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Stopping at some pin drop on the map to refuel, I happen to look at the burner that Russian had supplied me. Calling the number that had tried me a few times, I’m surprised to hear Shade pick up.
“You good?” he asks.
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m surprised to hear from you.”
“You gotta get to your sister’s place. Your mom’s fine, but her house burned down.” Shade’s word justifies the knot in my stomach, even as I take a moment to repeat the important part of his sentence over in my head.
My ma is fine.
“Fine? What do you mean by fine? Was she in the hospital?”
“Doesn’t sound like it. She woke up and got out. After we spoke to her, we waited another day to give you time. It’s been a couple of days now. Let us know when you’re ready to come back,” he answers before he disconnects the call.
There’s a tone to his voice that I don’t recognize, so I wonder what I’m missing. Heading inside the gas station, I see a map on the wall and figure out the best way to get to Shannon’s place.
*
Now it’s twice this summer that I’ve pulled up to a family member’s house before dawn. This time it’s Shannon’s husband who greets me.
“How is she?”
“Hundred percent.” He clasps my shoulder while shaking my hand and the look on his face says it all. “She’s in Bethany’s room, Bethany says she talks in her sleep, so she’s in our bed and I’m on the couch. There’s just nothing left of the home, man, and she can’t exactly get back and forth to work. Then that guy showed up yesterday morning and offered to pay for a hotel room if she needed it.”
“What? Like an insurance benefit?”
“No,” he answers, looking confused. “From your club. He said he’d stick around until you got here.”
Fuck yeah. I should have guessed my brothers would have my back.
“Catch his name?”
“Mack. Older guy. He stayed for dinner.”
“Did he say anything about Molly?” I ask, nearly desperate for any word from her.
“Colleen’s in love with her, so she asked if he knew her. I thought the guy was going to start crying at the table! I guess there was a possibility that he could have been her father and he just found out he wasn’t.”
“And?” I question him, motioning with my hands when he looks confused. “Who is?”
“I can’t say that I was paying attention, on account the shock I felt over witnessing Colleen batting her eyes at the man!”
“Oh, Frank! Knock that off. Ryan, you look exhausted!” Mom comes out of nowhere and immediately wraps me in a hug that makes me feel like a kid again. “Come on, I’ll make you breakfast, then you get some sleep.”
“I was actually here to take care of you, young lady,” I reply, trying to sound stern. “And come to find out that you’re flirting with a strange man.”
She turns, dragging me along to the kitchen and proceeds to ask me about Molly.
“Ma, what do you think about coming back to Rowansville with me? I’ll find an apartment for you. Plus, I know someone who works at the hospital, so maybe she can help you find something like what you do now?” I feel slightly guilty. I know she’s a mid-level administrator, but I don’t know the word for her position. “Then you can get to know Molly better, also.”
“And Mack,” Frank cracks from behind us. We both fall silent and stare at the table when she spins, pointing the spatula in his direction.
Later, after the kids head out for day camp and I’m preparing to crawl into bed, Mack pulls up.
That’s when I find out that Flint is Molly’s father, and see what Frank was talking about. But it’s not just seeing my mother making eyes at Mack, it’s the big puppy dog eyes he’s giving her in return that has me steaming mad.
“We’ll see you later, Ryan,” Mom says, leaning up to give me a kiss on the cheek.
“Where are you going?” I ask, looking between her and Mack.
