Adios Pantalones (Fisher Brothers 3)

My dad shot out of the chair like it was on fire, leaving Matson sitting in it alone. “Chips? Feed me, my boy.”

Matson grabbed his hand and dragged him into the kitchen, where Dad greeted me and placed a kiss on my cheek.

“Hi, Dad. Sorry to wake you.”

“Men should always be woken up for food. Remember that.”

I glanced at my mom with a smile. “I’ll remember.”

“And I’ll remind her,” Matson said, trying to help.

I had to stop myself from asking him whose team he was on, anyway. I figured I’d probably lose that contest, and I wanted to pretend I was my son’s favorite person on earth for as long as I could.

As we seated ourselves at the round dinner table, I reveled in being surrounded by the people I loved, thankful that I had them in my life and my son’s. I had no idea how I would have done any of it without my parents in my corner. They were my lifeline when I needed one, when I was certain I’d drown.

And here I was, about to ask them for more.

For a moment, I felt guilty for always asking, asking, asking instead of giving, but I needed them and their help. My parents needed to know that Derek apparently wasn’t going away anytime soon. I hated bringing drama to their front door, and felt responsible for it like it was somehow my fault.

Pushing aside my depressing thoughts for now, I focused on the moment happening right in front of me. So much happiness surrounded that little round table. I wanted to bask in it, soak it all up, before it came crashing down in waves of concern.

After dinner, my mom suggested that Papa and Matson go watch a movie while we cleaned up the dishes and had girl talk. It was the perfect diversion, one my father couldn’t agree to quick enough.

“Not wash dishes? I’m in. Come on, Matson, before they change their minds,” he said before hurrying away, Matson running behind him.

When they were gone, I sighed. “Derek showed up at the beach where Matson and I were today.”

“What?” The plate Mom was holding dropped into the sink with a splash, and she reached for it to wash it again. “Sorry. Did he talk to you? Did he talk to Matson?” She rinsed off the plate and handed it to me to dry.

“No. Yes. I mean . . .” I was fumbling, my emotions getting the best of me. Forcing myself to calm down, I toweled off another dish. “He didn’t talk to Matson, but he did threaten me. He told me he had every right to see his son, and he wasn’t giving up.”

Mom cursed softly in Spanish under her breath. “What does that boy want?” she asked as she scrubbed.

“I keep asking myself the same thing.”

She stopped her scrubbing and frowned. “After all this time, showing up here and demanding to be a part of Matson’s life. Why? He can’t have suddenly grown a conscience. He must want something.”

As awful as the thought sounded coming out of my mom’s mouth, I couldn’t disagree with her. “I thought the same thing.”

“That boy doesn’t do things out of the kindness of his heart. He never has. He might have had me fooled for a while back when you two were in high school, but not anymore.”

“I know, Mom. Me either.”

After handing me the last dish, she pulled the drain plug. Reaching for a towel, she dried her hands before placing them on her hips. “I’m worried, mija. Do you think he’s dangerous?”

I wanted to scoff at the suggestion of a former boyfriend wanting to hurt me or my son, but the truth was that I had no idea. I couldn’t pretend to know Derek anymore, not that I truly ever had. As uncertain as I was about his intentions, I didn’t want my mom to worry. She did enough for me every single day, and the last thing I wanted was to cause her stress, so I lied.

“I don’t think so.”

She shook her head. “He seemed a little loco when he stopped by the other day.”

I filled an empty glass with ice water before hopping onto the countertop. “He seemed angry today too. Super agitated with Ryan.”

“Ryan was there?”

I took a gulp of water. “He happened to be jogging by when Derek and I were arguing.” My mom’s face lit up, and I pretended not to notice. “He made Derek leave. I think he told him he’d kill him. It’s all a little blurry.”

“I might like this Ryan person. He’s the one who owns the bar with his brothers, right?”