“Are we good now?” she says. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, even though I’m only looking out for my little sister.
Danielle puts her shirt back on. “Just because my boyfriend has tattoos and no college diploma—”
“I’m concerned. That’s all. I love you.”
“Well, maybe I’m concerned that Tommy’s too young to have a cell phone. Now if I take it away, I’ll be cast as the bitch mom. So thanks for that.”
“I told him we could talk during my commute.”
“You have no Bluetooth in your truck, and you’re not supposed to use cell phones when you drive. You could get into an accident. That would traumatize Tommy—scar him for life.”
Her concern feels reassuring—like the old days—and so I say, “You’re right. I’m sorry. Do you want me to take Tommy’s cell phone back to the store?”
“What’s done is done,” she says, just like our mother used to, imitating Mom pretty well—lifting her palms above her head and shrugging her shoulders—and we both smile. “Is the interrogation over now?”
I nod. “Sorry you lost your job.”
“Something will turn up. Randall’s helping out with the bills too.”
“What is it that he does?” I say, finally getting up the courage to ask what I’ve been wondering for months.
“He collects for bookies.”
“Oh. Like—is he . . . an enforcer?” I ask, surprised, because he doesn’t look all that tough or intimidating.
“No. Nothing that dramatic.”
“Is it safe to have him around Tommy?”
“Please. The bookies he works for are regular guys with nine-to-five jobs and families. Randall just makes cash deliveries and pickups. He’s like a UPS guy, only without the brown uniform.”
“So. You’re all right?”
“Yep. I’m dandy, big brother.”
“Well, okay then.”
I relay all of the above to Portia over dinner, and she says, “Danielle’s a big girl, Chuck. And being a waitress sucks. Believe me. I know. Maybe it’s the best thing that could have happened.”
“I should have talked to her about getting Tommy a cell phone before I took him to the Verizon store. Right?”
“Yep.”
“Shit.”
“I would have been furious.”
“Thanks,” I say, but then my phone rings. “It’s Tommy.”
“Well, pick up,” Portia says, and then starts to clear the table.
“Hey, buddy, what’s up?” I say.
“Just wanted to make sure this phone works.”
“You keeping it charged?”
“Got it plugged in next to my bed.”
“Good man.”
“Are we going to hang out this weekend?”
“Sure,” I say.
“Mom cried after you left.”
I watch Portia load the dishwasher for a second. “I’m sorry about that.”
Tommy lowers his voice to a whisper. “Then she came in my room and promised to get a new job and make lots of money and take me to Disney World. Do you think she’s telling the truth? I’d like to go. My friend Shawn at school has already gone twice.”
“I bet she’s going to do her best,” I say.
“She also said I can call you as much as I want, even though she doesn’t want to hang out with you for a while. Do you want to know why she doesn’t want to be around you now?”
“Why?”
“She said she has to make you proud first.”
I swallow hard, and then Tommy and I discuss maybe going to the Camden Aquarium this weekend and touring the battleship New Jersey before we hang up and I relay to Portia what Tommy said.
“I’ll say it again,” Portia says. “It’s really fucking hard to be a single mother with only a high school diploma in this country.” I make a note to remember that.
CHAPTER 27
Portia goes to see her mom a few times a week, but she never takes me, and I start to feel really strange about it, especially when we don’t get together with her at all for Christmas or New Year’s. Once in a while I casually suggest maybe introducing us, but Portia continues to visit her mother solo.
One night after dinner, I get up the courage to be more direct. “So what’s up with you hiding me from your mother?”
“I’m not hiding you from anyone,” Portia says.
“Then why have I never met her?”
“Because it’s not necessary. I’ve never met your mother.”
“She’s dead,” I say.
“But I’ll never meet her, and it doesn’t affect our relationship.”
“Do you think your mom won’t like me?”
“She’s insane, Chuck. And I really don’t want to get my worlds mixed up right now.”
“Your worlds mixed up?”
“Things are going really well with us, right?”
“Yeah,” I say, “except you won’t introduce me to your mom. Does she even know about me?”
“We actually talk about you all the time,” she says. “But she’s sick. New things. Change is really hard for her.”
“I want to meet her, because she’s a part of your life, and I want the full Portia Kane experience.”
Portia laughs. “You really want to meet my mother?”
“Yeah, I do. Are we there yet?”
“We’ve been there for a long time, and that’s why I’ve been protecting you from Mom. I don’t want us to not be there after you meet her. You might run away screaming.”