Page 23 of Unbreakable Bond
“You just got here and trying to have me sleeping on the couch?” I joked instead of replying yes so she could make Sky feel worse.
“You let her put you on the couch in your own house?”
“It’s their house. They just let me live here too,” I smiled, hoping to lighten the mood because Sky’s leg hadn’t stopped shaking. She didn’t get angry often but had witnessed it a few times.
“Mom. What are you doing here?” Sky reiterated, tired of Adria dancing around the question.
“I was in the neighborhood.”
“No, you weren’t. You want something,” Sky rebutted, crossing her arms.
“I miss you and my grandchild!” Adria scoffed dramatically. “And you too, Mack.” She threw in at the last second, but I wasn’t offended, especially when I could see through the act she was putting on.
Sitting on the arm of the sofa and watching their interaction was the equivalent of watching paint dry. Every question Sky asked was met with a joke or her somehow changing the subject.
Maybe this is why Sky has been weird lately.
“Where’s Spencer?”
“Who?” Adria’s face contorted in disgust upon hearing his name.
“Spencer,” Sky repeated slowly despite Adria hearing her clearly. “Your fiancé. Which is odd considering you’re not wearing your ring.”
“Worry about your own engagement, considering I still haven’t received a wedding invitation yet.”
“Where should I send it?”
Sky’s rebuttal was enough to tear Adria from the fancy curtains she admired.
“Cam should be home soon. Make yourself at home, Adria,” I suggested, trying to cut through some of the tension.
“Thank you, Mack.” Adria smiled at Sky despite replying to me, reveling in her victory.
My hands on Sky’s shoulder guided her into the kitchen before round two began.
“You can’t tell her stuff like make yourself at home. She’ll never leave,” Sky fussed as soon as we entered the kitchen.
“You don’t let somebody come in your shit and get under your skin. Calm down.”
Sky’s lids closed, and she exhaled, taking a few deep breaths to calm down.
“You’re right.”
“I know this,” I smirked, causing Sky to roll her eyes as she approached me.
“Whatever. Since you have all the answers, what’s next?”
“I’m taking the three of you out for dinner. When Cam goes to bed, we’ll figure out what she wants.”
“Okay.”
“See how simple shit can be when you don’t try to take on the world by yourself?”
Sky didn’t reply. She just wrapped herself in my arms and rested against my chest until Adria interrupted our quiet moment, asking for wine. I volunteered to handle it while Sky called Tamia, hoping to make sense of Adria’s unplanned visit.
Sky and Adria had a complicated relationship, but the one thing they had in common was love for Cam. The shared joy of Cam’s company helped us make it through dinner without casualties. There were even a few laughs exchanged at the table.
Sky spent most of the ride home quietly in the passenger seat while Cam held Adria’s attention with school stories and details that were only important to a six-year-old. Once I unlocked the door and everybody was safely inside, Sky got straight to the point.