Chapter 17

By the time the drive ended and I woke from my nap, the pain medicine started to work. I still wasn't taking the sunglasses off for anything; fight me.

Amantha parked in front of her apartment.

“Are you awake?” she asked.

I grunted.

“I'll take that as a yes,” she said.

Amantha grabbed her cane from the backseat.

“Let's head inside,” she said.

I didn't want to move but I grabbed that bag and followed behind Amantha as she walked into the apartment.

Neo sat at the kitchen bar eating a bowl of cereal. He tipped his chin at me when I walked in.

“Why’re you wearing my sunglasses?” he asked when I didn't take them off inside.

“He's hungover,” Amantha said.

Neo nodded, then continued like the sight was nothing unusual. “Mona called and wants to know if I can go skating then watch a Roller Derby with her today. Can I go?”

Amantha looked confused. She sat on the couch and leaned her cane beside her. “Where? Who all's going? And who's Mona?”

Neo said, “I think it's Mona and her parents. At the local skating rink. In town.”

“Okay. And who's Mona?”

“She's a girl I go to school with. So can I go?”

Amantha didn't look convinced.

“Mona’s cool. I've met her,” I volunteered.

I sank onto the couch beside Amantha and put the bag down by my feet. On my way back up, I pulled the opened Reese's cup package out of the bag. I unwrapped the candy and took a bite. As the taste took over my mouth, I hummed happily. The medicine was definitely working.

“Does she want you to meet her there or are they coming here?”

“I think they're coming here.”

Amantha nodded. “I have to meet her parents, but then okay.”

Neo beamed. “Thanks! I have to call Mona!” He rushed down the hall, leaving his cereal abandoned, and slammed his bedroom door.

Amantha cringed at the noise. “Did I do the right thing?” she asked, turning to me. “I'm winging it as a parent, and sometimes I have no idea what's right and wrong.”

I watched her worried expression through the sunglasses. “Yeah, it's the right thing. He has a huge crush on Mona. You just made his year. Although, you might want to talk to him about sex and protecting himself.”

The worry faded from her face, and she waved a hand. “Oh, we've already had that talk. He knows all about sex, condoms, STIs, all of it. I gave him a box of condoms and told him I didn't care how many he used, he just needed to be safe. He's good.”

My mind flashed back to the “talk” I'd received, which had been significantly different.

I stared at her for a second then chuckled. “You're the cool aunt. Good for you.”

I finished my Reese's cup and threw the packaging into the bag.

She smiled. “I'm trying my best to raise him right. I hope I didn't screw up too much.”

“Nah. He's a good kid. He obviously loves you.”

Neo’s door opened and he came running down the hallway. He stopped at the side of the couch. “They're here. Thanks for letting me go.” He kissed Amantha's cheek, then took off toward the front door.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. I have to meet her parents before you leave,” Amantha said as she struggled to stand up fast.

Neo flung the door open and ran outside.

I jumped up and helped steady Amantha with my arm. When she was steady on her feet, I handed her the cane.

“Thanks,” she smiled at me and used the cane to hurry outside.

I followed behind and poked my head out the door.

Neo stood with the back door to the black car open, talking to someone inside, who I assumed was Mona. He climbed in the car and shut the door behind him.

A man waved and leaned out the driver's window. He reminded me of a volunteer baseball coach; his brown hair was short and he wore glasses. I could see a blond woman in the passenger seat.

“Thanks for letting Neo hang out with Mona,” the man spoke loudly from the car. “We’ll have him back after the derby ends tonight. It won't be late. See ya tonight!”

Amantha went to say something, but the car backed out and left before she could.

Her mouth hung open for a second before she said, “That didn't go at all how I imagined.”

“Maybe you can talk to them tonight. I'm sure he'll be fine. They're going to spend the day at a public place in the middle of town.”

She looked at me and gave me a tight smile. “You're right. What do you want to do today?”

I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her back inside.

“Get your purse. And point me to your wheelchair. We're going out.”