“Uh-oh. Should I be worried?” I half joked, knowing he wanted to meet for a reason, the extensive burger menu not being it.
“Nah.” His jaw tensed and he looked serious. Tack and I usually kept it light, current events, sports, cars, technology—typical guy talk. I wasn’t sure I was ready for Tack doing serious. “You know I grew up thinking my dad was the shit.” Yup. He was diving in. “And when she told me she made it all up—she created him for my benefit—I’m gonna be honest with you, I was crushed.” Fucking headfirst. I sat quiet, there was no sugarcoating Jack Colton. “Don’t get me wrong, I get why she did it. I get she was protecting me, but I basically grew up idolizing a huge lie, a figment of her imagination. At least that’s what I thought when she first told me the truth. That sucked. The more I thought about it, something didn’t sit right. It’s not like she ever shied away from talking about him, afraid she’d slip up. She could have easily played the whole it’s too sad, too painful, too tragic how he died without knowing me card. Nope. Instead she reminded me, daily, how much he would have loved me, talking about him constantly. She retold so many stories and filled my life with so much of his love I didn’t need to miss him. She made him so present in our lives and filled both parent roles seamlessly, I didn’t need a physical father. She was all I ever needed. So when I learned the truth … when I learned who he really was, I was angry. It scared the hell out me, I’d never been that furious. Ever feel like you’re going to implode?”
I nodded in response, been there. The silence thickened. I waited. He had more to get off his chest.
“I’m glad the bastard is dead, too bad it wasn’t years before, and not only for what he put her through, but for the fear in her eyes when she told me about him. It made me sick. And then to think I saw that same look on her face when she bumped into you at the hospital. You can see why I wasn’t exactly feeling the let’s get to know each other. Sorry, it’s the truth. But I’ve had some time to let it all settle, and in doing so, I’ve paid closer attention. I see the relief in her eyes. I can’t explain it, but she’s lighter, softer, she’s happy. And I know it’s not just the freedom of not carrying around the secrets, it’s you. You do that for her. So I’m glad we’ve gotten to know each other and we’re cool…”
I nodded and mumbled, “We’re cool,” unable to get out anything more. His understanding leveled me, but I still wasn’t quite sure where he was going with this. Like mother, like son.
“The other thing I’ve noticed is the change in her smile. Don’t get me wrong, I grew up with a happy mom and this might sound dumb, but that smile is back. The one she reserved for when she talked about my dad, or my imaginary dad or whatever you want to call him. It doesn’t really matter now, does it? Anyway, she made him sound awesome. He had a sick sense of humor and great taste in music. Our house never lacked rock and roll with a kickass beat. I’m pretty sure I celebrated my first birthday with my first pair of drumsticks.” He smiled and tapped the table with his fingers mocking a drumbeat.
My lips raised, remembering how his mother loved to rock out and couldn’t help but ask, “You still play?” Tack on the drums, god, I loved this woman. But I wondered how much she told him, if he had any idea where his name came from.
“Not much anymore, no time. But I’d definitely consider getting back into it. Every time I jammed, she’d talk about your band.” That sounded vague. “And then her face would light up with that smile. She always said my dad loved a good time and never sweated the small stuff. He rolled with the punches. He was the guy who’d have your back, no matter what. He considered his friends family.” He paused for a swig before he kept going.
“You know she was a nut when it came to fresh air? Serious. She harped on how he’d always pick the outdoors any day of the week over inside. Only chance I had to stay inside was if I was studying or practicing. No joke, my ass was hiking, biking, and surfing by seven. Most of how I grew up, what I learned to be important, it was all a reflection of him. Mom made sure of it. And I have to give it to her, she created a kickass role model. It was obvious she loved him—you can’t fake a smile like that.
“Look, I’m not going to lie. As a kid, I never really thought too hard about my mom’s love life. Hell, I don’t really want to think about it now, or ever for that matter.” He involuntarily shuddered and I chuckled. I had Maggie, yeah, I got it. “That being said, I get that she’s gorgeous and she’s cool, my buddies not-so-subtly reminded me daily, yet she rarely dated. Or at least if she did it couldn’t have been that serious, since I never met any of them. Besides, between work and how involved she was in my life, she barely had time for herself. The past few years I started feeling guilty about it, but I guess my consolation was knowing she’d get her life back once I left for college, and the fact that she had at least had my dad. Part of me thought it was awesome that she wouldn’t settle for less. The next guy would have to be worthy of that smile. So finding out all of it was nothing more than a fantasy … or maybe not. I guess you’re probably wondering why I’m telling you any of this. My point is … she smiles at you that way.”
He raked a hand through his dark hair and dropped his eyes to the table. His relaxed expression faded as I watched him concentrate on swallowing what I could only assume was the same damn lump I was struggling with. I briefly scanned his face before I looked away to give him some time. In that brief second I saw vulnerability, a youthful innocence I had yet to notice. Yeah, he was eighteen, big-time college student, ambitious, driven and most likely going to be a sick surgeon rivaling the likes of his brother one day. But right now in this moment, he was just a kid. A kid looking to find his way.
“At first I was just relieved to see it again, that she finally found someone real who could make her smile like that.” His voice was softer, he sounded embarrassed. “Sorry it took me so long to put the pieces together,” he lifted his eyes and met mine, and there may have been a thin layer of moisture that had formed, “but I finally figured it out. Turns out my dad, my real dad, wasn’t imaginary after all … it was you.”
This time my throat closed and robbed all my ability to speak.
Chapter 17 Vulture
“Hey, you.”
“How is she?” Tal’s voice affected me even over the phone. Yup, I was whipped.
“Physically fine, no pain. But she was seriously pissed when she heard she had to spend the night.”
“That bad, huh? I spoke with King a little while ago, reassured me it was clean break. The case was smooth, textbook actually. She should be good as new in about six weeks. He technically could have discharged her, but I may have mentioned how she could use the rest. I hope you don’t mind?”
Mind? I loved how she took over.
“Mind, not even close. Just the opposite. I can’t thank you enough for pulling strings and taking care of her. Mag’s not exactly the easiest patient, not to mention Molly and her fifty questions. King was great. I’m gonna owe the guy a case of Napa’s finest by the time she gets released.”
The minute we got the call from the emergency room informing us Ma broke her wrist and they were recommending surgery, Tal snapped into Dr. Pryce mode, instructing, ‘no one touches her, tell them to splint it and make her comfortable.’ An old med school friend of hers happened to be a well-known orthopedic surgeon and happened to work at HSS, the premiere Orthopedic Hospital in NYC. That was yesterday. They just served my mother breakfast in recovery; my woman didn’t mess around.