Page 141 of Fierce-Baker

He ground his teeth. “What is it you think I can do?”

“I don’t know,” his mother said, her voice almost pleading. “I’m trying everything I can think of. I’m making all his favorite foods but healthier. I’m letting him control our conversations. I don’t nag him when he comes in the door.”

“Mom,” he said. “Just stop. I mean it. That’s all the thingsyou’redoing. What is he doing? Is he making any changes?”

The silence told him everything he needed to know. “He’s still processing this.”

“He’s had time,” he said. “Don’t make excuses for him. He’s not dying. He’s not sick. He doesn’t have cancer. There are medications and procedures. He’s struggling to pee. I get it. It might be uncomfortable.”

“The medicine is working,” his mother said. “I know it is. I hear him get up to pee at night and he’s going. Not starting and stopping. And he’s not going into the bathroom as often.”

“That’s all good news then,” he said. “What’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. I think maybe he’s depressed neither of his kids has asked how he is doing. This is serious.”

“Tohimit’s serious,” he said sarcastically. “When was the last time Dad reached out to me about anything?”

“Be the bigger person, Baker,” his mother pleaded. “Can’t you talk to him?”

He ground his teeth. Why the fuck not? He’d already told Tasha’s ex to man up, might as well do the same to the man who raised him too.

“Is he home or working?”

“He’s actually home right now. He took the day off.”

“Put him on. And, Mom, this is the last time I’m letting you guilt me into this. Just remember, you asked for this.”

“What does that mean?” his mother asked cautiously.

“Put Dad on,” he said again. “Or you’re losing this chance.”

“Connor. Baker wants to talk to you.”

“He does?” He heard his father’s voice as his mother moved through the house. The surprise was there. “Hi, Baker.”

“Dad,” he said. “Mom said you’re depressed.”

“I’m not depressed,” his father said, his voice almost short. “She won’t give me space. Good lord. You’d think I was dying or something.”

He squeezed his fist so tight, his knuckles turned white.

Typical of his mother to do this, but he was on the phone and talking to the guy and he was going to say what was on his mind.

“Well, she’s acting like you are. She’s worried and trying to help.”

“I get it,” his father said. “But she has to just give me space. I hate when she crowds me like this.”

“She cares,” he said. “Which is more than I might say for you. It’s your wife. The mother of your children. She’s been there for everything for you for years. Even when she shouldn’t have stayed. Even when I’ve offered to help her leave you, she stood by your side.”

“How dare you come between your mother and me!”

“I’m doing it because she is my mother and, as much as she might annoy me, it doesn’t mean I love her any less. Have the decency to treat her with respect or let her go.”

“She’ll never go,” his father mumbled. “And I don’t want her to. What is between us is that exactly. You’ve got no right to involve yourself in our marriage.”

“You’re right, I don’t. Maybe tell Mom that so she stops calling and telling me things that I don’t need to know. This is the last time I’m going to say a word about it to you. The last time I want to hear about it from her unless she’s finally ready to step up and do something for herself.”

He hung up after that.