“Before I went to get them from school, swung by Target, got her another teddy bear.”
I moved to the counter and put my hand on it because suddenly my legs were trembling.
And they were trembling because Mitch went out of his way and got Billie another teddy bear.
But they were also trembling because he knew I’d lied about being fine for him to let me go. And my guess was that he was a busy guy but he was still taking his time to talk to me in an attempt to divert my attention from my trailer trash relatives and the mess they were making of my life. And since he was a busy guy, I knew I was sucking more of his time with all that was going on with Billy, Billie, Bill, him bonding with Bob and instigating Operation Take out the Trash and then some.
Therefore, when I had my hand in the counter to hold myself up, I told him softly, “They’re gone.”
“Good,” he said softly back.
I pulled in a steadying breath.
Then, still talking softly, I said, “I’m okay now, Mitch.”
“Good,” he repeated, also still talking softly.
I pulled in another steadying breath.
Then I whispered, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, baby,” he whispered back.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I told him.
“Now, that makes it worth it,” he replied, causing another belly whoosh then he said quietly, “Later, honey.”
“Bye, Mitch.”
Then I heard him disconnect.
I flipped Mr. Pierson’s phone shut and lifted my head to see my crew was all back and their eyes were on me.
I took them all in and said, “I’m so sorry. They –”
“Not another word, Mara,” Mr. Pierson cut me off firmly. I looked to him and his hand came up, his fingers curled around my bicep. He stepped in close and said gently, “Not another word, dear. Don’t think about it. Mitch and I have it all sorted.”
He held my eyes, squeezed my arm, smiled at me then let me go, carefully took his phone from my hand and walked toward the back and his office.
I turned and watched him go.
Then I turned back to see both Roberta and LaTanya staring at me.
That was when I bit my lip.
And when I bit my lip, LaTanya looked down at my mouth then up into my eyes then ordered, “Right, the juicy stuff first and that’s what’s goin’ on with you and Mitch. Then we’ll get to the Roller Derby Rejects. Now, sock it to me.”
Roller Derby Rejects.
That was funny.
And what was funnier, but not in a humorous way, was that both Roberta and LaTanya were not looking at me like I was a Roller Derby Reject or worse, stunned, shocked and disgusted at learning from whose loins I’d sprung. They were looking curious (very) and, well, like Roberta and LaTanya.
Not only that, Mr. Pierson didn’t either. He just told me he and Mitch had it sorted in a way it sounded like he was honored to be in on Operation Take out the Trash.
And so I took in another steadying breath, looked at two women who meant the world to me and my mouth made another decision before my mind caught up.
“Mitch is into me, I’m into him and I think I was switched at birth,” I announced, Roberta and LaTanya both stared at me for several seconds then they both burst out laughing.