The Return of the Bad boy

Chapter 29: Cam

PAST

I picked up the phone multiple times to call Mom. Then I put it right back down. This wasn't a conversation to be had over the phone. So I waited.

Mom texted me that she would be home at 6 p.m. because she did someone a favor and squeezed in another appointment last minute.

In the meantime, I had to keep myself busy. I texted Summer and asked about her day. She was out of town with her mom. They planned a girl's day trip with lots of shopping and food. Summer kept sending pics, and I made her promise to bring me some baked goods when she showed me where they went for dessert.

She told me that she would drop it at my place later.

To keep me busy, I cooked dinner-nothing fancy, just spaghetti with some meatballs and garlic bread.

Mom strolled in five minutes after I set the table.

"Hey, you made dinner, and it smells so good!" she said from behind me.

I had to compose myself before turning to face her.

"Yup. We can eat not if you want."

"Of course. Let me take a quick shower first, and I'll be in 15 minutes."

I nodded then I felt mom kiss my cheek. "You know I love you, right?"

I brought her into a side hug. "Love you too," I said before she bounded up the stairs.

Reheating the food in the oven only took about ten minutes, then I grabbed some glasses from the cabinet with the homemade lemonade she made yesterday.

Mom came back down in her Winnie the Pooh PJs. "I hope you made enough for seconds because I'm starved. I didn't have much time for lunch today because the salon was busy. I had to take bites in-between appointments. But you know what? I'd take that any day than having no customers."

I smiled. "Of course."

I placed the food in the middle of the table between us. "Bon appetite."

Mom's eyes glanced at everything, and then she dug in without hesitation. First, she went for the garlic bread, smothering it with butter. The second was the spaghetti which she sloppily piled onto her plate, nearly having a meatball go overboard. I saved it with my fork, and she laughed it off with a light shrug.

Mom was happy today. She was cheerful almost every day, and I was afraid I was about to ruin that. How could I take that smile off her face by bringing up my father? There must be a reason she never bothered to try and tell me about him?

Is this why we moved to this city in the first place? So we could be close to him?

Wait, does he even know who I am to him? He must know. After all the encounters we've had, he knew who my mother was but not once did any emotion cross his face at the mention of her. He was either a terrific liar, completely clueless, or just downright heartless.

Maybe he hadn't wanted me. Perhaps he wanted nothing to do with us. And that thought hurt like hell, but I could get over that.

It didn't change the fact that I still needed answers, though.

Whatever mom told me, I'd accept it and move on. It's probably for the best. We're living a good life without him.

And mom... she was all I needed rolled up into one-the super parent.

"You're not hungry?" Mom asked me, looking over at my empty plate.

I was too busy in my head to think about it.