Chapter 33: Mom
*What you do makes a difference. And you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. – Jane Goodall*
JD had talked his mom into playing a game with him. It had been a long time since they had sat down across from each other. Helen grinned and when he looked back at the board, he saw his mistake.
“King me.” She said after her move and collecting the four pieces she had jumped.
“Ugh. Now I remember why I quit playing with you.” He teased as he kinged her piece.
“Really?” she said pointing at his large collection of her pieces and his two kings.
“You still have pieces!” he pointed out with a grin.
“Five pieces does not make a checkers game.” She replied.
“You just got four of my pieces and kinged. I’d say it does.” He got a look of deep thought for just a moment. “Would I be making you a king? Or a queen?”
“Fine. Queen me.” Helen laughed as she stood up to go refill her water.
“Mom, I don’t know if I told you, I’m really proud of you.”
She stopped and leaned against the counter. “For what?” she asked quietly as she turned to lean over and look at him through the pass through.
“Making a life for us. You put up with a lot from dad and I see that now. But you’ve never talked bad about him. Lord knows you have the right to. He’s an ass. You made our childhoods good. And now you’re making a life for yourself.” He turned and smiled at her through space between the kitchen cabinets. “You’re a great mom. I thought that I should tell you.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at him.
“Thought I better do it before Mystery Man Reese steals you away.”
Helen laughed. “I don’t think he’s going to steal me away.”
“I don’t know. How many texts has he sent you tonight?” JD asked as her phone began ringing. “I bet that’s him.”
“Then why don’t you answer it and introduce yourself.”
“I will.” JD said grabbing the phone and clicked the green button without looking at the screen. “Helen’s phone, where may I direct your booty call?”
Helen laughed as she walked back into the living room.
“Just a moment.” JD said in a much less teasing tone. He held the phone out. “Mom. You need to take this.”
She took the phone and saw that it said unknown. “This is Helen.”
“Helen, my name is Chief Gibbons with the Morgan City Fire Department.”
“Yes, sir.” She said quietly.
“Do you know Tyrus Johnson?”
“Ty?” She asked with a tremble in her voice. “Is he OK?”
JD guided his mom back to the couch to sit down. He sat on the arm and rubbed her back.
“He’s in the emergency room at Mercy. Can you please come down?”
“Oh, God!” She let out a sob.
“It’s nothing too bad.” The chief assured her. “But I can’t let him go back to work and he asked for you.”
“We’re on our way.” Helen replied and stood up.
JD grabbed her car keys from the bar and followed her out. “I’ll drive. You text your man.”
Helen was sitting in the passenger seat of her car sending a message to Reese. ‘Son’s roommate in hospital. I’ll call you when I know more.’
“You’re not going to call him?” JD asked turning at the light.
“He’s working.” She said as Reese appeared on the radio screen. Before Helen could do anything, JD answered the call.
“What hospital?” Reese asked.
“Mercy.” JD answered.
“Joshua, tell Donovan that I’m going to Mercy. He’s running point, any issues go to him. Baby, I’m on my way. I’ll meet you there.”
“OK. Reese, you don’t-.”
“My sweet mermaid,” he said as his car engine roared to life in the background, “I do. You don’t face a crisis alone. I’m on my way.”
The call ended and JD grinned over at his mom as they sat at the red light. “I like him.”
“Me too.” She said softly. “He makes me feel pretty and special.”
“You’re both.” As he started to move through the intersection, he reached over and squeezed her hand.
“Are you okay with this?”
“My brother’s boyfriend being in the hospital? No. But it goes with the territory.”
“You know?”
“Please, for the love of anything that I hold dear, do not ask *how* I know about those three.”
“You put it like that and I feel like I need to ask.”
“Trust me. You don’t.”
Helen laughed. “I won’t. For now. But I actually meant, me and Reese.”
“Reese and I.” He corrected with a grin.
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