Page 94 of Aussie

“Who’s there with you?” Nails asked, his tone casual but laced with curiosity.

There was a pause, just long enough to make his gut tighten. “Oh, it’s nothing, just the TV,” his mom said a little too quickly.

Nails frowned. “Doesn’t sound like the TV, Ma. Who’s there with you?”

Her hesitation spoke volumes. “It’s just a friend,” she said finally, her tone light but forced.

“Uh-huh,” Nails said, not buying it. “What kind of friend?”

“Nails, don’t start,” she replied, her tone shifting to a mix of exasperation and defensiveness. “You don’t need to worry about it.”

But he did worry. The tightness in her voice wasn’t like her, and it gnawed at him. “Alright, Ma,” he said finally, keeping his tone even. “If you say so.”

After a few more pleasantries, they ended the call, but Nails couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

He returned to the group, but his mind was elsewhere. Snow noticed immediately. “What’s up?”

Nails sat down beside him and took a swig of his beer. “I just talked to my mom. She’s acting weird.”

“Weird, how?” Snow asked, frowning.

“Like she’s hiding something,” Nails replied, running a hand through his short, spikey hair. “She had someone there with her. It sounded like a female. When I asked who was there, she wouldn’t really say. She just said that it was a friend.”

Snow leaned back, considering. “You think it’s something serious?”

“I don’t know,” Nails said, his jaw tightening. “But I’m thinking I might take a trip down there, see for myself.”

Snow nodded. “Want company?”

“Sure.” Nails replied. “Maybe next weekend. Does that work for you?”

“Count me in.”

As the party carried on around him, Nails stared out at the water, his mind racing. Whatever his mom was hiding, he was going to find out. And something told him it wasn’t going to be as simple as she’d made it seem.