Page 97 of Mine

“Because Landry’s awake,” I said, trying to widen my eyes because I needed coffee badly. “And he wants his stuff because I’m pretty sure he’s going from the hospital to the airport. So if you want to see him before we go, if your mother does, she should—”

“My mother––” He yawned. “My mother’s gone.”

“What?” I was surprised. “Gone where?”

“On extended holiday,” he replied, moving aside so I could walk past him. Once he closed the door, he turned to me. “You want some coffee?”

“No, I…. What do you mean she’s gone?”

“Oh man, she’s not gonna stay here and have her friends look at her and think shit about her because my dad cheated with the maid. She left. She’s meeting one of her sisters in New York, and then the two of them are flying to Paris to stay with my other aunt, her other sister.”

“When will she be back?”

“I have no idea.”

“She just left without saying goodbye to Landry? I mean, she just got him back and now, what, she just takes off on him?”

He was squinting at me. “I dunno what you’re all upset about. My mom’s the one dealing with gossip and innuendo and everything else. She had to go.”

I was utterly gobsmacked.

“I’m sure she’ll be in touch with him.”

“But how does she know if he’s okay?”

“I’m sure Scott told her he was fine.” He was smiling at me. “It’s more of a ‘no news is good news’ kind of thing.”

“Don’t you care?” I was stunned.

“About what?”

“She left you too!”

“Yeah, but that’s because she’s cancer free, so I’m thrilled, and she’s been wanting to spend time with my aunts, and now she is, and so I’m doubly happy. So are Jo and Scott. And me and Jo are coming to see you and Lan for Thanksgiving and Christmas, right? I mean, that’s still on, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, of course, but—”

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong is that your mother just left without saying goodbye to Landry!” I shouted, upset for my boy and the rest of them. What the hell? “She didn’t go say goodbye to him or hug him or tell him she loved him! She just left! I can’t believe she just left!”

“Why?”

“Because she didn’t even see him after he was kidnapped! She didn’t squeeze the crap out of him and gush all over him and kiss and tell him she loved him!” I railed at him.

“But she’s been sick.”

“So the fuck what? If my mother was sick, it would not keep her from coming to the hospital and sitting at my bedside and holding my hand and being the second face after your brother’s that I saw when I woke up!”

“Why are you comparing your mother with mine? I don’t get that.”

I just stared at him.

“She is how she is, Trevan. You’re not gonna turn her into June Cleaver, you know? It’s not her. She loves us, and for now she’s gonna love us from Paris. Nothing’s stopping us from going to her, and we probably will at some point, maybe after New Year’s, but seriously, the whole hold your hand when you’re sick bit, that’s never been her. We had the nanny for that.”

I left him then, walked downstairs, stalked through the gardens, and finally came to the guest house I had shared with Landry. I packed all his things, checked everywhere, missed nothing, moving fast in my anger-spurred frenzy, and then slammed out through the door.

When I returned to the living room, having walked back up the same long stairs to the immense panoramic-view patio, I found Scott there as well. He was dressed for work, I assumed from his tailored suit.