I bolted back into the kitchen and saw the fry pan was on fire. Smoke was billowing everywhere. I turned on the faucet and grabbed the handle using a dishtowel and carefully carrying it over, dumping it in the sink. Steam exploded as the fire extinguished, the remnants of my eggs floating toward the drain.
I sighed and checked the toaster. At least they were okay. Fifty percent was a pa
ss, right?
After my disastrous cooking attempt, I stopped for a breakfast burrito on the way to see Mom. Loaded up with her flowers and a box of chocolates, I entered the code and waited for the doors to open.
“Hey, Luce,” I said, approaching the desk to sign in. “How’s things?”
“Liam.” She smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. “Good. I’m good. How are you? I swear you look hotter every time I see you.” She shook her head.
I chuckled. “How’s Mom today?”
“She’s a little disorientated today. Maybe don’t stay too long?” she suggested gently.
I nodded, gripping the stems of the flowers as I tried to prepare myself mentally.
My heart raced as I walked toward her room. When Mom didn’t recognize me at all, it was hard, and not something I enjoyed. Even worse was when she mistook me for my father, which happened often.
I turned into her room. The door was open and she lay in bed, staring at the wall.
“Hey Mom,” I said softly, setting the lilies aside. I sat down on the chair beside her bed and kissed her hand.
She glanced at me, her eyes confused as she fought to remember who I was. My heart sank. Her memory seemed to be getting worse, which was making me begin to question the treatment. The last thing I wanted was her suffering.
“How have you been?” I asked softly. She stared through me as though I wasn’t even there. “Mom?” I said gently, touching her shoulder.
She turned to me, her eyes searching mine. “You shouldn’t be in here. If you get caught, they’ll lock you away,” she whispered, her voice worried.
I stood up and touched her hand. “Love you, Mom,” I said as I walked out. When she was that bad, it was best for her if I left her alone. It could have been more upsetting and confusing for her if I were to stay. That was the last thing I wanted. upsetting and confusing for her if I stay, and that was the last thing I wanted.
I left Childerdale and made my way over the other side of town to meet Beth. It was an overcast and stormy day, which kind of suited my current mood. I hoped some time with Beth would change that.
When I approached the theater, Beth was already standing out front, waiting for me.
“Hey, Coop.” She waved at me, her face beaming.
“What are we going here, Beth?” I asked suspiciously. The message to meet her at the theatre on Seventh had thrown me a little. Sure, my clients sometimes liked things other than sex, but not Beth, and generally not in public. Besides, if Beth just wanted to hang out she would’ve said so.
That, and one photo in a magazine and I’d have a lot of explaining to do.
“What? I just wanted to see a movie.” She shrugged innocently, and had it not been for that evil little sparkle in her eyes, I might have believed it. But then again, I knew her well enough to know that nothing was ever as it seemed.
“So I’m just supposed to believe you had the sudden urge to see a movie and you’re paying me to see it with you?” I chuckled.
She made a face at me, her eyes dancing. She knew as well as I did that if she wanted to see a movie with me, she didn’t have to pay me. But we had a deal: anything related to sex, and it was on the books.
Exactly how this related to sex, I was nervous to find out.
“There’s a few people here, huh?” she said devilishly, her grin widening.
I glanced around the semi-crowded theater and shrugged. We sat in the back row, alone. There were maybe thirty people there besides us.
“I guess.” I said slowly.
“Did you know I’m not wearing panties?” she whispered in my ear as she sucked on my earlobe.
So that’s what we were doing here.