I answered before I could stop myself. “Debb,” I seethed. But it wasn’t her name I was saying in my head. It was Troy’s, Eddie’s—hell even Harpers’—all the people responsible for me being out of my mind with stress.

“Sorry to bother you, Mr. Hartman, I have your mother on line one again.”

“Again?”

“I told her you weren’t taking calls earlier and she called back.”

I sighed. “Put her through.”

Usually Debb would say something like ‘sure thing’ or ‘putting her through now’ but when my mother’s voice came on a second later, I knew I’d pushed it too far with my assistant today.

“Working hard?”

“Always mom,” I said dryly.

“Okay well you got to tell me what you want next weekend.”

“Next weekend?”

“Didn’t you talk to Troy? You boys are coming over next weekend. Your dad and I are going to the game next Friday, after his suspension of course, and then you all can come spend the weekend.”

Mom hadn’t done too well with empty nest syndrome when we moved out and insisted on occasional weekends at their house on the beach in Staten Island. It wasn’t far, but between the two bridges and traffic at all hours of the day, it took forever to get to and there was nothing pleasant about those beaches—except for maybe the sunsets.

“Mom, it’s not a good week for me, could we maybe do…I don’t know, Christmas?” I chuckled, only half kidding.

She sighed. “I won’t take that personally, I know how important your job is.”

But not as important as Troy’s, I wanted to say. Since they often seemed to arrange these family weekends as it fit his schedule.

“But it’s going to be too cold at the beach house after Thanksgiving and…”

“Mom?” It wasn’t like her to trail off and it was already starting to get cold at the beach house. This was too sudden.

“Your father wants you both here. He said he wasn’t taking no for an answer.”

“If I come, I’ll just end up working. I can’t spare any time, mom.”

“We’ll give you your privacy. After dinner—we won’t rope you into movie night.”

“Great,” I grumbled. But it was gnawing at me about our father. “Why does he want to see us?”

“I don’t know. He’s been watching Troy’s games and now he wants to go to one in person, so I’m assuming it’s got something to do with that stunt he pulled last week with the sign an’ all.”

This isn’t good.

“Troy’s problems shouldn’t be mine, mom.”

“They never were honey. Alright, well don’t work too hard, it’s not good for you, you sound super stressed.”