CHAPTER 18
Cora Chapman
I COULDN’T STOP SMILING AS I turned down the street. Then I saw her car.
My mom was at my house. She waited on the porch. I took in a deep breath. What the hell was she doing?
I turned into the driveway and parked next to her car, got out, and went up to the porch. “Hi, Mom.”
She had on a pant suit. It looked like something Hilary Clinton would wear. Her hair wouldn’t have moved in the middle of a tornado. She stood up, stiff as a board. Surely, she’d been fun at one time in her life. If she had, I would never have known.
“Everything okay with you?”
She always did that. Asked rhetorical questions. I brushed it off.
“Sure, why?”
She followed me to the door. We rarely hugged or anything in my family. It just wasn’t something we did. She played along with my answer.
“We never hear from you. Never talk to you.”
I fumbled with the key. This wasn’t how I wanted my evening to go. I had some work to do and I wanted to go spend time with Landon and Logan. “Just been busy with work. Sorry.”
She smirked. “You only work thirty hours a week.”
I shook my head. And she wonders why I don’t call and want to hang out. It was a hopeless cause. I wanted to say something nasty to her. Point out that she didn’t work at all. My parents were under the impression that teachers were part-time employees who only worked during school hours and had the summers off. “It keeps me busy.”
We walked into my house. It was messy. I braced for the comment.
“Do we need to get you a maid?”
“No.”
“Well, it looks like you need one.” Her head craned around the room.
“I don’t.”
“It’s pretty messy.”
I spun around and mustered up the fakest smile possible. “Do you need something, Mother?” She hated being called that.
“Are you seeing someone?”
There was the reason she came over. It was tricky. I didn’t like lying, even to my parents. And they rarely asked anything they didn’t already know the answer to. Everything was a game of gotcha.
“Yes.”
She glared.
“I see lots of people. Every day.”
“This isn’t funny.”
“You weren’t specific.”
“Is he a parent of a student?” Her lips mashed into a horizontal line.
How could she know that? I nodded.
She shook her head and took a few steps with her back to me. Then she whipped around and gritted her teeth. “I don’t care what you did in New York City. But what you do here reflects on the way you were raised.”
“It’s none of your business.”
She threw her arms in the air. “How could you do this? We didn’t raise you to be this way.”
My face heated up. I marched over and retrieved my checkbook from the drawer. I owed them five hundred dollars and I had approximately five hundred and eight in my checking account, but I didn’t care. Even a dollar would’ve made them feel like they could control my life.
I scribbled out the five hundred on a check and handed it over. “Here.” I thrust it at her.
“We don’t care about the money.”
“Sure you do. Maybe not the amount. But you care about what comes with it. Power over me.”
She scoffed. “Nobody is trying to govern you. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then what are you doing here? Why are you trying to scold me?” I folded my arms across my chest and stared.
“I’m just having a conversation. Explaining things from our point of view. Trying to keep you from making a mistake.”
“You care about how you look to people. Not my wellbeing.”
She shook her head. “That’s not true.”
“Really? Did you ask me if I was happy? If he made me happy? If I was in love with him?”
She looked away and mumbled, “Oh my God.”
“What? What is it, Mom?”
“What do you know about love?”
“What do you?” I glared.
She pointed a finger in my face. “I love your father. We’ve been together for thirty years. I’ve been by his side the whole time. You wouldn’t know a thing about that kind of commitment.”
My shirt tightened around my neck and threatened to strangle me. Nerves ripped down through my chest and straight into my stomach. I loved Landon. I loved being around him. Sure, maybe some of it was still chemicals and we hadn’t been together for all that long, but it didn’t change anything. I’d been alive long enough to know he was the one.
I took in a deep breath. I had too much to worry about without an assault on my personal space and my relationship. “Mom, I love you. We’re different. I’m not like you and Dad.” It was true. I didn’t think my parents were great parents. They were different than me, but I still loved them.
She looked away.
I stared at the side of her head while she seethed. “I’m not going to apologize for who I am. But I am sorry that you’re disappointed.”
There were so many mean things I could’ve said. I could’ve attacked her relationship, or the way she was. But it wouldn’t have done any good. It would’ve only driven us further apart.
“I’m not perfect. I never will be. But I love who I am right now. I haven’t felt this way in a while.”
She stood there and stared. Her hand went up and she fidgeted with the pearls on her necklace. “We just—we thought when you came back.”
I thought I might see her cry for the first time in my life. Her eyes glossed over a little. She blinked it away.
“You thought what?”
“We ran you off the first time. We thought you hated us because we pushed you so hard. We were so strict. And when you came back, you needed money. And then we didn’t see you.”
I took a step toward her. It was the closest thing to a real conversation I think we’d ever had. Usually it was her preaching and me running. I’d never stood up to her like this. Not really. I’d mouth off as a teen. But she never knew how I felt. I didn’t give her anything inside of me. I wanted to hug her, I just wasn’t sure how.
“Mom.” I settled for reaching out and touching one of her arms.
She looked down at my hand.
I couldn’t tell if she was uncomfortable with it or surprised. “I would love to have a better relationship with you and Dad. I’ve always wanted that. I just don’t know how.”
She started to speak but I cut her off.
“I get being strict and having all the rules and discipline when I was a kid. But we’re past that now. I’m an adult, okay? I need you and Dad to be my friend at this stage. But I’m not using you for anything.”
“Why’d you come back then?”
“I was scared. And I missed this place. I didn’t ever think I would. But I did.”
I heard a sniffle. Somehow, she cried without showing it. “You always hated it here before.”
“I didn’t hate it.”
“You didn’t?”
“No. I mean, maybe sometimes. But I was an angsty teenager for crying out loud. And everything was so strict and controlled and structured for me, I just didn’t know how to be on my own. Or I wasn’t brave enough to learn. I was overwhelmed. Took on too much. I was teaching at a school in Queens, in a crime-ridden area. There were gangs and gunshots and I didn’t make much money. I bit off way more than I could chew.”
“So it was our fault for not preparing you? For doing too much for you?”
I gritted my teeth. God, I thought we were getting somewhere and then she twisted my words. Heard what she wanted to hear. “That’s not what I said.” I let go of her arm. I needed to change the subject. “How did you know I was dating someone?”
I was pretty sure I knew already, but I wanted to be sure. Desire was a gossip haven. Typical small-town America.
“Virginia Hastings is apparently telling people. Blanch Caldwell heard it from someone else and told me. Said she’s saying the guy you’re dating is and I quote, ‘A belligerent meathead.’”
I covered my mouth and laughed. “Some things never change around here.”
“People like to talk.” She nodded. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you need to be careful. So, if anything, just think of it as me passing off information to you and not preaching. Is that okay?”
I smiled. “Yeah, that’s fine. Thank you.”
Her mouth creased in the corner. It was like a grin was trying to peek through her stone-serious face. “So, who is he?”
I’d just found out myself and the question hit my stomach like a sack of rocks. Everything I knew now. How would I explain that? What would I tell people if they asked? Landon and I hadn’t discussed that. He’d probably tell me to not say anything. But they were my parents. I figured as little as possible was the best. “I want you and Dad to meet him, and I want to tell you about him. I’m just—we’re trying to keep it private until the school year is finished.”
She glared, and I wanted so badly to please her this one time. But I had no idea who she talked to or who else would receive any information I gave her.
“In fact, we’re kind of on hold right now. Taking things slow until summer.”
“Oh, because of his son. I see.” She nodded. “That’s smart. It’s what I’d have suggested, so maybe we’re not all that different.”
I wasn’t happy with how I’d lied to her, but the chance to please her just once—I don’t know why, but I wanted it. Her approval. “I’ll see if we can figure something out where you two can meet him before then. No promises though, okay?”
“Thanks.”
I reached out and gave her a hug. I pulled her in tight so she couldn’t get away.
“Oh. Well—” She gave me a couple of awkward pats on the back.
I knew my parents wouldn’t change. I didn’t expect them to. They were who they were.
Maybe they’d turn over a new leaf and see me as an adult, though.
I PULLED UP THE DRIVEWAY to the Lane residence. Landon and Joe stood in the front yard—shirtless of course. It was pretty cold outside. Why would they be shirtless? It didn’t make much sense, but who was I to complain about two giant, gorgeous, muscle-bound men fighting half-naked in the front yard? Then I thought about what Landon had said. A volcano near Antarctica. It made sense that they’d be acclimated to just about any kind of weather.
They looked like twins. The only way I could tell them apart was by Landon’s tattoos. God, they were gorgeous, and rough, and dangerous. Three skulls snaked from shoulder to wrist. It was all black ink with ornate swirls between that made them blend into his right arm. My legs clenched at the sight of his body. His thick arms and broad chest. Chiseled abs that looked like pieces of a puzzle, and sharp angles at his hips that formed a vee that pointed down below his waist.
When I made my way up the driveway I noticed half of Landon’s face was swollen and purple. Like Joe’s bowling-ball-sized fist had decked him.
I barely got the car into park before I jumped out and ran over to him. “What the hell?”
My fingers raked through his hair and Joe snickered.
Landon stared back at me. Shook his head and glanced at my car. “I open the door for you.”
“I’m more worried about your face than the door.”
Janet walked out front. “Landon, I’m not your damn secretary.” She handed a phone over to him.
He put it to his ear. “Next week? Okay.” Landon handed the phone back to Janet.
She glared at him and wiped his sweat off the screen.
Landon turned to Joe. “First fight is next week.”
Joe looked up at the sky in contemplation. “They want to get one out of the way fast.”
Landon nodded. “So they can build as much publicity as possible.”
“Have you told Logan yet?” Janet crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. “He may want to know his daddy’s about to be famous.”
“Not yet. He’ll have more questions.”
Janet whipped around and stomped toward the door. I couldn’t blame her.
I glared. “You need to tell him.”
His eyes darted toward me and his brows narrowed a little.
I held my hands up. “Sorry, just saying.” I was still settling into some kind of role. Had no idea which boundaries to cross. What to say to people.
Landon and I wanted to talk about it, but things had been so damn busy. He reached out and took my hand. “There’s a lot going on. We’ll all talk soon.”
Joe stared out at the road. “Screws fall out all the time. The world’s an imperfect place.”
I glanced at Joe. Then turned to Landon. “Was that The Breakfast Club?”
Landon shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been watching movies in his free time.”
Joe looked at Landon. “Great movie. I like that Bender guy. He’d have done well on the island.”
Landon ignored him and stared at me. “As soon as we’re done here, we’ll talk. We’ll talk to Logan too.”
I grinned. “Joe, try not to tape his butt cheeks together.”
Joe fist pumped the air like the football field scene. I didn’t know what to make of him. He was odd to say the least.
I sat down and decided to watch them for a little while. It started out normal. Them circling each other with their fists up. Adrenaline pumped through my limbs. It was kinda hot watching guys train to fight. Joe did some kind of head fake and his fist slammed into Landon’s jaw.
I grimaced.
Landon went to a knee. Joe smiled.
Thank God they wore padded gloves.
“You had best square your ass away, Private Pyle!”
I covered my mouth and laughed into my palm. Joe looked serious as could be. Complete deadpan delivery, only it wasn’t comedy. He wasn’t joking. He was legitimately using movies to communicate, like he was adapting to the world through Hollywood.
Landon hopped to his feet.
Joe threw a few more punches and Landon dodged them. “Better Private Pyle.”
Landon threw another punch that would’ve killed a human being. Joe sidestepped it like he was about to yawn.
I couldn’t help but watch Landon’s muscles flexing and shimmering with orange sunlight. They had about two more hours before dark. The sun was on the horizon and cast dancing shadows of the two giants across the field.
As they progressed, Joe’s strikes came faster and harder. Landon dodged and juked. I’d never seen anyone move as fast as them.
I glanced over and caught Logan in his window. He was mimicking Landon.
Boys want to be just like their dads.
I smiled for a second then wondered if Landon would want Logan watching him. I walked inside and went to Logan’s room to at least offer a distraction. He protested at first, but he couldn’t resist playing with spaceships on the floor.
Half an hour later the giants barged into the house.
We walked out of Logan’s room and Joe had a big shiner on his left cheek.
“Finally got him.” Landon smacked a hand on Joe’s sweaty shoulder.
“Wanna go again?” Joe smiled.
Landon stood there.
Joe’s face twisted into some kind of Dirty Harry impersonation. “Well, feel lucky, punk?”
Landon shook his head. “I think we’re good for today.”
“You’re not good ever. Three seconds.”
I stood there. “Huh? Three seconds?”
Joe turned to Landon. “That’s how long you’d last right now.”
The blood drained out of Landon’s face. I put a hand on Logan’s shoulder.
Landon glanced over to us. He looked at my hand and then at Logan. “Right. Let’s go in the bedroom.”
The three of us walked back. I hung behind, unsure if Landon wanted it to be a father-son moment or not. He reached back and grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into the room. My heart came alive.
Logan sat down on the bed and Landon next to him. “I have some news, buddy. There’s a reason Uncle Joe is here.”
Logan stared. “What is it?”
“I’m going to fight. On TV.”
Logan’s eyes shot open. “On WMMA?”
Landon nodded.
“Whoa!” He tackled Landon and fired off a hundred questions in ten seconds. “When? Who are you fighting? Can I watch?”
Landon held up his hands. “Easy. Easy.”
Logan sat up straight. His smile disappeared. “Are you going to fight that new guy?”
Landon looked away. “Not at first. But in a few months, yes.”
I walked over and sat down by Logan.
Landon finally turned back to him. “I have the best trainers though. Uncle Joe out there. Uncle Gus.”
“Zach at school said everyone he fights gets hurt really bad.”
My heart pinched for Landon. I knew he was a big strong man, but I definitely wasn’t. He didn’t want to disappoint Logan. He didn’t want to lie to him either. I watched him struggle with his words.
“He does hurt people.”
“Can you beat him?”
“I didn’t last time.” Landon wrapped an arm around Logan.
“You know him?”
Landon nodded. “When we were kids. Around your age.”
Logan kept smiling away at Landon.
Landon nudged him with his elbow. “What?”
“You’ve never told me about when you were a kid.”
They hugged for a second and Landon looked like he never wanted to let go of him. “I know, buddy.” He paused. “Someday I’ll tell you everything. I promise.”