I put my hands up in mock surrender, “Sorry. God.”
“Both of you listen up. Your father and I are divorcing. Now I know this may come as a shock, but-“
“Not really.” Glenn answered.
“I second that.” I chimed in.
“Wait! What? What do you mean?”
“Ma, you’ve been miserable since…well…my whole life actually.”
“Longer than that. Given that I’m four years older.” Glenn smacked my hand out from under my chin.
“Jesus! Can’t you two stop being such children for one second?”
“No, then we would end up as miserable as you and Dad.” I didn’t think I’d regret it, but the minute the words came out of my mouth, I did.
“Well then, I guess this is good-bye.”
I stood and reached out for my mom’s arm, “Wait, you’re leavin’?”
“Yes of course. Your father makes all the money, and this is his house. And why do you care? I’m miserable to be around apparently.”
“Ma, come on, I didn’t mean it like that.” I reached out for her again, but she pulled her arm away as she started to head upstairs.
“Mom, come back and talk to us. Please?”
“I have things to do, Glenn. I’ll chat with you boys tonight at dinner.” And with that she disappeared behind her bedroom door.
“Dude, I can’t believe Mom and Dad are gettin’ divorced. I always thought they should, but I never thought they’d actually do it. Shit! What time is it?”
“Like noon. Why?”
“I’ll be back in just a bit.” I grabbed my jacket as I went runnin’ out the door, but then suddenly remembered that I didn’t have a car here. I poked my head back inside just as Glenn was tossin’ his truck keys at me.
“Be nice to her, and be back before four.”
“Thanks, bro.”
It was an odd feelin’ drivin’ through town. There were far too many memories floodin’ back that I would rather forget, my wife bein’ one of them. It was still hard to believe sometimes that it had been almost three years since I graduated and vowed to leave this place. Who would’ve thought I would actually accomplish it. I turned into the Abernathy Police Station a few minutes later, and was genuinely shocked at how busy it was here. Who would’ve thought there was so much crime in tiny Abernathy.
I walked up to the lady at the desk, glancin’ around to see if there was anyone else I could talk to. “Hey, I’m here to see a Detective Sanders.”
“Just one second.”
Literally a second later, a man about six two, two hundred and twenty pounds, give or take a few came saunterin’ out from behind an old rickety desk. “Joey Green?”
“Yes, Sir.” I held out my hand for him to shake it, but he just motioned for me to follow him instead. “Alrighty then.”
“Please take a seat, Mr. Green. Like I said on the phone, I need to talk to you about some information we’ve obtained about your wife, Tanya.”
“I’m a bit confused, Detective Sanders. What kind of information could you have about her that I don’t already know?” I laughed out loud, but I was secretly freakin’ out on the inside.
“Mainly about the man that your wife shot, and then covered up.”
I instantly started chokin’ as my throat instantly went dry, “I’m sorry…what was that?”
“Look Mr. Green, I’m not gonna jerk ya around. Honestly, I just need to close this shit case so I can retire with my full pension. Now were you or were you not present when the incident occurred?”
“I…well…that…um…” I continued to talk in incoherent sentences when the man that my wife supposedly murdered came walkin’ through the back office and right towards me. I pushed back out of my seat, practically jumpin’ right out of my own skin. “What the fuck?”
“Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that he’s still alive? Mr. Green meet Mr. Keets.”
“Pleasure to meet you?”
“I bet it is, given the fact that you don’t have to live like dead man.”
“Look, I’m real sorry about that, but she told me it was self-defense. You should have heard the stories she told about you. Trust me, I would do anything to not have to be married to that crazy bitch.”
“Would you now? Well that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” Detective Sanders sat me back down, and explained more than I would’ve liked to know about Tanya, far more.
I walked out of the station about two hours later with a renewed sense of life, I guess. As far as I was concerned I just had to play the part, and I would be rid of Tanya forever. Man, this was gonna blow. As I made my way up the driveway to the Haunted Mansion I realized that my life was so far off course that I wasn’t sure I was ever goin’ to be able to get it back. All I knew was this year couldn’t be over with soon enough.
When I walked through the door no one was to be seen, and the house was eerily quiet. “Hello?” Where could everyone have gone? Glenn didn’t even have a vehicle for cryin’ out loud. I reached in the front pocket of my jeans to call Glenn. Of course there was no answer. As far as I knew he was off with his wife somewhere. The phone beeped to alert me to leave a message, but there wasn’t really much I could say. How was I supposed to explain to my brother over voicemail my wife was some crazy whack job who decided to off a guy for a little bit of cash. Definitely the worst Christmas ever.
~~~
A few hours passed and I guess I fell asleep on the couch because I woke up to Glenn coming to the front door like a bull in a China shop. “ Nothing like waking up your brother from a long winters nap.” I thought the little Christmas pun would put him in the spirit. Boy was I wrong.
“What the hell is up with your sister Cami?”
“Uh dude, I don’t think I’d go around callin’ your wife my sister like that. It sounds a little weird, not gonna lie.”
“I had her come pick me up so we could do some last minute Christmas shopping, and all of a sudden, she freaks out on me. Starts sayin’ I’m a horrible husband for leavin’ back out on tour after the first of the year, and that I should care more about her feelings.”
“Stop me if I’m wrong here, but didn’t your wife just battle and beat cancer?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Wouldn’t you do anything for her?”
“Yeah Jo, what’s your point?”
“Is the tour that important? I mean, it’s not like y’all are young bucks. Maybe you should stay home and actually be with your wife while she’s healthy, and not sick.”
“I know man, but Madison and the guys would kill me. I already had to put off this tour because she was sick, and now that she’s better, I figured it was cool.”
“Did you ever ask her what she thought?”
“Well…no not really.”
“Seems to me like maybe you should. Maybe she just wants to be asked, and not told what you’re doin’.”
“Jesus Jo, when did you get all relationship knowledgeable and shit?”
“What can I say, that’s just me.” We both laughed, but abruptly stopped when our mom entered the room.
“Don’t stop laughing on my account. How are my boys doing?”
“Ma, are you feelin’ okay?” She was lookin’ a little haggard, for our mom at least, and she didn’t seem all high and mighty for once.
“Oh I’m great.” She replied in a sing-song voice. “I was just out getting some lunch with the girls, oh and then we got these amazing brownies from Sheila’s new boyfriend. They were delightful. Mmmmhmmm.”
Glenn and I started bustin’ up laughin’ as we realized what exactly was in those brownies that Sheila’s boyfriend gave them. “Hey Ma, have you ever smoked pot before?”
“Oh my, no never. Well, guess what was in those “brownies”.”
“Oh my god, are you serious?” She slowly started freakin’ out as Glenn and I tried to stop ourselves from fallin’ on the floor in laughter. “Joey Green, you stop that right this instant. This is not funny.”
/>
“You are right, Mom. It is hysterical.”
“Glenn!” She was tryin’ so hard to keep a straight face, but within seconds, she was laughin’ right along with the both of us.
Before I knew it, the three of us were on the kitchen floor still laughin’ and eating practically everything in the fridge and cupboards. Okay, Mom was eatin’ most of the stuff, but Glenn and I didn’t want her to feel bad so we joined in. “Ma, if I would’ve known you were this much fun, I would’ve gotten ya high years ago.”
“Oh, Jo.” She suddenly stopped laughing and took a very serious tone, “Joey, I just want to say how sorry I am that I’ve always treated you and your brother so differently. I guess after your brother, I just really wanted a girl and when we found out you were a boy, I was disappointed, and I guess I’ve been taking that disappointment out on you ever since.”
I had always known what she was tellin’ me right now, but I never in a million years thought that she would admit it to me. In that moment I respected her more than I disliked her. I leaned forward and pulled her into a giant hug, holdin’ her close to me until she finally gave in and hugged me back. I was pretty sure it was the first time she had hugged me in almost fifteen years. “I love ya, Ma.”
“Oh, Joey. I love you too, so much.” She squeezed me tighter, and then I felt Glenn’s arms wrap around the both of us.
“I love this you guys.” The three of us were laughing and cryin’ all at the same time when we heard a clearing of someone’s throat comin’ from behind us.
“What the hell is goin’ on in here?”
The three of us turned in each other’s arms and faced my father. I’m pretty sure he didn’t know how to react at the three of us cryin’ in each other’s arms, so he just shook his head and sat on the floor next to us, and held out his arms. It was the closest our family had ever been and it felt…weird.
“So which one of you got your mother high?”
Glenn and I both looked at each other, and then our dad, “Sheila’s boyfriend.” We announced in unison.
“I knew that kid was a pothead.” He laughed, and we all fell over laughing. “I guess that’s what you get when you date someone twenty-five years younger.”
We spent the rest of the day on our once spotless kitchen floor, talkin’ of all things. It was the closest I had ever felt to my parents…ever. Christmas Eve had most definitely turned around for us, and I was pretty sure that this was the first time my parents had spoken candidly with each other in years. The way they were lookin’ at each other gave me hope that they would make things work. I mean, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if they stayed together.
Chapter 20
Joey
Christmas Day
My mother tinged her glass tryin’ to get everyone’s attention, but unfortunately in a house full of rugged rednecks that wasn’t an easy task. “HEY EVERYONE, PIPE DOWN. MY MA HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.” A hush fell over the house, and my Ma looked at me in thanks.
“I just wanted to take a second to say thank you to everyone for coming over and spending their holiday with us. It has been a rough year to say the least, but we have had some enormous ups as well as downs. First off, I just want to say I’m so proud of my baby boy, Jo. He has managed to transfer to an amazing school where he is holding one of the highest grade point averages, and getting to play ball like he’s always wanted. Here’s to hoping the NFL comes knocking someday soon. To my oldest boy Glenn, I love you and Cami both, and I’m so thrilled that she is still with us to celebrate this wonderful holiday. Glenn please be careful on your tour, and we’ll make sure Cami is taken care of. To all of you wonderful and amazing people who we have come to call family, thank you for giving my boys a home when theirs didn’t feel like one. So everyone dig in, and Merry Christmas.”
Everyone clanked their glasses together, but Glenn and Cami were off in the corner whisperin’ about somethin’, and I didn’t want to feel left out so I made my way over to them to listen in. “What’s goin’ on guys?” I whispered.
“Jo, do you mind?”
“No, not at all. What are we talkin’ about?”
“Joey, it’s none of your business.” Cami growled before stormin’ off upstairs.
“Man, what’s up with grumpy pants?”
Glenn slapped me hard on the chest, “Dude, sometimes I swear you have the worst timing.”
“Sorry, bro. I honestly didn’t think it was somethin’ serious. Sorry.”
“We got another call from the adoption agency. Looks like the new mom changed her mind too.”
I immediately felt like an ass. “I’m so sorry, bro. I had no idea that was still even a thing. I mean, after the girl in Austin changed her mind, I thought y’all decided to wait?”
“I know, but when they called us about this mom we thought maybe it was our time. We just got the final call last night after y’all went to bed and I went home.”
“I’m gonna go apologize to Cami.”
“Do.” He pointed at the stairs and I started climbing them like a reprimanded little boy.
I knocked on Glenn’s bedroom door, and opened it slightly, putting my hands up in surrender, “Please don’t shoot. I’m just here to apologize.”
“It’s fine Jo. I holstered my gun. Come on in.”
“I love that you get my humor, sis.” I smiled as I jumped onto the bed next to where she was sitting. “Look, I had no idea what was goin’ on. I’m really sorry about the whole baby thing.” I put my arm around Cami’s shoulders and she leaned into my shoulder as she started to cry.
“I just really needed this, Jo. I needed to feel human again.”
“I know, I’m so sorry.” I was tryin’ to think of what I could say to make her feel better. “If it helps, I married a murderer.”
Cami’s head popped off of my shoulder real quick and her cryin’ instantly seized. “What in the hell?”
“Long story, for another time.” I laughed as I pushed her head back down on my shoulder. “Continue.” We both laughed.
“Thanks, Jo.”
“For what?”
“For always makin’ me laugh. You’re gonna make some guy really lucky some day.” She teased.
“What’s to say I haven’t already?” I laughed.
Cami and I made our way downstairs a short while later while everyone else was diggin’ into the delicious food my mom had made. Glenn stood and helped Cami over to her seat, while I glanced around the table at all the love around me. Even Mom and Dad were happy and kissin’…gross. Kayla motioned for me to take a seat by her and Madison, but I held up my phone and pretended that it was ringin’. I made my way out back where I was out of everyone’s line of sight, and dialed the only person I wanted to really wish a Merry Christmas. I wasn’t even sure if she would answer. If she was back home in London, then I was definitely callin’ too late, but I would take my chances. Unfortunately, it went straight to voicemail.
I was just about to go back in when I felt a pair of hands wrap around my waist from behind me, unfortunately, I knew exactly who those hands belonged to. “What are you doin’ here?”
“Well, it is Christmas, and I thought I should spend the day with my family.”
“My family is not your family, and as far as I’m concerned…” I suddenly remembered what Detective Sanders had told me, and I wasn’t willin’ to be her next victim. So I lovingly wrapped her in my arms and headed inside. “Everyone, Tanya will be joinin’ us today.” I could definitely feel the love when everyone looked up but then quickly looked back down at their food. “Oh, and she’ll be movin’ back to California with me.”
“I will?” Her excitement was unmistakable.
“Yeah, we’re married aren’t we?”
“Yes, of course.”
When everyone was done eatin’ and all the presents were opened, we all decided to go our separate ways, Tanya and myself included. “Well, it looks like we’ll be headin’ back tonight. Long drive and all.”
“J
oey, why don’t you two wait until morning? I’ll worry less.”
“I know, Ma, but I have to get back before practice starts up on Monday. I love you.” I placed a chaste kiss to her forehead, and she hugged me tightly once more.
“Please be careful, and call me when you get there.”
“I will.” I turned to the rest of the household. “Merry Christmas everyone. I’ll see y’all real soon. I promise.” Everyone waived as I literally pushed Tanya out the front door towards her car. “We need to go by your house and get your stuff.”
This Obsession of Mine (Raine Series #5) Page 12