“Mama, Axel can’t do that,” Dallas stated meekly as she stroked her son’s hair.
“And just why not?”
“Daddy’s sickly. You know that. He won’t last in jail.”
“He got himself sick from all that drinkin’! Pickled his damn liver. He’s in remission, but instead of being thankful, he’s drinking again. You think if the shoe was on the other foot, that piece of shit would come and help either one of y’all? I called him when Axel broke his arm when he was nine, messin’ around playin’ baseball with Robbie and them. I didn’t see a dime for that hospital bill, and he didn’t even come visit his child in the hospital!”
Axel slowly closed his eyes as his mother and sister went on and on, bringing up the mess of yesteryear. He looked utterly drained. Disgusted. Livid. English slowly rose from her seat, walked up to him, and hugged him tight.
“Can he be bailed out tonight?” Dallas asked.
“Yeah.”
“Do you want me to go with you? I can ride with you,” English offered.
She stared at her man, framing his face with her hands. Looking into his eyes. She saw him torn in two. It was as if he had one foot planted in his mama’s house, and the other already outside, stepping on the gas.
“Mama, I hate to cut this visit short, but I gotta go.”
“Unbelievable!” she yelled so loud, it rattled English’s core. “He don’t deserve a son like you. I barely get to see my son ’cause you work all the time, and I get on your nerves so you avoid me, then this evening I get to sit down with you, finally break bread, burnt ’nd all, even meet your pretty girlfriend here, and then here comes Tommy! Crashin’ the party like a wreckin’ ball. Everything he touches, he fucks up! He’s only done two things right in his whole, miserable, pathetic life, and that was give me you ’nd Dallas.”
“Mama, come on. Calm down.” Dallas got up from her seat now too, speaking calmly. The jokes and silliness were well over, and now agony submerged the room.
“That man wouldn’t offer you a match if you were cold! He won the lottery with y’all. I tell you that much. Dallas drives him around town when his car is broken down, and Axel checks up on him, gives him money, and works on his house. He’s an ogre walking the earth! I should’ve choked the shit out of him when I had the chance.”
…I know the feeling.
“Mama, come on, now! That’s terrible. He was an awful father and husband, but none of this is helping right now. He’s still our father. You’re sounding bitter, when we both know you don’t want nothing to do with Daddy and moved on a long time ago, so just cut it out.” Dallas was now all red in the face.
“I’m not bitter. I’m just reminding y’all of what went on. Seems you’ve got selective memory. I don’t want my babies being used.”
“Mama, I’m only doing this because Tammy is distraught. If I don’t do it, she’ll just find someone else, but that person might charge them a bunch of interest and what not. It could be financially devastating for them, ’cause Daddy don’t have much savings, and Tammy is the only one working. I just want to see what’s going on, talk to the bail bondsman, and—”
“You’re crazy, Axel, if you think he didn’t put ’er up to that phone call. He knows you got the money to spring him. He belongs exactly where he is. Behind bars. All he does is lie. Drink. Blame everyone for his problems. Use others like toilet tissue. All of my life I worked!” The woman pressed her finger into her chest, beating her point in. “I never asked neither one of you for a dime, or anyone else for that matter, even when I could have used it.” Her voice quaked. “Got on food stamps a few times… worked under-the-table jobs to help ends meet, and that man did nothin’ but act like y’all didn’t exist, until he found you convenient. My children are not an inconvenience!”
“I know that, Mama, but this isn’t about—”
“You both take care of your mama… take real good care of me, but I earned every hug I get from my children, English!” She turned towards her, her eyes watery, pink graves of anguish. “Earned every kiss! Each diploma! Axel went to college so he could run his business right, and I was the loudest in the crowd on the day of his graduation. I was there for my children, and I still am. They can call me day or night, and I’ll answer. I earned every birthday and Christmas present, too. I ain’t perfect, honey, made some mistakes as a single mother ‘long the way, but I was and am a damn good mother. Tommy never cared about these kids!”