Page 70 of Risk It All
“Haven’t talked to her in a while.” Colin chewed as he spoke. “I think the last time was around New Year’s Eve. Tried to call her the other day, but she was at work.” He looked over at me. “Has she said anything?”
I reached over for a napkin. “About what?”
“About me calling?”
Shehad, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go there and open that conversation, even if Eliza had been curious about what Colin had wanted. “Uh, she might’ve mentioned it. Was there something you wanted to tell her?”
“Yeah, there’s something. I actually, uh, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about, too,” Colin said, his eyes flicking briefly to Mom then back at me.
Realizing it was likely not something he wanted to talk about in front of our mom, I nodded. “Sure, let’s talk before I head out.”
Colin offered me a tight smile before he turned toward Mom, relaxing his shoulders slightly. “I don’t see a problem with you reaching out. I don’t know how much she’d want to hear from her ex’s mom, but…” Colin shrugged with a laugh.
“I think she’d like it,” I added, looking at Mom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Colin’s smile falter, but that wasn’t why I said it. I didn’t want to upset my brother. I didn’t want to make this some weird competition. But I knew Eliza wouldn’t mind hearing from Mom.
“So, all of a sudden you know what she does and doesn’t like?” Colin bit out.
“I don’t know what you want me say, Colin. Yeah, we’re friends. I’ve mentioned to her that I’ve been coming up to help Mom with the house, and she asked how Mom’s doing.”
“And that’s it?”
“Yeah,” I lied. “That’s it.”
“Okay, let’s—I’m sorry for asking,” Mom sighed. “Let’s clean this up and take a look at the boxes I have for you both. I don’t want you to be driving too late, Leo.”
I reached to close one of the boxes, but Colin beat me to it. “I got it,” he grumbled, closing both boxes, stacking them, and carrying them to the kitchen.
I grabbed the napkins and empty water glasses, following him to the kitchen. Neither of us said anything. The words that followed when we met Mom in the basement to grab our things were minimal.
It wasn’t until the drive back to my apartment that I realized Colin hadn’t brought up what he wanted to talk to me about.
23
LEO
Eliza
Did you make it back okay?
Me
I did.
Worried about me?
Eliza
Nope. Just curious.
Me
Uh huh…
Thinking about me?
Eliza
Maybe…
