Chapter Twenty-Eight

Avalon

My mom’s been in the hospital for the last ten days trying to get her kidneys into better shape. I’m honestly surprised she’s lasted this long, though, and didn’t try to sneak out when no one was looking. When Jay and I came to see her after they moved her to Westlake Memorial, all she did was complain about how expensive it would be.

Only my mom would be complaining about how expensive it is to save her life when she has no problem spending thousands of dollars on drugs. Which is the reason we’re in this mess in the first place.

It has been nice, though, because when Zeke comes down to visit his mom, I tag along so I can see mine. After we got back from the hospital, Jay offered to go look at Zeke’s car because it wouldn’t be as suspicious as me doing it, and it was fixed by the next morning.

And since Zeke isn’t home this weekend, he told me I could borrow his car if needed.

Jay offered to call out of work so he could come with me to the hospital since she’s getting out today. However, I thought talking to her about rehab alone would be better. Maybe she won’t feel as attacked.

“Hi.” I knock on the doorframe and see my mom sitting in her bed. She’s out of her hospital gown and is wearing the clothes I brought her yesterday. “¿Cómo te sientes?”

“Cansada.” She stretches out her arms. “I haven’t been sleeping.”

“Estás lista para ir a casa?” I clasp my hands behind my back. “The house has been quiet without you.”

It doesn’t feel right to tell her it’s been peaceful not having her around. I’ve loved being able to live my life with Zeke without wondering if she was okay. Without watching her slowly ruin her life. But she doesn’t need to hear that.

She shrugs. “Supongo. It doesn’t really feel like home anymore, sabes? I’ve been living with Ronnie, so—”

“You can’t go back there,” I cut her off. “Ronnie left you, Mami. He left you to die.”

“He was worried about me.”

“Worried?” I scoff. “If I didn’t come home when I did, you’d be dead.”

“He went to find help.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Mija, everything is fine now, ¿vale?”

I charge toward her. “No, not okay. Nothing about this situation is okay. Mami, necesitas ayuda. There’s this great rehab facility in Ohio. It’s six months and—”

“No.” She gets out of bed. “I’m not going to a fucking rehab facility, Avalon. ¡No tengo una problema! I have it under control.”

“You just overdosed! What about this situation isn’t clear to you? You almost died, but all you can think about is your next high.”

“You sound like Jay.”

“Maybe because he’s the one who’s taken care of me all these years.” I cry. “Maybe because my mom was too busy with whatever junkie boyfriend she had to actually care.”

“I do care.”

“About yourself.”

“I don’t need this. Puedes irte. Ronnie will pick me up.”

“Fine,” I nod, “fine. If you don’t get help voluntarily, I’ll have to force you to go.”

She blinks at me like she doesn’t understand how I’ll have the power to do that.

“Jay’s been talking to a lawyer, one to help me get back all the money you took. One call to him, and you’ll have no choice but to go to rehab.”

“Tú perra. You wouldn’t do that to me.”

“No, but I’d do it for you.” I sniffle, wiping away my tears.

“You can’t do anything if you don’t know where I am.” She grabs her bag off the floor, bumping my shoulder hard as she passes me. “Goodbye, mija.”