Chapter 13
thirteen
Bodhi
“Hey, Bodzilla, what are you doing?” Uncle Waylon knocks on my bedroom door.
“Nothing.”
He twists the doorknob, but I locked it. “You know you can trust me. I keep secrets.”
I fall back on my heels, frustrated. I have no idea how to wrap a jersey. Rising off the floor, I walk to the door, open it, and peek into the hallway.
“It’s only me,” he says.
I open the door enough for him to slip in, then I shut it and lock it again. He stares at the jersey that’s half in the wrapping paper I stole from the basement this morning when Mommy was on the phone.
“What’s this, bud?” He picks up the jersey with my last name on the back and the number two.
“It’s a jersey for the baby.”
His eyes run up and down it. “You bought this?”
I shake my head.
“Who did?”
“Mommy.”
“For what?”
“For Grandma and Grandpa.”
“Shit, no way,” he says.
“You swore.”
Uncle Waylon and Uncle Owen swear a lot in front of me, but I never tell Mommy and Daddy. I don’t want them to think I’m a tattletale.
“Sorry, so you mean your mom already knows she’s having a—”
“No…” I look at the floor for a sec. “I took the doctor’s envelope from Mommy’s purse.”
His eyebrows raise. “The one she’s been searching for? Damn, Bodzilla, she’s been all over your house and mine searching for that thing.”
“I know.” Now I feel kinda bad about taking it. Mommy looked sad when she couldn’t find it.
He bends down to the floor and picks up the wrapping paper. “So what are you trying to do with it?”
“I wanted to give it to Mommy and Daddy. I was just going to give them the envelope while we’re at the cabin when we all exchange presents, but then Mommy showed me the two jerseys.”
“Two?” Uncle Waylon’s eyes are so wide I think they might pop out of his head. “Is she having twins?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. One pink and one blue, and she was going to wrap one up for Grandma and Grandpa.”
He nods. “Gotcha.” He folds up the jersey and places it on the wrapping paper. “You have some tape?”
“You’re not going to tell her?” My eyes go wide.
He laughs. “Hell no. I love that you have balls, kid.”
“Have what?”
“Forget I said that. Mind eraser.” He slides his hand over my forehead. He and Uncle Owen do that when they don’t want me to repeat what they said. “She’s gonna love it, Bodhi.”
I go into my drawer and grab the tape I have for the poster I made for school.
Uncle Waylon wraps up the jersey and stuffs it under my clothes in my suitcase. “Now remember, when you get there, you can’t let her unpack your stuff. You have to be one step ahead of her like a spy, okay?”
I nod. “Yeah. Thanks, Uncle Waylon.”
He opens his arms, and I hug him. He squeezes me tightly.
“You’re the coolest kid I know,” he whispers.
“You really think so?” I go down to my knees and zip up my suitcase.
“Yeah. For sure. Owen and I say so all the time.”
I can’t believe he thinks I’m cool. I look up at him. “Thanks for helping.”
He ruffles my hair, which they all do. I hate it, but since he just helped me, I won’t say anything. “Anytime. Remember, you can trust me.”
We get to the bedroom door and stop. “Wait, you won’t tell Grandma and Grandpa, right? I think Mommy wants to surprise them.”
“Nah, I won’t. But I might razz your mom about the fact that I knew before her.” He shrugs. “I won’t tell a soul, promise. Now let’s get you downstairs so she doesn’t suspect anything.”
Uncle Waylon takes my suitcase and walks me down the stairs. Mommy is at the bottom of the front door stairs, waiting.
“There you are! Ready?” She smiles at me.
I love her so much, and as excited as I am that she’s pregnant—because she’s really happy about it—I’m not sure I want to share her.