Page 62 of Denial
My mom, my brothers, Eleanor?
If I got a call that one of them was in a dire situation, I’m not sure I’d survive it.
“You didn’t fail her. And Nellie will know that too when she’s old enough to understand.”
“It was the talk of the town. Almost derailed my career. I’ve done my best to protect my daughter, but with the way these kids are talking, she’ll find out sooner than later.”
“If you need me to kick anyone’s ass for you, I’m happy to step in to keep your image pristine.”
Drinking the dregs of my lager, I give her a sidelong glance. “I heard about that, you know.”
“What?” she shrieks, covering her mouth at the loud sound and glancing toward the stairs as if Nellie’s going to appear. In a hushed voice, she says, “Did Maddie’s mom already call you?”
The bottle clanks against the wooden coffee table as I set it down. “Maddie’s mom? I’m talking about you telling Jeremiah you’re going to beat up his mom.”
Ms. Thompson presses her lips together and avoids my eyes. “As I told your daughter, I only said that because Jeremiah’s mom wasn’t there and I wasn’t in any risk of actually getting into a fist fight. He was being a little shit and tried to kick her off her bike.”
I move into her line of sight. “And what does this have to do with Maddie’s mom?”
She slumps back into the arm of the couch. “It just so happens that Nellie thought it was really cool when I said that,so when Maddie told her she shouldn’t be at the dance tonight because she didn’t bring her mom, Nellie repeated the threat to Maddie.”
“She told Maddie you were going to kick her mom’s ass?”
“In more polite terms, yes.”
“While Maddie’s mom was there tonight?”
She chews the inside of her lip. “I would assume so.”
My shoulders slump with a sigh. “Are you trying to get me fired?”
She holds her palms up. “I know, I know. We already talked about it. Nobody is going to threaten to beat up anybody’s mom. Even if some of them deserve it.”
“They would. And I’d probably love to see it, but you can’t go teaching my daughter that violence solves anything.”
“You’d love to see it?”
“Maddie’s mom can be a bit much.”
“That’s because she’s into you.”
My stomach churns at the same time heat prickles my neck. “Whatever. Stop encouraging violence around my daughter.”
“It’s self-defense, Sutton. It’s a highly effective life skill.”
“For bad guys.”
“Bullies are bad guys.”
She’s being cute.
I need to change the subject before I accidentally say so. My loose lips are not to be trusted this evening.
“Is your blood sugar better?”
“Feels like it.” She pulls out her phone, turning the screen my way. “It’s 97.”
“Good.”
