Page 61 of Screwed
“Brandon is twelve now, and your father wants you all to know one another.”
“That’s bullshit.”
Mama winced. “I don’t know. Your father seems pretty convinced it’s a good idea.”
He studied Mama’s monitor as the cleaning program scanned her hard drive. “What doyouthink?”
“I don’t know. I guess a twelve-year-old boy is a pretty innocent party in this mess. He wasn’t responsible for your father cheating. He can’t help what happened, and wanting to know his brother and sister is a reasonable wish.”
Cash didn’t know what to think. “Fuck,” he muttered. “I have no desire to meet him. And I have no desire to see Dad again after all these years. He’s been out of my life for a long time.”
“I know that. And I understand.” She paused. “I can tell him that, if you want. Or I can give him your email or phone number and you could tell him that yourself.”
“I don’t want to talk to him.” Even as he said the words, he realized how childish they sounded. He was twenty-eight years old, man enough to talk to the father who’d walked out on them and tell him how he felt about this fuckery. “But hell, give him my number. He can call me if he wants. He doesn’t need to drag you into it.”
“He didn’t know how else to reach you.”
“Jesus. A Google search would bring up my name and the company. He could’ve called me at work or emailed me through the website.”
“Ah…you’re right.” She nibbled her bottom lip.
“So why’d he contactyouand not me? What’s happening with his marriage?”
“I don’t know.”
“He better not be thinking he wants to get back together with you.”
“I hardly think so after all these years. And he gave no hint of anything like that.”
“Okay, then he’s just stupid.”
“Cash.”
He shrugged and clicked the mouse to delete a bunch of cookies. “Whatever. Have you told Ginnie?”
“Not yet.”
He sighed. “You want me to?”
“No, I’ll do it. I’ll call her tonight.”
“I just talked to her last night. She’ll be home in two weeks for your birthday. Well, give him my number and tell him to leave you alone.”
She huffed out a laugh. “Okay, I’ll do that. Believe me, I’m not interested in seeing him, either. But he’s your father, and you do have a brother—okay, half brother—and I didn’t want to make that call for you, so I said I’d talk to you.”
“Done.”
His gut twisted into knots at the idea of talking to his father after twelve years of never hearing from him. Asshole. How could he even think of trying to have any kind of relationship at this point?
He turned and fixed his gaze on his mom. “You okay? Did he upset you?”
Her face softened, and she smiled. “I’m fine.”
“What do you want for your birthday?”
“Nothing. There’s nothing I need.”
“I know, but what do youwant?”
