Page 98 of Worth the Fall
Her glossy eyes glazed over my body, giving a glance at Colton, but staring at my face. “Are ya sellin’ somethin’?” Her accent was as thick as ever, the cigarette butt barely clinging to her lips as she spoke.
I was shaking, my legs ready to give out on me.
I was grateful I had worn a tank top; I was sweating horribly already.
Colton cleared his throat and reached his hand out towardher. “Good afternoon, ma’am. My name is Colton Nash, and I’m your daughter’s boyfriend. We’re in town for the rodeo, and Ally here happened to mention her mamma lived in Amarillo. She wanted to introduce me to you, if now is a good time.”
My mother’s pencil-thin eyebrows shot up in surprise. “My daughter’s boyfriend?”
That’s what she got out of that?
“Yes, ma’am.” He said, lowering his hand slowly. “Do you mind if we come in?”
Gosh, I was so lucky he was here.
This time, she plastered on a smile, letting the cigarette butt fall on the stairs. She stepped back and opened the door, holding her hand out for us to come in. The smell of smoke was overwhelming. “Well, please, come in, I’m Ida. You’re lettin’ all the cold air out.”
I cautiously took a step inside.
She shot Colton a look and leaned forward toward me, her arms open wide. I gave her a weird look, not sure what she was doing. Her bony arms were fully around me before I realized she was hugging me. I took another second before I awkwardly put my hands on her back.
I looked at Colton.
He was still standing in the doorway, holding his cowboy hat in one hand. He gave me a soft nod, his face asking the question,“You okay?”
I just stared at him until my mom finally released me.
“Y’all just make yourself comfortable on the couch, and I’ll see what treats we can find in the kitchen!” She practically sprinted away.
The house was in almost complete darkness. I went to the front room window and pushed back the yellow blackout curtains. Light flooded the house, along with at least a pound of dust. I coughed as quietly as I could.
The old green floral couch I had grown up with was still against the window. Colton took a seat, both of us ignoring the loud creak it made under his body.
The couch was facing two brown armchairs, their fabric ripped and stuffing starting to spill out. I picked up a bright red bra off of one of the chairs and tossed it behind the furniture, praying Colton didn’t see it.
The T.V. trays we had used as end tables were littered with old cans and picture frames lying on their backs.
I leaned over the end table to look at the picture.
It was Dad.
My mother was using a picture of my dad as an ashtray. I picked it up and shook it off, rage flooding my body. I stomped back to the couch and sat by Colton, holding the picture tight.
Something made a crumpled noise under the cushion. I leaned over to peel back the fabric and sighed in disgust.
“Apparently, I need to go to the grocery store!” She announced as she set a plate of old Chips Ahoy on the coffee table we had found on the side of the road when I was thirteen. She ran back to the kitchen and brought back two plastic cups full of…coffee, I think?
Colton grabbed a cookie and popped it in his mouth before I could warn him not to. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing when he bit into it. His face contorted in disgust, but he coughed and did his best to cover it.
“So, my little Peach here didn’t tell me she had aboyfriend!” Mom said as she collapsed in one of the armchairs. “And she didn’t tell me how sexy he was!”
“Mom,” I scolded.
She pursed her lips at me. “Oh, Peach, it’s a compliment.”
Colton leaned back and put his hands in his lap. “Uh, thank you, ma’am.” He cleared his throat. “If I may, I’d like to tell you what a wonderful daughter you have here. She’s a true joy in my life, and I am so lucky she took a chance on a guy like me.”
I looked at him as he talked. How could he say such beautiful things in my childhood home that was as covered in dust as it was in sorrow? I wanted to grab him, to hug him, to tell him that he didn’t have to say all that just to make me feel better.
