Page 10 of Nails

“Oh, just my next-door neighbor.”

Nails frowned.The only neighbor she had next door was Mr.Perkins, and he was an asshole.He hated everyone.Plus, the voice he heard sounded like a woman.

“Did Mr.Perkins finally find a female friend who could put up with his nastiness?”

His mom laughed softly.

“That old bastard moved last year.The new homeowner is wonderful.They really cleaned and fixed up the place.You won’t recognize it when you visit.”

Okay, that was vague, he thought to himself.Why was she acting weird?

“Speaking of visiting, I was thinking about making a trip down there to see you soon, maybe next weekend.”

“Next weekend?”She asked, sounding as if next weekend wasn’t good for her.

“Yeah.As long as we don’t get called up, next weekend is open for me.”

“Oh!Umm…okay.”

Okay?That wasn’t the response he thought he would get from her.He thought she would be more excited about hearing that he was coming for a visit.Something twisted in his gut.She was definitely keeping something from him.

“Are you sure everything’s okay?”he asked.

“Yes.Everything is good.I just have a lot on my mind.You know, with the living room renovation going on.Plus, running the garden club.”

Nails scratched the back of his head.He wasn’t sure if he believed her or not.But he would take her word for it now.

“All right.I just worry about you,” he told her.

“I’m okay, sweetie,” she assured him, but he still got that sixth sense that everything wasn’t okay.

“Okay.Well, I guess I’ll see you next weekend.I might bring one of the guys with me, if that’s okay.”

“Of course.You know, those boys are just like my sons, too.”

Nails grinned.“All right.I’ll see you next Friday, probably late afternoon.”

“Okay, honey.See you next week.I love you.”

“I love you, too.Bye.”

As the line disconnected, Nails stood there for a minute or two, still scratching his head.No matter how many times he told him that she said she was fine, he couldn’t shake the feeling that everything wasn’t okay.

“Fuck!”he muttered, picking up his bottle of beer and taking a swig.

He walked back inside and sat back down.His concern for his mom must’ve shown because Snow looked at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Nails shook his head, still not sure what to believe.“My mom.She was acting weird while I was talking to her.”

“Weird, how?”Snow asked, frowning.

“I don’t know.Like she could be hiding something,” Nails replied, running a hand through his short, spikey hair.Then he went on to explain the conversation he had with her.

Snow leaned back, looking like he was processing everything Nails had told him.“You think it could be something serious?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Nails said, his jaw tightening.“But I guess I’ll find out next weekend because I’m going to go visit her.”

Snow nodded.“Want some company?”