Page 39 of Septembers

“It was about The Voice. Stop mixing up your life with mine.”

She giggled like he’d caught her hoarding dirty magazines. “They’re just so dramatic.”

His aunt would not be deterred. “So what’s the issue with Dae, then?”

“There’s no issue. We’re fine.” He took out his phone and waved it at his mom. “Don’t you want to see my schedule?”

“Oh, yes! Let’s see if I know any of the professors.” He would’ve pointed out that it had been over twenty years since she’d graduated from U of T, but he knew it was a losing battle. “Ohh news writing and reporting!” She used the salt shaker as a microphone. “This has been Theodore Walker reporting live from his mom’s kitchen. Back to you, Barb.” She gave herself an indulgent laugh, then aggressively poked at his phone. “It died. Theo, it’s dead.” She pretended to sob. “Gone from this world far too soon.”

It was truly a wonder where Theo got his dramatics from. “It’s just asleep.”

“Well, wake it up. It’s the middle of the day.” She laughed again, and his aunt groaned.

“Marie, leave the dad jokes to the dads.”

“Well, like most dad-things, I have to do it myself.” Silence hit the room like someone muted them. His mom’s shoulders dropped, and she rubbed her face. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, Theo, I promised I’d never badmouth him.”

He shrugged, trying his best to pretend like he hadn’t been plunged into a glacier. “You deserve to.”

“No.” She picked at her pizza, sounding miserable. “Not to you.”

Theo was never sure exactly how he felt in the rare instances when his mom’s bitterness leaked out. He knew, intellectually, that she had every right. It was perfectly fair for her to be the hero and for his dad to be the villain. But hearts weren’t as rational as brains, emotions weren’t as simple as facts, and his dad was still his dad.

He wasn’t a bad guy; he just wasn’t a good guy. He didn’t leave Theo’s mom for another woman or anything. He just didn’t want to be a husband or father. It would’ve been more convenient if he’d figured that out before becoming both, but then Theo wouldn’t exist, so in the end, he supposed it worked out for him.

His aunt recovered first, nudging his knee under the table. “Did you see who’s going on tour this summer?”

“Yes.” The word was a breath of both relief and excitement. The band who had ignited his love of music, the one little Theo had snuck out of the back room of the bar to watch, was doing a reunion tour. “We have to go.”

“Obviously. And this time, you can walk in through the front door.”

His mom clicked her tongue. “Don’t remind me that you took my son to a bar, Liana.”

His aunt snickered. “Repeatedly.” She shrugged at his mom’s glare. “What? Once he caught the music bug, there was no keeping him away!”

“Ugh.” His mom shook his not-dead-just-asleep phone between them. “Say the magic words. I still want to see your schedule.”

He put in his password and the lock-screen lit up: him, Dae, Caleb, and Jason in their Golden Girls costumes.

His mom let out a cheesy sigh. “I never get tired of seeing this one.”

Theo wasn’t loving how perfectly he was able to pull off Blanche’s coif. If he had a nickel for every time he wished he’d gotten his mom’s hair instead of his dad’s, he’d at least have enough to buy a coffee from a gas station. “I want to change my hair. The colour is a bit too old-lady, don’t you think?”

His mom gasped. “No! I love the dirty blonde.”

“See? I hate that. Sounds like I don’t shower.”

“Looks like you don’t shower too.” Liana ruffled his hair, which only she was allowed to do. “I say red. Go full Archie.”

“Hard pass.”

“Then go pastel. Pink. Anime-chic.” She’d been joking, but when he didn’t shoot her down, she jumped up. “I’ll get the dye!”

“Liana.” His mom stood up with her. “Don’t pressure my son into looking like a cartoon!”