More Than Forever
Page 5

I laugh. "Oh yeah, I bet she loves hitting them balls."
His features drop. "What are you saying about Nanny Tallulah?"
"TALLULAH?" I break out in a fit of laughter.
"You can talk," he shouts over my cackle. "ALADDIN."
Now my face drops. I look over at Mom, so does Mark. "Who names their kid Aladdin?"
Mom sits up and throws a leg out, kicking Mark in the back of his knee. He falls to the ground before he can save himself. Then she quickly turns to me. "Get him, baby."
So I do.
Within seconds we're on the ground wrestling. Neither of us knows shit about wrestling so we're just rolling on the floor play punching each other. "When the hell did you get muscles, kid?"
"I've been working out." I try to kick him in the nuts but he pulls back.
"Too busy lifting weights to work on your batting skills?"
"Screw you," I laugh out.
The doorbell rings and we stop for a second, but only a second before he takes advantage of the distraction and rolls me onto my back. He starts swatting at my head, pinning down my arms at the same time.
"Cameron?"
My heart beats out of my chest. "Shit."
Lucy stands above us with an unsure look on her face. She looks from me to Mark, to me, to Mark, to me...
"Shit," I say again, trying to push Mark off me.
He lets me stand without a fight.
I straighten my clothes and wipe my palms down my shorts.
What is she doing in my living room?
I run a hand through my hair. My ratty hair. My cap must've come off while we were rolling on the floor. "Shit," I whisper, looking around for it.
Mark places it on my head and then stands next to Mom, behind Lucy, with a huge shit-eating grin on his face. I swallow, adjust my cap and finally get the courage to face her. "Hi."
She smiles, that same fake sad smile as always. "Hi."
And then I panic. Why is she here? "What happened? Is everything okay with the boys? I'll ride over—" I start for the front door to put on my shoes but she stops me.
"Everything's fine. You just..." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out my phone. "You left this at the house. I thought you might need it."
My shoulders instantly relax. "So everyone's okay?"
She nods, and then looks at the front door. "I better go." Her hand's out, holding my phone.
I take it and lead her to the door, ignoring the look of concern on Mark and Mom's faces. "How did you get here?" I open the door and wait for her to walk through. "Who's watching the boys?"
"I called my aunt. She's at the house but she can't stay long. I just wanted to make sure you had your phone, in case you needed it... for whatever..."
"I didn't need it," I tell her, "You could have waited."
"Oh." Her gaze drops. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I say quickly.
She pulls keys out of her pocket and motions to a minivan in the driveway. "I'll see you later, Cameron."
My eyes move from her keys to the minivan. "You have your license?" It doesn't make sense. If she drove then why was she catching the bus every day?
Her head moves slowly from side to side while she looks over my shoulder, probably at my mom. "Just my permit. But my dad taught me to drive when I was twelve. I'm okay."
"Honey," Mom says, standing behind me now. "You drove here without a licensed driver?"
"Yes Ma'am. But I'm a good driver. I promise." Tears start forming in her eyes and I don't know why.
Mom stands next to me. "I don't think I'd feel right letting you drive home alone, hon. I'll come with you. Mark!" she shouts over her shoulder, "You follow with Cameron, okay?"
"Oh no." Lucy shakes her head quickly. "You don't need to do that. I'm fine." Her voice breaks. "I didn't mean to put you out. I'm so sorry."
"Just do what she says," Mark hollers from behind us. "It's quicker this way. Trust me."
Lucy nods once, but refuses to look at either of us. She walks to her car, her head down the entire time. Once she gets to her car, she unlocks it, and gets in the driver’s seat.
"We're going to talk about this," Mom says with a tone of finality.
***
"Sit." Mom points to the couch.
"It's not a big deal."
She sits on the couch opposite and tucks her legs underneath her. "I don't really know what's happening so I can't justify what's a big deal and what isn't." Her face has lost all color. "Wine!" she yells at Mark, "Now! I have a feeling I'm gonna need it." Mark walks in from the kitchen and hands her the bottle. She swigs it without hesitation. "Out with it, Cameron. Just give it to me straight."
"What?" My eyes narrow. "What the heck is wrong with you?"
Her shoulders stiffen and her eyes thin to a glare. "Just tell me."
"Tell you what? Why are you so pissed?"
She grips the bottle of wine tighter as Mark takes a seat next to her, rubbing her shoulders to keep her calm. "Why am I pissed?" she seethes. "Maybe because my fifteen-year-old son is about to tell me that he knocked up a girl and has his own sons with her... and he's kept it a secret! When did this happen, Cameron?"
I laugh.
All out laugh.
"This isn't funny!" she yells.
I can't stop laughing.
"Stop laughing!"
I hear her. I do. But I just can't. I can't stop laughing.
She throws a cushion at my head while laughing. And crying.
Women are dumb.
"CAMERON!"
I hold up my finger to tell to her to wait a minute while I try to control myself.
"Is that where you've been every night? Seeing to your kids. Oh my God," she moans, "I'm a grandmother."
And my laughter just gets heavier.
"I'm done!" She stands with the bottle of wine clenched to her chest. "I'm going to go knit, or play bingo, or do whatever it is grandmas do... and you can just sit there and laugh at me."
"I'm sorry," I manage to get out. "But it's absurd."
"What is?"
"I haven't gotten anyone pregnant."
I hear Mark release a breath.
"But yes, she is where I've been every night." I take a few calming breaths until I know my words will come out even. "I'm just helping her out."
She sits down again and places the wine on the coffee table. "What do you mean helping her out? She goes to your school? What boys are you talking about? Where are her parents?"
I suck in a huge breath and try to answer her questions as straight as possible. "Yes, she goes to my school. The boys are her brothers-six of them." Her eyes go huge but she doesn't speak. "Her mom passed away a few weeks ago. Her dad is... unstable. So she just needs some help."
She lets out all the air in her lungs and leans back into the couch. "Okay," she says, then shakes her head slowly. "So you've been going there and what?"
I shrug. "I entertain the boys while she cooks dinner... or whatever. I just help her clean up a bit... get things done. There's a baby, Mom. She's in my class, she's fifteen and she carries the weight of the world. She wakes up, gets them ready for school and her aunt comes during the day to watch the baby while she's in class. But then she goes home and she does it all over again. She doesn't sleep well. And her brother—he told me she gets so sad that it makes her sick. I don't know what it means but I can't not do anything to help. She's alone. She has no one."