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34
_________
Axel
“Give me a fucking break.”
“Watch your mouth, son. Manners.”
My mother entered without warning, carrying enough bags of groceries to feed an army, followed by the twins, my brother, my sister-in-law, and my father. It was Saturday, so it took me a few minutes to grasp what was happening while they greeted me.
“What they hell are you doing here? Who’s watching the café?”
“Hell!” Max shouted, and his father covered his mouth like he’d just said son of a bitch or something worse.
“It’s a holiday, did you forget?”
“Evidently.”
“Where’s Leah?”
“Sleeping.”
At that moment, she opened the door to her room, still yawning, and the twins ran over to hug her. Maybe they were less aware that she wasn’t the same girl who used to dress them up and play with them. Leah hugged them and let my mother bother me for a while.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“Always so happy to see us,” Justin said sarcastically.
“Dude, your mother thought we could spend the day together, and we tried to call you, but you had your phone off,” my father said.
My mother exhaled as she unpacked the groceries. “Don’t call your son dude.”
“He is one, isn’t he?” Dad looked at me.
I was going to say something when my mother pointed at me.
“Why do you have a phone if you don’t even use it?”
“I do use it. Sometimes. Now and again.”
“Leave him. He’s a hermit,” Justin said.
“Oliver is tired of telling you to have it charged and nearby. You live in an isolated area with a girl you’re supposed to be taking care of. What if something happens? If you trip and break a leg, or you’re in the water and a shark attacks you, or…”
“Fuck, Mom,” I shouted, unable to believe her.
“Fuck!” my nephew Connor shouted.
“Perfect,” Justin said.
Fortunately, Emily started laughing, and my brother shot her a look of reproach. He went out on the porch with the boys, followed by my father, who was smiling as usual. I stayed there, still a little out of it, watching my mother put five or six containers of prepared food into the fridge and a dozen soup packets in the cabinet. Leah made coffee while Emily talked with her, asking how school was that year.
“I brought you vitamins.” My mother shook a bottle of them in front of my nose.
“Why? I’m fine.”
“You could probably be better.”
