“She was here while Doll was here.” He says meeting my stare.

“Was she wasted?”

His face gave me all the confirmation I need. My mom can’t lay off the booze. She’s been out of control since I was born. According to Aunt Jolene, she was so young. Having a baby was overwhelming. My dad bailed on her. She was lost and went wild. Being too young to be responsible she blamed me, an innocent child, for every problem she had. When she started taking her frustrations and anger out on me, my Pop’s stepped in and sent her packing. She had nowhere to go and sunk into a deeper hole. She’s trying to get her life together, but feels like she can’t do that without me. All these years later, she’s still blaming me. Her problems still rest on my shoulders. Without my forgiveness, she can’t move forward and get sober, she claims. At what point will she own her shit and fix herself?

“Doll react to it?” I ask as the tension builds inside of me. Doll had her mom when she was young. Maybe not long enough, but she had her from the beginning. Doll has always had Roundman. He’s a rock, someone you can depend on.

“She’s gonna try to fix it knowing Doll. Head’s up man, she was cryin’. I tried to explain it, but Doll was muttering about her own momma. I don’t know what you’re walkin’ in on at home. I’ll be at Tessie’s tonight if you need me.”

Shocked by his choice of sleep arrangements, I’m quickly drawn out of my own problems.

“Man, why the fuck are you going to Tessie’s? She’s got Axel. He doesn’t need to see you there. Tessie ain’t like that, bringing men around her boy. You got her wrapped, damn it. She’s incapable of tellin’ you no, and has been for years. So, she ain’t gonna tell you not to be around her boy. Pick a barfly. Hell, get a hotel. Don’t go to Tessie’s house.”

“It’s all good, Tripp. Axel will be at her mom’s tonight. You know Tessie won’t let me or anyone else near her kid. She knows the deal, it’s all good. You get your ass outta here, your woman’s home waitin’.”

Rex and Tessie is something I’m not getting involved in. He’s gonna fuck her over. That’s their deal, I’ll always be there to throw her an extra few bucks, but she gets her head and heart wrapped up in Rex, that’s on her. We’ve known Tessie for a while now. She knows Rex better than most. This dance they’re playing though, it ain’t gonna end well for her.

Leaving the office, my excitement from earlier is now turning to anger. Lucy won’t go away. Doll met my mess up of a mother. What am I coming home to?

Pulling up, my irritation is building more. Walking in, I’m expecting weird tension between us. I haven’t seen Doll since she left without saying goodbye. Entering through my kitchen, she meets me at the entry to the living room. She looks amazing. She’s in a navy blue, knee length dress with these red, fuck me heels. Her blonde hair is down with one side pinned back with a flower. The gloss on her lips makes me lose focus on everything but kissing her. Leaning down, I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her into me. My other hand snakes through her hair as I crush my lips down on her. She moans against me, her body relaxing into my hold. Our tongues and lips in a tango, the passion is burning between us as I pull away.