Little Squirrels Can Climb Tall Trees by Michael Murphy

Author:Michael Murphy
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2012-07-24T17:11:58+00:00

Chapter 14

IT WAS a little later that evening when Kyle’s cell phone rang. I was reading on the couch, and Kyle grabbed the call on the first ring, so I didn’t pay much attention to the call. The phone rang occasionally, but almost always it was something for work. I tuned in to the call when I noticed Kyle’s voice take on a certain edge. I heard him say, “I can’t talk now. I’ll see you tomorrow like we planned. Okay?” And as quickly as it started, the call was finished.

A bit suspicious (okay, a lot suspicious), I asked, “What was that?”

“Just a meeting I’ve got to go to tomorrow.”

“It’s a little unusual for someone to be calling at ten at night to talk about work, don’t you think?”

“Not really.”

“No? Do you call a lot of people at ten at night to talk about work meetings?”

Kyle couldn’t meet my eye. All the signals were there—something was up.

“Kyle! What is going on?”

“It’s not a work meeting. It’s my mother. She’s here in New York and wants to talk to me.”

“Your mother is in New York.” Statement. Not question. “Interesting. Spur of the moment trip?”

“No. Her bus got in earlier tonight.”

“Bus?”

“She took the Greyhound.”

“And you didn’t tell me about this because…?”

“I didn’t want to bother you with my crazy mother. She’s not like your mother. She wouldn’t welcome you with open arms sight unseen. She’d break out her Bible and start trying to cast out demons or some such thing. There is no way in this world that I am ever subjecting you to my mother!”

“Okay,” I said, understanding. “But what if I want to be there to support you?”

“You can’t,” he said emphatically. “It just wouldn’t work.”

“So, how long is she in town?”

“She came as part of a church women’s group. They’re here for four nights to see all the sights.”

“Including you.”

“Of course! Have you seen me? I’m quite a sight! One of the towering monuments of NYC.”

By this point I was off the couch and was standing behind him at the table. I simply leaned over, kissed him, looked him in the eye, took his hand, and said, “I’m sorry, babe. I think I understand. Even though I can’t be there with you, know that I’m hugging you and holding my arms around you and sending you all kinds of love and support to deal with her.”

Unexpectedly, Kyle grabbed me and broke into tears.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement. “It’s okay, babe. It’s okay,” I said, trying desperately to offer some comfort.

“No, it’s not. She’s never gonna change. She’s never gonna know who I am. She’s never gonna….”

“No, she probably will not. And it is her loss because you are an awesome man!”

“I know that!” he said with a smile as he brushed the tears away from his eyes.

“When do you meet up with her tomorrow?”

“Seven at the hospital. She said she wants to see where I work. She doesn’t really. She just wants to get me back to Oklahoma.

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