Page 19 of Family Bonds- Emma & Warren

KIND OF QUIRKY

“Warren,” his mother said when she picked up the phone five days later. “How have you been?”

“I’m good,” he said. “How about you?”

“I’m just getting home from work,” she said.

He could hear her moving around the kitchen. In his mind, he could see her there in her scrubs, her black rubber-soled shoes left by the front door, her hair in a ponytail, and pulling out a cold drink.

“When are you going to retire?” he asked.

“I’m too young to retire,” his mother said. “I just turned fifty-three. I need medical insurance on top of it.”

“You work too hard,” he said. “You don’t need to worry about any of those things.”

Warren ensured her financial security for life.

Her house was paid for, her car too. The money she made was for normal living expenses. Things he wanted to take care of for her.

Casey Showers had said no, that he’d done enough.

Little did she know he had investments set up for her so that she could retire now if she wanted and not only maintain her current lifestyle, but one better.

Every time he brought it up, she shot him down.

“I love what I do,” his mother said. “If I was still working in the hospital and having to cover nights, weekends, and holidays, then I’d think about it more seriously. But thanks to you, that isn’t the case.”

Years ago, his mother had transferred to a doctor’s office. She worked days and wasn’t busting her ass as much. But the pay was less. Since she had very few expenses now, she was still ahead of the game.

“I wish you’d let me do more,” he said.

His mother laughed. “Warren, you’ve always taken everything on your shoulders and you need to stop and live your life. I mean it. I’m very comfortable. I never expected this. It’s all I ever dreamed of. All three of my children have wonderful educations and no debt. Again, thanks to you.”

There was no way he was letting his sisters start their lives in debt. They got aid since their mother was the only income and he covered the rest.

“Someone has to provide for you all. It sure the hell wasn’t Slick Showers who slipped out of our lives years ago.”

The asshole only made an appearance when Warren signed any contract. Then again every time he was in the news.

“You need to let it go,” his mother said. “He hasn’t been bothering you again, has he?”

“No,” he said. “Not for years. Not since my interview.”

That first Super Bowl dragged the asshole out of the darkness again and Warren put a stop to any and all talks and tabloid reports by coming forward and clearing the air in an interview.

The world just saw him as a greater human being coming from that trash.

It hadn’t been what he wanted out of it. He just wanted his father’s mouth to stop running or people to ignore it when it happened.

The world saw Warren as a man who supported his mother and sisters and created a foundation to help other single parents and their children. Not someone who came from a piece of greedy shit and that was what they’d think of when Slick Showers opened his mouth or tried to get attention.

At least his father was smart enough to keep a low profile now.

“You never did those things to be looked at like a god,” his mother said.

He laughed. “I’m hardly a god, nor do I want to be.”

Jesus, he couldn’t handle having any more weight to carry on his shoulders.