Chapter 68

“He knew you were my son,” she replied. “I’m listed; you’re not.”

I looked at the paper. There was a phone number written across it. “Who is he, Ma?”

“Some lawyer,” replied Ma. “Wouldn’t tell me what it was about. Said he could only talk to you. He called just last night. I knew you were coming over today, which is I waited until you were here so you could call him back.”

“And so you could listen,” I said.

She shrugged. “Fine, so I could listen. I mean, a lawyer calls your son, you want to listen, right? It’s what mom’s do.” Apart from making instant coffee and ordering in, that is.

I flicked on my cell and dialed the number. The lawyer picked up on the first ring. I told him who I was. He didn’t bother with the niceties. Instead, he gave me the startling details, short as they were. Me, I just sat there saying, “uh huh,” as he talked, my eyes growing wider and wider all the while, my sockets literarily throbbing by the end of the call.