Chapter 20 – Jude
Chapter Twenty
JUDE
My mother has been blowing my phone up with text messages, begging me to reconsider coming to the ‘celebration’ next week and I’ve been contemplating blocking her for a day or two.
I haven’t heard from Mark or Everly, I assume Leeson has ordered them to ignore me until I give in to his request. I hate how much influence he has on my relationship with my siblings.
I hate how he’s manipulated my mother so much that I barely recognize the woman who raised me. I think more than anything, I straight up hate that motherfucker.
I groan as my phone starts to ring again, my annoyance turning into an aggressive bark of “What!?” no longer able to ignore this insistent badgering. “Judey?”
Shit.
Of course it’s not my mother but Mama D. My stomach twists with guilt for not checking the caller ID and snapping at one of my favorite people in the world.
“Yeah, sorry, it’s me. Thought you were someone else.”
Mama lets out a hum of understanding, “Are they still bothering you to visit?”
“Yeah. Don’t know why but he’s refusing to take no for an answer this time.” Mama D knows all about my struggles with my family and has frequently been the one to come up with jobs that are very time sensitive and make it almost impossible to agree to a visit.
“I’m sorry, honey. I hate that I have to bother you when you’re dealing with them pestering you.”
“You’re never a bother, what can I do for you?”
“Can you take my place heading up the cabin early? Paul is in the city finishing up a job and Anika was just called in to work, I guess a fire popped up that needs to be put out before she heads out for the weekend and they need someone to watch Henry.”
I nod even though she can’t see me. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do if Mama D was the one asking me. “Yeah, of course. I’m almost done with work for the day. I can head over and get my truck all loaded.” I pull off my ball cap and run my fingers through my sweaty hair.
“Oh, you’re absolutely a dream. Everything is set up in the garage ready to go.
You can just leave it tonight and load up tomorrow morning.
I’m not expected to arrive until the afternoon.
Don’t push yourself any extra today. Just make sure you get some rest tonight.
” I chuckle at Mama D, her concern for me washing away all previous annoyance at my own family.
We chat for a few more minutes before she lets me go. My phone buzzes with another text from my mother and I don’t even try to stop the eye roll. I silence the messages, deciding this is a less drastic measure than outright blocking her, and shove my phone into my back pocket.
It really is no bother to head up early but I do need to coordinate my absence with Lola and the other workers.
Making sure they are conscious of who they can and can’t reach out to if an emergency seems to arise.
I highly doubt anything will happen with me being gone an extra two days but better safe than sorry.
The drive to the cabin was pretty lackluster but now that I’m unloading my truck, I’m pretty sure Mama D packed enough food to feed our little group for a month.
I have to drop the heavy cooler I pulled from the truck bed to get the door unlocked.
I’m slightly distracted by the loud squeak of the door hinges when a soft body slams into my chest, my arms instinctively holding the shaking body against me.
“Woah, Mabel. What’s wrong?” She doesn’t answer me, her little body shaking with sobs, a terrible noise escaping her.
I feel my shirt tighten and Mabel’s body presses impossibly closer to me, her hot tears wetting my neck.
I feel the cold air hitting my lower back as from my shirt scrunching up in her hands and it pulls me back to somewhat awareness.
“I’m going to pick you up, okay?” I think I feel her nod in response but I can’t be sure.
All I know is I need to get her out of this open doorway and figure out what has her so upset.
I do my best to adjust her body, picking her up in a makeshift bridal carry.
“Shh, it’s okay. Can you tell me if you’re hurt?
” I take her to the living room and set her down on the couch.
I drop to my knees in front of her and try to catalog what I can see of her body, searching for blood or bruises.
It’s difficult as Mabel is still doing what she can to cling to me.
I can’t seem to see anything outwardly wrong with Mabel, so I join her on the couch and pull her back into my arms. I’m not sure what’s going on but I do my best to offer soft words of comfort, rubbing circles on her back.
I realize this is wildly inappropriate but there’s no way I could ever let her suffer though whatever is happening alone.
Somehow, she ends up on my lap with a blanket wrapped around the both of us. She ‘s no longer sobbing but I would prefer that to the quiet tears that are streaming down her face and far off stare that Mabel has settled to.
With the change in position, I have one hand on her hip holding her to my body and my other rubbing up and down her arm, doing what little I can to offer comfort until she asks me to stop.
“You don’t have to talk about it but I’m here to help however I can.
” I whisper, afraid to break the spell of fragile calm.
Mabel’s only response is a quiet sigh and she leans her head against my shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed.
Small tears still fall as we sit in a silence that’s not completely awkward but not at all comfortable either.