I grit through my words. “I’m not seeing her.”
“Then, what are you doing?”
“Having fun. It doesn’t need a label.”
“Okay.” Charlie coughs. “Commitment phobe.”
Kate’s annoying laughter bounces off the walls at the same time the doorbell chimes.
I offer to get it since these two women are driving me insane. I walk to the door, open it, and find my mom standing with a suitcase.
“Mom?”
She steps forward, touching my face before giving me a great big hug. I wrap my arms around her, not realizing how much I’ve missed having her around. She holds onto me for a while, and although I tower over her, her presence alone reminds me of being back home.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, lifting her bag inside.
“An SOS call. Plus, I kinda missed ya, kid.” She smiles.
Closing the door behind her, she follows me to the kitchen. The second Charlie lays eyes on her, she jumps out of her chair and runs to Mom, holding onto her tight. Both of them look sad, almost in tears.
Really? Did someone die here? Women.
Kate introduces herself. Mom watches me with curious eyes. I shake my head and circle my finger around my ear, motioning that Kate is cuckoo.
“I can see that,” Kate bellows. “I’m the crazy one? I’m not the one falling in love with a movie star’s sister.”
Silence falls over the room. I could strangle Kate right now with my bare hands. Mom hides the smile on her face, Charlie turning around and pretending to make coffee.
“I think you forgot to take your crazy pills.” I laugh it off. “Hurry along, Kate, the bus to the mental facility will be here at any moment.”
“Ha-ha.” She smirks. “Should I hand you a collar now or later?”
The girls enter the room, distracting us all while Mom fusses over them. Charlie knew she was coming but kept it quiet to surprise me. Mom’s flown in for a few days for a potential job offer in LA. I have mixed feelings about her being here, mainly because I know it means she’ll have to meet Morgan.
When the kitchen becomes quiet, Mom asks to speak to me outside, alone. We sit on the porch watching the girls play in the backyard.
“I like Kate,” she begins. “The two of you have some uncanny connection.”
“No connection, Mom.” I’m quick to shut down the concept. “Kate is Kate.”
“And what’s that?”
“I don’t know,” I say, unsure. “Someone who I can be myself around without any judgment. She just gets me.”
“And this Morgan?”
I know why Charlie’s not outside watching the girls. She’s hiding because her big fat mouth can’t keep shut.
“Mom, I don’t want to talk about it.”
She appears offended. It’s not that I don’t trust Mom. It just seems like the more I talk about it, the more of a big deal everyone makes it out to be.
“Sorry, Mom,” I quickly say. “It’s complicated, and I’m not sure what to say.”
Pursing her lips together, she remains quiet, not pushing me further. “I ran into Tom last week. He asked how you were.”
My ears perk up immediately. “And Benny?”