe.
Or more likely, it's the knowledge that Ma's got one more day with them, and then Evangeline's on her own. And Ma goes in for surgery.
