“Yes. Yes, I do,” he said.
“Tyler, I can’t drive. Brody’s with me and I’m still on pain medication myself. I have orders not to drive.”
“I’ll come get you. I’ll pick you up, take you home, the works. Come see us. Let me pick you guys up.”
“I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
“Please, Ana.” I knew I sounded desperate, but I didn’t care.
“You’ll come get us?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“And this will be an okay thing for Brody to be a part of?”
“Of course, yes.”
“Then I’ll get us ready. But don’t rush anything. Get your mother settled at home. We’ll be here when you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Ana, for everything.”
“We’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon. And give Brody a hug for me.”
I hung up the phone and got my mother and father to their house. I helped my mother get inside and settled down on the couch, and then I bent forward and kissed her forehead. She cupped my face and gazed into my eyes, her thumb grazing the skin of my cheek. And for the first time, I looked into the eyes of my loving, sober mother.
“I’m so proud of you,” I whispered.
“And I’m proud of you, my son.”
She brought my forehead down to her lips to kiss, and I reveled in the sensation. In the lack of booze on her breath and the steadiness of her hand against my skin. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, relishing the feeling of an attentive mother in my arms.
“I’ll be right back,” I said.
I raced out to my car and sped to Ana and Brody’s. When I pulled up, I found them waiting on the porch for me. Brody launched himself out of his chair and came running for me, his arms outstretched for me to pick him up. I swung him around and held him close, smiling and pressing kisses into the crook of his neck.
But the second I saw Ana stumble when getting off the porch, I put him down and raced to her.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let me help,” I said.
“I’ve got it. I’m okay,” she said.
“No, you’re not. And it’s fine.”
“I don’t want Brody to see me like this,” she whispered.
I lifted her eyes to meet mine as I wrapped my arm around her body.
“Let me help you,” I said.
“Brody needs to see his mother strong, Tyler.”
“Do you want Brody to grow up and always refuse the help that’s offered to him?”
She pondered that before she shook her head.
“Then let me help you. Let me show Brody how a man treats the mother of his child.”
I scooped her thick, beautiful body into my arms and gently carried her to the car. I settled her in the front seat, watching as Brody buckled himself in. He kicked his legs with excitement and smiled at me, his eyes bouncing between me and Ana.
“Is Mommy still sick?” he asked.
“She’s still a little sick, yes,” I said.
“Like Grandma?”
“Yes, kind of like Grandma. So, we’re all going to go be a little sick together. Then you and me and Grandpa can take care of them.”
“Can Grandpa and I watch a movie?” he asked.
“I bet if you ask him, he would love that,” I said.
I wanted to press a kiss to Ana’s forehead, but I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to show her that kind of affection in front of Brody. I settled for squeezing her hand as her eyes found mine, then smiled at her before I closed the door. I turned around and checked Brody’s seat belt just to make sure he was securely in place. Then I slid behind the wheel of the car and cranked the engine.
“Ready to go see Grandma and Grandpa?” I asked.
I was shocked with Ana answered along with our son.
My father was on the porch waiting for us when I pulled up. Brody scrambled out of his seat and went running up to my father, and I could hear him rattling on about the movie all the way from the car. I unbuckled Ana and helped her out, then threaded my arms around her to help her to the porch. She must have just taken some pain medication, because her movements were choppy, uneven. She held onto me tighter than she usually did.
The second I walked her over the threshold of the house, my mother forced herself off the couch.
“Ana. My dear, sweet Ana. Oh my gosh.”
My mother stumbled over to us as I reached my arm out, catching my mother’s drugged movements as I steadied Ana’s.
“You saved my life,” my mother whispered.
“It’s okay. It’s all right. Everything’s fine now,” Ana said.
“Thank you. Thank you so much, Ana.”
“I could help, so I did. That’s all I did.”
“You did so much more than that, you silly girl.”
I chuckled and shook my head as the two women released me and clung to one another. My mother cried into the crook of Ana’s neck, and Ana held her tightly, stroking her hand and swaying side to side. I slowly stepped away from the two women and made my way to my father, standing with him and my son as we watched the spectacle unfold.