Chapter 6: Trent

She looked nervous as I parked outside Mom’s offices. I wanted to reassure her that everything would be all right, but I didn’t know if that was really the case. I didn’t understand the whole law process, or even why her mom ran out of the country club as if the place was on fire.

I turned off the engine and unbuckled my seatbelt, and she did the same. It was as if we were moving to the same rhythm as we got out of the car. Why the hell were my palms so sweaty?

The next thing I knew, we were standing on the other side of the car, looking at each other. Not saying a word and not feeling the need to break the silence. Until I spotted Mom in the corner of the high-rise building behind her. Smoking. Something she did in secret, because she didn’t want us to know that she’d restarted her bad habit, and we pretended we didn’t know. Smoking was her stress reliever. She did it when dad left her and more when work got to her at times.

“Hey there!” she shouted, after throwing her gloves in the trash. She often wore gloves so her hands didn’t smell of smoke, then she popped a mint in her mouth. I saw her do all of that from the side of my eyes, but pretended I saw nothing.

“Oh Mom. Didn’t see you there.”

She was waving with her oversized shirt bouncing on her body and her skintight jeans hugging her curves. Mom looked good for her age. She had us young and had always kept a strict fitness routine and ate well. Her only weakness was smoking.

Jenny’s head spun around, then back again. “Is she really your mom?”

I nodded. “Uh-huh.”

Mom drew closer, and as we were near, Jenny said exactly what I’d heard so many times.

“Damn, you guys could easily pass for sister and brother. She looks good for her age. Just her hair’s slightly lighter. That’s the only difference between you guys, really. And as for the body, I mean, she doesn’t look like she’s had one kid, let alone three.”

I decided to do the introductions. “Jenny, this is Claire, my mom. And Mom, Jenny. One guy who was a friend soon turned into an enemy after he tried hitting on her.”

Jenny whispered, “I thought guys dug that kind of thing.”

I was puzzled. Why would she think a friend hitting on your mom would be sexy? It hit me like a ton of bricks. Her exposure to men was Kurt and his friends, her dad and uncle, whoever he was. Her world had no good role models, which was why she was alone. I didn’t know whether to put my arm around her and comfort her, or just to kiss her due to her innocence. Either way, spending time with Jenny was having an effect on me, and we’d only been together a couple of hours. The better part of an afternoon.

“Hey you.” Mom smiled as she put her arm around Jenny. “You’ve had a horrible day. Come here and give me a hug. I feel so bad for what’s going on.”

As Mom pulled away, I could see Jenny trembling and pulling her in closer. There were cars pulling in and out of the parking lot, but when it was a bit quiet, I acknowledged that Mom wasn’t just giving Jenny a hug, she was comforting her as she sobbed in her arms.

I signaled that I would go into the building, as Mom continued to stroke and pet her. Comfort in which I had a feeling Jenny wasn’t used to, but it had taken her by surprise, and she’d welcomed it with open arms.

* * *

I waited inside the building, then I made a couple of calls to my brothers and finally organized my week ahead as much as I could from my phone. I was a little OCD when it came to such things. Mom said that she wished I didn’t take all of Dad’s traits so I could spread some to Brent who was a lost cause. He started the day waking up and asking what day of the week it was, then spent his time in the shower figuring out what to do for the day.

“Well, it seems that I helped her get a lot of her chest.” Mom sighed as she walked out of her office, leaving Jenny inside it.

“Uh-huh.”

“What a shit storm! Anyway, before you came over I decided to make a few calls, and things are not looking good.”

She leaned in and kissed me on the head before moving away and then rubbing the side of my face. I knew what she was thinking; she was thinking about Dad. Whenever she had that look in her eye, it was because of him. He died in a tragic car accident five years ago and our world had been turned upside down, she still held on to his memory. So, many times when I’d heard her cry at night, I wanted to tell her that time would be a great healer. This is what I’d read a lot about the subject. But, what did I know about love? I’d never experienced it the way that she had. I was too young, but I knew one day my time would come.

“Mom, I need to get going. Is there anything that you need from me?”

She shook her head. “No. Don’t worry, I’ll take Jenny home when we finish up here.”

“I thought you had a big case and loads to catch up on, which is why you were working today.”

She giggled. “I do, but I finished it all before you called, and I was about to go home and spend the night in a bath and catch up on some much-loved TLC.”

Jenny came out of the office to the waiting area where we were sitting as if she didn't want to be alone.

“I’ve ruined your Sunday. Sorry, I’m just a pain. If you have plans, then you can go ahead and do them. I’ll figure something out…”

“Look, don’t worry. This is too important to dismiss. We need to sort you out.”

Mom moved away from me, toward Jenny, and I knew this was my cue to leave. She looked so vulnerable as she quickly shifted her eyes from the floor to me.

“Bye Jenny. I’ll see you at home.”

She didn’t respond.

“Mom, laters.”

I kissed her on the cheek, grabbed my bag and headed out the door. My mind was focused on what all this meant for Jenny. Sure, we’d offered her a night or two to stay with us, but I would be off to college next year as well as my brothers. What would the future mean for her then? She had no money, and no belongings other than the few clothes I bought for her. I stopped at my car, thinking about why I was so worried about this stranger.

Shit!

I’d been so blind. She said we were neighbors and used to play as kids. This was why she was looking at me that way. She was the girl that I’d had my first kiss with and promised to spend the rest of my life with when we played our first wedding out in the sand with all our imaginary guests.

I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten all about her, until now.

What an ass!

I remembered the way I felt about her back then and wondered if subconsciously this was the reason I felt the need to take care of her. Protect her and make sure no harm ever came to her. I’d been in love with her back then, but I was just a kid, one who made promises to everyone who paid me some kind of attention.

Fuck, I’m getting too sentimental about what went down today. I need to organize myself before school tomorrow; that should be the only thing on my mind.