Page 95 of Fierce-Baker

His fingers were tapping the computer. He saw what one of the medications might be and the side effects. “So he might not be able to get it up? You should be happy. He won’t wander then.”

“I don’t know why I called you,” his mother said. He could hear her sobbing now.

Fuck.

He didn’t want to upset her, but it wasn’t like she ever worried if she did those things to her kids.

Or if she ever put herself first for any kind of happiness.

“You called because you need to tell us,” he said, his voice softer. “But you’re making a bigger deal about this than it is. You know how Brittany and I feel about the way he treats you. Maybe this is his penance for being a horrible husband.”

“He’s not a horrible husband. He’s supported me financially for years.”

“Mom, he would have had to support you regardless of you staying in a loveless marriage.”

“We love each other,” his mother argued. “Love comes in a lot of forms. I know he loves me. Maybe he just doesn’t always like me at times, but now he does. Now he needs me more than anything.”

He wanted to toss his cookies on the desk over this.

How could he have come from someone with such low self-esteem?

“You do you, Mom. I’m not sure what you want from me.”

“There is one thing.”

He wasn’t sure why he knew this wasn’t going to be anything he’d want to do. Or even something that would help her.

“What’s that?”

“Can you talk to your father? Let him know that it’s fine. That things like this happen. It doesn’t make him less of a man.”

“No,” he said simply.

One word. One answer. No explanations were needed in his mind.

“Baker. You haven’t talked to him in years.”

“And it can stay that way. Everyone knows how the other feels right now. Do you think him not being able to piss when he wants means we are going to reconcile? He’s not going to change who he is and if you want to live with it, that’s on you. We’ve had this conversation.”

“I just thought this would change things.”

His mother put the phone down to blow her nose.

“You thought wrong. Mom, I’m here for you. Most times. But not if it concerns something like this. If you want me to help you move out and get set up somewhere? I’m your man. Say the word. But talk to Dad because he’s insecure over a common male condition? He can find someone else for that.”

“I didn’t think you’d be this cold,” his mother said. “Alexa really did a number on you. If you can’t let go of your bitterness, you’re going to be alone for a long time. Is that what you want? She’s engaged now. She moved on. But not you.”

Talk about a shot below the belt.

Just when he thought maybe he could let his mother know about Tasha.

Not now. Not after that.

“I’d rather be alone than with someone who doesn’t respect me.”

He hung up after that before he regretted anything else coming out of his mouth.

The back of his head hit the top of his chair while his eyes stayed fixated on the ceiling.