"Yeah," Tony said.
"Don't look so thrilled bro." Frankie laughed.
"See ya later, Frankie."
"See ya, Tony. Take care of that woman of yours. They're a hell of a lot easier to deal with when you're on their good side."
Tony laughed. "Yes they are."
The front door opened and closed and then Tony came into the bedroom. "I heard what that guy said about Annie. So, see, she is doing just fine."
"Yes dear. You were right as always dear. I'm glad she's doing well. Hey, I forgot to tell you that that doctor friend of Langston's called. He's gonna try to arrange it so that he can see my mom in January."
"That's great Tony." She gave him a hug.
"Sure is." A knock sounded at the door. "That had better be Carl and Andi. I don't have time to deal with another junkie."
"Frankie seemed like an okay guy."
"He is, in most ways. But when you've got seven kids and are behind on child support, the last thing you need to think about is buying meth."
"Yeah."
"Let me go see who's at the door babe," he said, as the knocking got louder.
He was back a minute later with Carl and Andi. "Why do you have to knock so damn loud kid?" Tony said. "You make me think you're some crack addict who's practically jumping out of their skin, they're so desperate to get high."
"I thought you might have been in the bedroom with Tory," Carl said with a sheepish smile.
"I was in the bedroom with Tory. But not doin’ what you wanna be doin’ with Andi right now."
"We're comin’ back here after we visit your Mom right, Tone?"
"Nope. We're spending the day with your parents and Andi's parents."
"Mom promised that if I visited Aunt Monica she'd let me spend the day alone with Andi. We already get to sit through dinner with the parents because you had to propose to Tory now."
Tony shook his head. "I was kidding. But if you don't quit talking shit, I'll call up your Mama and tell her that we decided to help your Dad clean out the garage."
"No way Tony. I'll be nice, I promise."
"Good. You ready to go baby?"
Tory nodded, feeling nervous all of a sudden. Tory leaned over and whispered in her ear "She's gonna love you baby. And don't worry. They keep all the really crazy ones locked up."
"Ha, ha.”
"It's a nice day out. I already talked to the staff. They said it's okay if we talk to her outside into the garden area."
"Okay.”
Andi gave her a smile. She didn't look too concerned that she was going to go visit her boyfriend's aunt in a mental hospital Tory thought.
"You look good, Tor. Well rested. But it must help waking up with Tony, huh? I know it felt so good to wake up with Carl the other morning. I can't wait until I can do it all the time."
Carl grinned. "Me too."
He was probably already dreaming of before bed sex, middle of the night sex, and wake up sex Tory thought.
"Easy kid," Tony said. "I can tell by the look on your face what you're thinking about. No dirty thoughts when we're going to visit my mom."
"Okay." Carl sighed. "Hey Tony, can we borrow your new bed?"
"Hell no," Tony said. "You want Tory to get pissed off at me because someone else screwed in our new bed?"
She shrugged. "I don't mind."
He gave her a look. "Okay."
"Awesome dude. Thanks Tor."
As they followed a still beaming Andi and Carl out to the car he said "What's up with that?"
"He's got three days left with her. Let them have some fun on your new sheets."
"Okay. I thought it bothered you before. Thinking that I had had sex with other women in my bed."
"That was you. Besides, we've never done it on the air mattress. You didn't have sex with a bunch of women on that bed did you?"
"No."
"Okay then."
"Hey Carl," Tony said as they got into the car.
"What Tony?"
"You know that guy Smalls? He comes over sometimes to buy meth and weed."
"I don't know Tone. There are a lot of guys that come over to buy from you."
"Real big guy," he said as he backed out of the driveway. "Shitload of tattoos, lots of piercings. Tory would probably like him."
She gave him a dirty look as he went on. "His old lady's got like four little kids, none of ‘em his. They've been together off and on for like fifteen years. Every time they break up she goes off and gets knocked up by a different dude."
"Oh yeah, I know who you're talking about. Why?"
Tory cracked the window, lighting a cigarette. "I guess Annie's his cousin."
"No shit?"
"Yeah. He took care of her stepdad for her. Frankie said he supposedly offed him and buried him somewhere. She's doin' okay. Hooked up with some guy, has a baby, planning to get married soon."
"That's cool. At least she's not out in LA; doin porn or hookin’."
"Definitely a good thing."
"Did you call your parents and tell them Tony asked you to marry him Tor?"
"I talked to my dad. He's at least sort of okay with it. My mom is gonna be another story. She's probably gonna call me up drunk and scream her head off."
"Is she really that bad Tone?"
"I'd rather not answer that," Tony said.
"I knew it." Tory threw her cigarette butt out the window. "You think my mom's a bitch."
"I didn't say that Tory."
"You're too polite to say she's a bitch. Just like my dad. Even my stepdad doesn't want to call her a bitch and she threw an ashtray at his head and hid his Jaguar."
"Damn," Carl said. "So ya'll must have had a real nice trip."
"It wasn't that bad," Tony said. "We had a nice dinner with her stepdad and saw some corny play where I had to watch her drool over this Johnny guy."
"Is he the one with the nose ring?" Carl said.
"Nope, he came later. That guy, she never knew his name and had an orgasm just looking at him."
"I did not," Tory protested.
"She did too. She wanted to reach out and smack his ass when we were walking by. You ever catch your girl looking at a guy like that, Carl, you lay a big kiss on her with lots of tongue and turn around and head in the other direction."
Carl laughed. "Sure Tone."
"You laugh now bro, but you won't be laughing when your girl's running off with some guy with tattoos and a tongue ring."
"Ooh a tongue ring," Andi said.
"See." Tony chuckled.
"Why'd you have to get her started Tony?" Carl groaned.
"I didn't start it. Tory started it by drooling over a juvenile delinquent with a nose ring."
"I wasn't drooling. And he was hardly a delinquent. He had the most adorable little sister. He was holding her hand and strapping her into her car seat."
"Ah," Andi said. "How sweet."
"Her jaw hit the ground when she saw an inch of bare skin on his back," Tony muttered. "If she would have seen him naked she would have had a heart attack."
"It's not like he was going to get naked in front of his parents and his little brothers and sisters, Tony."
"Yeah, yeah." He lit a cigarette. "And she was giving me crap because she thought the waitress was flirting with me when we went out to eat with her stepdad."
"We ordered the same meal and his portions were twice as big as mine."
"They already sound like they're married," Carl remarked to Andi.
She giggled. "They do, don't they?"
"We do not," Tory protested.
"Yeah, we do," Tony said. "Just like an old married couple. Next thing I know you're going to be asking me if your butt looks big and if I'd rather be with some woman than you because I looked at her."
"I don't think so," Tory said.
They had pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. He stopped the car and leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Good, because your butt will never look big and there's no one I'd rather be with than you."
/>
"He's so sweet," Andi said to Carl as they got out of the backseat of the car.
"And I'm not?" Carl said.
"Of course you are," Andi said. But Tory didn't think that he looked convinced.
"No fighting kids." Tony clapped Carl on the back.
"We're not fighting," Carl protested. "And you and Tor were bickering like 30 seconds ago."
"We were having a friendly discussion. You're the one that got upset because your girl said I was sweet."
Carl sighed. "Just shut up, Tone. Let's go inside."
"Aye aye captain," Tony said.
"You're a weirdo Tony," Carl muttered.
"It's in the blood bro. You'd better watch out." Carl rolled his eyes. "Put a smile on your face for my mom. If you want to be pissed at me, be pissed at me later."
"I'm not pissed at you Tony."
"Good. We're all a happy bunch. Let's go."
Tony held the door open. They went inside and stood uncomfortably for a moment in the lobby, as an old woman came in barely shuffling along with a walker.
"Mrs. Crosby," the woman behind the desk said. "Your daughter will be so happy to see you. Where's Mr. Crosby?"
"He's outside, finishing his cigarette. I keep telling him he needs to quit those damn things but he won't listen. Never has."
She shuffled over to a chair. Tony turned to the woman behind the desk. "We're here to see Monica Wilson."
"Oh, yes, you're her son right? The night nurse said that she was really upset last night. But she's been better this morning; excited about your visit. If you've got IDs I'll take a look. Then you can sign in and we'll get you some visitors’ tags and get you back."
They all dug out their licenses. The woman gave them a cursory glance and pushed a sheet across the table for them to sign. They all signed in and she dug out four pink visitors passes with clips. She made a phone call and then a man came out to lead them back to Tony's mom.
Tory was holding tightly to Tony's hand. The place had an institutional smell. She could smell disinfectants and the piney scent of floor cleaner in the air. The man, who had a name badge pinned to his shirt that said "Ryan," led them through a long hallway and out through a set of double doors that opened to a patio and a small garden area that was covered for the season.
Tory exchanged a look with Andi. This guy was pretty cute she thought. He had muscles. She could see a brightly colored tattoo peeking out from under the arm of his uniform shirt. His strawberry blonde hair was wavy and looked soft.
Andi gave her a nod as Ryan said "She's waiting for you outside. She was so excited to see you that you'd think you never come to visit."
"I visit all the time." Tory thought that Tony sounded offended.
"I know," Ryan said. "Chill. I’ve seen you here at least once a week."
"Sorry. I seem to be offending everyone today. How's she doing?"
"A lot better lately. The past week or so we've seen an amazing change in her."
Tony nodded, looking at the back of a slim woman with light brown hair who was looking out towards the high gates of the outside area, looking like she wanted to escape.
"I got a doctor coming in to see her sometime next month."
"Dr. Price is good," Ryan said. "But sometimes he looks at his patients like his kids. Sometimes he's afraid to let go. Good luck to you and your mom."
"Thanks," Tony said.
"Monica," Ryan called out. "Your visitors are here."
The woman turned. She was beautiful, but looked older than her years, weary. She was tall and slim, almost to the point of being too thin with long hair with a slight wave to it. She had light blue eyes. They were similar in color to Lindsey's, though they were what her father would call ocean eyes, eyes that you could look into and not want to look away from, unlike Lindsey's which were always cold.
She hurried over to them. Ryan went back towards the door. "Call me if you need anything Monica."
She gave him a smile. Tory caught it when he winked at her. She was glad Tony didn't. She wasn't sure how he would feel about a hot young looking guy winking at his mother.
She threw her arms around Tony. "I'm so glad you came."
He pulled back. "It's not a problem, Mom. Are you okay?"
"Much better now that you're here.” She looked Carl up and down. "You've gotten so big Carl. I hardly recognized you. You've grown into quite a handsome young man."
"Thanks Aunt Monica. It's good to see you."
"You too." She gave him a hug. "And these two beautiful young women must be the girlfriends that I've heard so much about."
It was almost like they were visiting her out of town Tory thought. If you didn't look back towards the doors and notice the people shuffling around in bath robes and slippers, and closed your ears to the now shrill shriek of a woman from somewhere down the hall, that is.
"Mom," Tony said, squeezing Tory's hand. "This is my uh, fiancé, Tory. And this is Carl's girlfriend, Andi."
His mother gave him a look. "Fiancé'? You proposed and didn't tell me?"
"It was last night Mom. You were upset."
"Didn't want to tell your own mother you're getting married? What kind of son did I raise?" She smiled at Tory.
Tory gave her a weak smile back, not knowing what to say. She was feeling really uncomfortable.
"C'mon, let's go sit down at the tables," Monica said.
"Did you see that guy wink at her?" Andi said quietly.
Tony and Carl were walking with Monica.
"Yeah, I did," Tory said.
"He's hot. You don't think he's doing anything to her do you?" Andi said.
"Not unless she wants him to be," Tory said. "She seems fine. Really happy to see Tony and Carl."
Andi bit her lip. "Do you think we should mention something to Tony?"
Tory shook her head. "He'd totally freak out thinking that his mom is being molested by some nurse."
"What are you two whispering about back there?" Tony said.
"Nothing," Tory said quickly. "Just girl stuff, nothing you'd want to hear."
She sat next to him at the table. Andi sat across from Tony's Mom, next to Carl.
"So," Monica said. "Tony said that you went to visit your parents Tory. Did you have a nice time?"
How should she put this she thought? "It was my mom and my stepdad. We had an okay time. My mother and I have never been close."
"That's too bad. How long have you been at Crestview?"
"Since the beginning of sophomore year."
"I heard that it's a pretty good school. Do you like it?"
"It's okay. There's always a lot of drama, but I guess it's just like any high school."
"I think there's been drama in high school as long as there's been high school." Monica laughed. "I know we had our share of drama at mine a thousand years ago."
"You're not old Mom," Tony said. "You're only forty."
And she had a hot guy that looked to be about twenty-five that had eyes for her Tory thought. Ryan was back outside. He was over by the door smoking a cigarette.
Monica waved. "Ryan. Do you think I can bum one of those from you?"
"Mom," Tony said. "Since when do you smoke?"
"I'm sorry dear," she said. "It's only been a week or two. It helps with the stress."
Ryan walked over and handed Monica a cigarette and a lighter. She took it from him and lit the cigarette. Tory noticed that he made sure that his hand brushed hers when she handed the lighter back.
"You know I'm not supposed to be giving you these Monica.”
"Last time. I promise."
He gave her a smile and another wink as he walked away. And damn, was Tony's mom checking out his ass Tory thought? She was. Wow, something pretty funny was going on here.
Luckily, both Tony and Carl seemed oblivious, but Andi had caught the wink. It looked like she had also caught Monica's eyes on Ryan's ass as he walked away because she gave Tory an amused smile.
"If I'm not mistaken." Monica
turned back to her son. "You've taken up the habit yourself. I can smell it on you."
"Yes Mom," Tony said. "Sorry Mom."
"Your father always hated it didn't he; when I had a cigarette? Does it still bother Keith so much when Lori has one?"
"Yep," Tony said.
"How are your mom and dad Carl?"
"Really good. Well, maybe not really good. Dad's mad because they changed the shifts on them again and fired a couple of guys who've been on the force for years. Mom's good. Except for her headaches."
"She still has migraines? That's too bad. I thought the medicine was really helping."
"It was, until she got stressed out again a while back. They thought that Dad was going to have to take a pay cut, and that they were going to have to take out another mortgage on the house so I'd be able to go to college. But they worked it out."
"Well, that's good. Is she still smoking marijuana?" Andi's eyes widened.
Carl laughed. "Yeah, she is. Sometimes she smokes it when she doesn't have a headache though."
Monica laughed. "She always did like her pot. Does she still make those brownies? They were fantastic. Even your father ate them Tony, and you know how he felt about drugs of any kind."
Tony sighed. "I know Mom."
"Yeah, she does," Carl said.
"Whoa. Those brownies she made the other night didn't have weed in them did they?" Andi looked alarmed.
Tory hid a smile. To Andi it must have been one thing to smoke a little weed yourself, but your parents doing it?
"Yeah." Carl grinned. "Didn't you notice how much everyone was laughing?"
"You're kidding right?" Andi said.
"Yes, of course," Carl said. "My mom doesn't give anybody food with pot in it without telling them first."
Andi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."
Monica laughed. "She did in high school though. She gave some to your grandparents boys. She always did think they were too serious."
"Really?" Tony said.
"Yes. Ask her about it sometime. She was so proud of herself, pulling it off."
"Okay," Tony said.
"So Andi," Monica said. "Your mother has got to be Michelle right? You look just like her."
"Yep," Andi said. "How'd you know?"
"We went to high school together. I think your parents were in Keith and Lori's class. Tony's father and I were two grades ahead of the rest of the bunch."
Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set Page 137