Page 28 of Wild Mistake
“And hungry,” my mother adds.
“Now, is that helpful?” I tease, reaching for the door. I catch the sound of Dad’s chuckle before slipping outside and it helps me fix a smile on my face.
“Mom!” Parker shouts, lifting his hand in a wave. He stands at the back of the vehicle next to his brother.
“Hey!” I walk toward them, stopping to greet Jake with a hello.
“Hi.” He sighs, appearing somewhat annoyed. He lifts another bag from the back of the vehicle and drops it next to Parker’s feet.
“How was the drive?”
“Awesome.” He smiles, but it’s the tight kind that laces his words in rudeness. I hated when he was in a mood like this. It’s been so nice not to deal with him, I’d almost forgotten. He nods to the house. “Your parents not home? Or they just don’t want to come say hi?”
“Oh, they’re home,” I say coolly, but immediately regret it. I just added to the discomfort of an already uncomfortable experience. Not only for Jake, but for Gabe and Parker.
Jake isn’t my parents’ favorite person right now, but if I asked them to come say hi they’d be perfectly civil. I didn’t invite them out here because I didn’t want them to witness this broken thing my marriage has become.
“Looks like you guys had a good time,” I say to steer the conversation elsewhere. I can’t help but stare at the big black trash bags each of my sons carries in addition to their travel bags. I don’t know where that stuff is going to fit in the travel trailer, but I keep my mouth closed on the matter.
“Yeah,” Gabe grumbles, adding under his breath, “Wish I was back there.”
Parker kicks his feet at the gravel drive.
“I guess I better get going,” Jake says. “Want to beat the afternoon traffic. I’ve got a thing tonight.”
“Sure.” I nod. It’s New Year’s Eve. Even I got invited to a party, but I hate how he calls it a “thing” because it reminds me of the other women he was seeing. The ones who knew about me, but I didn’t know about them.
“Hey, Dad?” Parker says. “Can we come visit again soon?”
“Oh, yeah. Of course, bud.” Jake glances from Parker to me. “It’s up to your mom, of course.”
I hate being put on the spot. I don’t want to make more arrangements for them to leave, not when I just got them back. But I’m also not about to be painted as the bad guy. “Of course.”
“Maybe next weekend?” Parker steeples his fingers. “Please? Please? Please?”
“I’ll have to check my calendar and of course, your mom’s schedule too.”
“Oh, we don’t have anything,” Gabe says dryly. “Not next weekend. Not ever.” He turns to me, his jaw hard and obstinate. “Right, Mom?”
He’s testing me. He’s also looking to pick a fight. This must be so hard on him, and that’s why I choose to take the higher road.
“Our weekends are pretty free.” I meet Gabe’s stare and lower my voice so only he can hear. “I always want you and your brother to have time with your dad. I’ll never stand in the way of that.”
My tenderness disarms him.
For a second, he looks as if he might start crying.
Until Jake opens his mouth. “Oh, uh, well. Damn.” He removes the ball cap from his head and bends the bill before setting it back in place. “I just remembered I have a thing next weekend so that won’t work. But we’ll figure something out soon. Promise.”
Gabe’s stare turns furious as he meets Jake’s.
Parker sighs, his shoulders rounding with disappointment. “What about the next one? Or the one after that? We have a three-day weekend this month and next month too.”
“I’ll text your mom.” Jake glances at me. “Once I get back and see what my month’s like.”
“Right.” Gabe scoffs. “Sure.” He hikes his bags over each of his shoulders and marches toward the trailer.
“Hey!” Jake calls after him. “No goodbye kiss?”
