Bruises

Ch.21-The Apple Never Falls Far from the Tree

I shook my head. "It's kind of still sinking in."

Cher nodded, for once completely ignoring her phone when it buzzed against the table. "This is huge," she murmured. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "Have you told Mom yet?"

My eyes widened, Sam stiffening beside me. I had only met Sam's mother a few times, and I had thought she was a decent woman. But it wasn't like they were in depth conversations, just passing greetings. I bet, if not for the whole fiasco involving my father and the media, she wouldn't even remember who I was.

"No," Sam finally stated, staring hard at the table. "She doesn't know."

Cher frowned. "You're-you're gonna tell her, right?"

"Maybe."

"Sam, it's her grandchild."

He said nothing.

"What about Dad?"

"He knows."

"He'll probably tell Mom, then."

Sam shook his head. "I told him I would."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Would you just stop it, Cher?" he blurted out, loud enough to have several heads turning in our direction. "I'll tell her when the time is right." He gently pulled himself out of my arms, sliding out of the booth. "I'm going to get a drink. You want anything?" he asked, looking at me.

I shook my head, confused by his actions. "No, thanks, I'm good."

He nodded and walked toward the bar. I had never, not once, seen Sam drink a lick of alcohol. It never really occurred to me that he was of legal age to drink any. But I watched him now, taking a sip of the beer slid across to him.

"He hasn't spoken to his mom in a while."

I turned back to Cher, brows furrowing. "Huh?"

Cher appeared just as worried for her step-brother. It didn't escape my attention she had yet to touch her phone. "They've had a pretty strained relationship for a few years, now."

I returned my gaze to Sam, his shoulders slumped and a haunted look in his eyes. "Do you know why?"

She shrugged. "Beats me."

Jeez. We were two seriously messed up people, weren't we? I grew up without a mother, and he had a big enough fight with his to have them not on speaking terms. My father went to prison, and his silently abused him.

Maybe we should consider couple therapy sessions. Lord knows we probably needed them.

At last Cher picked up her phone and peeked at the screen. She released an annoyed grunt from the back of her throat. "Hey, look, I gotta take this." She nodded toward Sam. "Talk to him, yeah? If you two are having a baby his mother deserves to know."

"Okay," I whispered. "Thanks, Cher."

She winked. "No problem, Elsie." She shrugged her purse higher up her shoulder and clicked out of the diner in her high heels. Sam didn't seem to notice she had left. I breathed out a long breath and sidled up to the bar, sitting myself down beside my boyfriend.

"I didn't know you drank," I spoke up.

"Every once in a while," he mumbled.

"I see." I traced shapes on the countertop with my finger. "Why haven't you spoken with your mother, Sam?"

He ran his fingers through his hair. "It's complicated, Elsie. She-let's just say we had a few disagreements that led to a few realizations."

I cocked an eyebrow. "I don't understand."