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Mam sips her own coffee. “How are ye and the missus faring?”
Instantly, I contemplate how Chevelle stole my heart, all in a matter of seconds. I’d wanted her at first sight. I played those video games just to see if I could get her off my mind. I was supposed to end up with a Scottish girl. At least, I never saw any of our clan in any interracial relationships. Then when thatmotherfeckershowed hisbaws, Chevelle became mine. I had claimed her to keep her safe.
Is she still mine?
“Well, she hasn’t left,” I mutter. My weeweanwas supposed to sell her out if Chevelle decided to leave.
“Och, ye’re talking nonsense.”
Yates is rousing awake. She runs a hand over his clammy cheek. “Oh, my Gawd! What have they done to ye?” Her face is drenched in concern.
“Help.” A dose of relief floods across his face until Mam laughs. The same wicked spirit that Camdyn has comes from our Mam. They feed on that split-second look of relief on the faces of their prey. Probably get a kick out of the aftereffects as well. A cry bubbles out of Yates before he breaks down again.
“My bairns had a wee spot of fun, but Nan is gon’ take care of ye right. Leith, get yerself a nap. When ye wake, the lad will have finally wished for death.”
As I start toward the door, Mam’s muttering how her boys have “played nice.”
“I’ll call ye when I need him finished,” Mam calls after me. She always tells Da or little Brody not to murder anyone underneath her roof. I guess the same rules apply to her too.
* * *
My brain’s shutdown.I’m wheeling into my auld room where Chevelle and I slept midday yesterday when I see the bed is empty. My eyes peel open to see if she’s still here.
Wishfulfeckin’thinking. The shutters are open, and the morning sun streams into the empty room.
Stay awake.I tell myself, “Find her. Apologize, get on yerfeckin’knees and beg.” My mind starts considering a candlelight dinner for two on some far off, tropical island when someone wee jumps on my back. I realize I hadn’t followed through with searching for my wife when I roll over and end up on the floor.
Mia’s knees go into my stomach. She uses my chest and abdomen like a bouncy house. “Daddy, I want Fruit Loops!”
In the time it takes me to form a response, I hear myself snore, and Mia continues to use my abs like a playground.
“Where’s yer mam?” I croak.
“She left us.” This particular use of my body, like an inflatable fun house, sends her wee knees into mybaws.
“Oh,shite,” I groan, voice dry. With my face planted into the carpet, I determine that it’s okay to stay here. My bairn put me down permanently.
While mybawspulsate in pain, I struggle to find the words. “Ye’re killin’ me, Mia! Find yer mam.”
“I said Mommy’s gone. Uncle Jamie said she no come back. I asked Uncle Lachlan and Uncle Rory. They said she no come back too. They made me and Jake cry.”
I lurch into a seated position. “Yer mam would never leave . . .us.” I probably should have been more specific and said “ye,” but I’m being hopeful. “Mummy went for a walk. When did she go?”
“Before pizza came.”
“Ye had pizza for breakfast?” I yawn. “Then why are ye bothering me about Fruit Loops?”
I’m about to commence with the pirate monologue when she says, “Last night.” I pull Mia down into my lap on the ground. “Daddy’s gonna brush his teeth. Take a shower, go to the store, and buy Fruit Loops. But canye be so kind, please, to give Daddy a moment? A wee moment to do all these things for ye?”
“Yeah!”
“Then skedaddle.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” Smiling, she climbs up, runs off, and trips on nothing in particular. In five, four, three, I go through the motions.
I jump up, go into the en suite bathroom, close the door, and pull the cellphone from my jeans. Sucking it up, I phone Chevelle. It rings and rings, then goes to voicemail.
“Beautiful, my queen, my heart,ye have a right to be angry with me. Come . . . home . . .”Feck, we dinna have a home to come to. “And be angry. I refuse to let one mistake—work-related, no cheating, none whatsoever—ruin what we have. Ye gave me a bonny wee, wee, wee lassie. Mia needs us.” I grovel on and on like this until the message is interrupted with a query about needing more time.
