Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game by Katie Ashley Read Free Book Online

give her a quick peck on the
cheek, she threw her arms around me, hugging me tight. “Jeez, Mom,
you been taking the roids lately?” I joked, trying to lighten the
somber mood enveloping us. Tears sparkled in her eyes when I pulled
away. Oh shit. “Mom,” I warned.
    She shook her head as her hands came to cup my
cheeks. “I need to say this, sweetheart.” She drew in a shaky
breath, and I could tell she was fighting hard not to lose it. “I
just keep thinking over and over again in my mind how I couldn’t
bear if something happened to you like it did with Jake. After
seeing Evelyn tonight and the pain she was experiencing…” Mom
closed her eyes as a shudder rippled through her body. “My heart
just shatters,” she whispered.
    Our roles shifted, and I took on the comforter by
pulling Mom into a big bear hug. “Stop thinking those things. I’m
right here, and I’m okay. Nothing is going to happen to me.”
    I let Mom weep for a few minutes before I pulled
away. “Come on now, you need to be strong for patients. Somebody is
counting on you to get their baby into the world tonight.”
    Mom bobbed her head as she wiped her eyes. Her hand
then brushed against her abdomen for a second. At my confused
expression, she jerked away from me. “Okay then. I guess, I’ll see
you tonight then.”
    “Okay.”
    “Get some rest, sweetie,” Mom urged while kissing my
cheek one last time.
    “I’ll try,” I replied.” As Mom started out the garage
door, I headed back upstairs. I started to feel the effects of the
magic blue pill almost the second my head hit the pillow. Thoughts
whirled through my mind like debris in a storm and spat out bits
and pieces of random conversations. Suddenly, I remembered the ring
and song lyrics. I could almost feel the weight of the box in my
hand. Even in my woozy state, I tried hard processing the fact that
Jake had bought a ring for a girl. Jake, the ultimate manwhore and
player, had been serious enough about commitment to buy a ring.
Jesus.
    Then in the deep recesses of my mind, I had a
brilliantly vivid flashback. It was of the last time Jake stayed
over. My drug induced state only enhanced the affect, and the scene
played out in my mind like a movie.
    It was a week until Spring Break, and with all the
craziness going on his life and mine, he hadn’t stayed over in a
while. It was almost noon when we dragged our disheveled asses
downstairs. We’d been up most of the night playing games on the
Wii, instant messaging chicks, and inevitably watching titty flicks
on HBO. Hey, don’t judge. We were just two unattached, horny
dudes.
    Mom, outfitted in her pink tennis skirt and white
shirt, was at the stove taking up blueberry pancakes. I gotta hand
it to her, the one meal she didn’t ever screw up was breakfast. As
we collapsed at the table, she came over to us. “Hi guys! Did you
sleep well?” She reached over to ruffle my hair, but I ducked
away.
    Jake perked up the moment he saw Mom. He flashed his
megawatt smile at her. “Good morning, Maggie.” Sniffing the air
appreciatively, he then said, “Wow, something sure smells good! Did
you cook for us?”
    Mom smiled. “I sure did. I figured I better do
something special for you because it’s been so long since you
stayed over.”
    “Aw, thanks. That’s so sweet of you.”
    She set a small feast of culinary goodies down in
front of us. As she poured a glass of orange juice, she eyed Jake.
“So what’s been keeping you away?”
    He stopped shoveling in pancakes for a moment. “I’ve
just been busy that’s all.”
    “Hmm, has someone special got you running in
circles?” Mom asked, desperately hoping Jake would abandon his
manwhore ways.
    “Not really.”
    Mom gave a disappointed sigh. “Well, don’t stay away
so long next time. You’re always welcome here.”
    A knock at the back door interrupted us. Mom
practically skipped over to answer it. Greg blew in his tennis
shorts and Polo shirt. Jesus, he and Mom looked like two