Page 49 of Leading the Blind
“Just the pillow, Momma,” Bax said, muscling in bags behind him.
Jason could tell from the grunting.
“You want some help, Bax?” He had one good hand.
“I got it. Hey, y’all. Ice will just make the little cast wet, Momma.”
“Ah. Well, here’s that pillow.” She pressed Jason to a chair. “Want a Coke?”
“Sure. How are y’all? It’s good to be here.”
“Good, son. Good.” A chair scraped back, Momma’s knees brushing his as she sat and put his wrist on the pillow. Jack mustbe at the fridge. “You’re riding good. I-I couldn’t hardly believe it.”
“No, me either, but it needs to happen.” Jason knew as soon as the suits got wind of this, he would be toast.
“You looked good, son,” Jack said, setting the Coke down with just enough of a thump that he’d know where it was. “You need to work on your left side a little. You’re leaning.”
“Am I? That shoulder’s getting tired fast. I’ll keep my mind on it. Thanks.” At this point, he was taking advice from everyone. He guessed that was the good Lord’s way of teaching him humility or some such shit.
Bax snorted as if he’d said that out loud, so he ought to watch his tone.
Momma was just fluttering, patting his leg and making Momma noises.
“I’m okay, Momma. I’m good. Me and Bax are great.” He grabbed her fingers and held them. “It’s okay. I missed you.”
“Jesus, I’m glad you’re home. I needed to see you.”
“I’m glad to be here.” He was. Jason had no idea what he’d do without her, but her worry made him itch a bit. He hated making her feel bad.
“I am too.” Bax landed beside him. “We need a couple of weeks of downtime, and we’re fixin’ to look at property down on the coast.”
“You are?” Momma sounded utterly gobsmacked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Start out like he could hold out.
“Yeah. Be a nice compromise between being close and having something of our own.” Man, Bax was just toughing it out. Jason was damn proud.
“And I want to live on the ocean.”
“What about hurricanes?” Momma asked. “And sharks?”
“Brenda!” Jack just cracked up.
“Well, I can still board up a window, Momma. And you get tornadoes.” He couldn’t hold back his grin.
“And unless it’s a giant mechashark,” Bax drawled, “I can handle it.”
“Wouldn’t that be a megamechashark?” he asked, barely holding in his laughter.
Jack snorted, then hooted like a big owl, and his momma slapped his leg.
“Making fun of me. You just have to let me get used to the idea. This is new.”
“Not that new, but yes, ma’am. I reckon you two will be coming to visit a lot.”
“I like the beach,” Jack said mildly. “Saltwater cowboys. Sounds good.”
Bax laughed now too. “It does.”
