“Why was Shelly
spazing?” Although she swore otherwise, he wasn’t ignoring her. They were
planning on spending time over at Nate’s house playing Modern Warfare. It really didn’t matter that the TV and 360 were already
loaded up in the car before she locked herself in the restroom. “I understand her excitement over the baby
moving but damn, she needs to understand that I’ve already been through this
pregnancy thing with two of my ex-girlfriends. So what if the baby moved. Get
used to it because it’s going to start happening more now that she’s almost
five months along. I’m going to have plenty of time to watch her stomach look
like a wobbling bowl of jelly.”
“I’ll be right back. I gotta take a piss.”
“Caleb, don’t talk like that while there is company
present.” Despite the bruised shoulder, Gabriel leaned forward, eyes slanted
and ready to pierce someone’s neck with invisible laser beams, if it were
possible.
While peeling his tired body off the couch a well-timed
fart slipped out. “Mom, now’s not the time for lectures, I gotta go.”
Lisi
simply kept quiet but appeared humored by the situation.
With a clenched fist, Caleb closed the bathroom door and paced
the floor. It was difficult not punching the wall and after several mock
attempts. It was time to stop and think. Anger related issues only produced
trouble in the past and it was time to start acting like a responsible man. No
one was making the process of growing up easy and the neighbors were starting
to find out the marriage wasn’t working. “That’s right, piss break.”
Mom’s voice trailed in through the cracks. At first Gabriel
denied not wanting to talk about it but Caleb knew she would open up and share
everything. “He’s a good son and I’ve no idea why she tried to kill herself. It’s
been getting worse over the last couple months. I think it was over her wanting
a three-some. They get into that sort of thing.”
“Dear Mother, so
sweet and yet so gullible.” Gabriel always gave him the benefit of the
doubts and he was thankful that she always tried to be understanding. Still it
was a bad habit of his to mess with her head. Although a happy fantasy of any
man, it was only a fantasy and a joke. Women never seemed to get the joke or
find humor in it. Mom complained about it to anyone who would talk to her. A
quick rinse of the hands and it was time to see what Lisi thought. It was also time to intervene and protect
Shelly’s name. Good or bad, she was still his wife and someone needed to defend
her. The craziness was what attracted him to her in the first place. “That and her willingness to explore.”
“Hey Caleb, am I to understand that your stuck here with
pretty much of nothing except for a change of clothing? Do you know if she’s coming
back for you for Christmas?”
He deliberately avoided eye contact and picked up a random piece
of paper. It was rolled into a ball and thrown, a successful attempt at playing
catch with the fat chocolate lab. “Don’t know, she took the cell phone.”
“I think there’s an extra game system laying around the
house that nobody’s using. I’ve got a few other items that I think the two of
you could use around her.”
Gabriel protested, “I don’t want you going out of your way.”
“I’m not and so far the two of you seem to be having a
miserable time of things.” A playful smirk was directed right at Caleb, “Behave
yourself around your mother before I take that broomstick in the kitchen and
shove it somewhere you’ll find highly uncomfortable.”
Caleb froze his mock attempts at slapping his mother from
behind the chair. “I like the sound of that.”
“They all try to test me and end up running away when it’s
found out that I don’t use any lube so just try to behave for now punk.”
The look on Lisi’s face implied experience. She seemed used
to dealing with obnoxious men. She was smiling though like it was funny. “Heck, she’s crazy just like all other women.
Perhaps old enough to not really care what other’s thought about her too. I’m
going to try and call Shelly tonight and talk things out after Mom falls asleep.”
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