Free Get Even by Amanda Heath Page A

of my mind. I can hardly think about anything else. I trembled when I had to take her outfit to be buried in to the funeral home yesterday. I picked the one I saw her wearing when she showed up here the first time.
    Blake sits on my bed playing with his toy trucks while I put on my makeup. I’m wearing a black pencil skirt with a long sleeve black shirt. I pulled my hair up into a long ponytail, hoping it stays. I go light on the makeup only because I don’t really have the strength to go into detail on my face.
    “Farwh, is Momma in heaven?”
    I smile softly at his question. He’s been asking this question nonstop since we came back to the house. I want to pull him to me and tell him that I don’t know. I don’t know if heaven is real. I like to think it is, but it’s hard to believe that there is really something out there; somewhere we go when our human lives end. “Yes, baby. Momma is up in heaven with your baby sister.”
    He nods, looking at me with his serious little eyes. “Daddy and Momma fight about you and I wasn’t sure if she got to go to heaven if she was mad at Daddy.”
    I feel my eyebrows lower in confusion. “No, baby. Your momma was all that was good and kind. God and Jesus opened their arms wide for her. She’d never be turned away.” I drop my eyeliner and move to the bed to sit next to him. “She loved you more than life itself, little man. There’s no place more she deserved to go.” I lean over and kiss his temple.
    I don’t ask him about the fighting. I’ve learned with this little rascal if you ignore some things, he won’t pay attention to them anymore. Like when he repeats my cursing, I don’t laugh or think it’s cute. I ignore it. He knows they are bad words; he wants the reaction from the grown ups and if you don’t give him one, he won’t say the words.
    Well, I hope that it works. I’m not around the kid twenty-four seven.
    I finish putting on my makeup after a few minutes of cuddles. I’ll ask Max about the fighting in a few days. No need to bring up bad times for him and Sarah the day we put her in the ground.
    I hold Blake on my hip as I move down the stairs and find Max and Tate in the living room, glowers on their faces. I roll my eyes completely and totally over their shit. I know Tate’s pissed because Max won’t let him talk to me and Max now has it in his head that he needs to protect me. Like I need anybody to protect me.
    I’ve been protecting myself since I was a teenager.
    Sarah was good as a buffer with words, but physically? I got that shit covered. Not only did I run track, I took boxing classes along with self-defense. I can throw a grown ass man over my shoulder onto his back, knocking his breath out so I can run away. You should try it sometime; it’s fucking amazing and freeing.
    “When are we leaving?” I ask, moving into the room and setting Blake down on his feet. He immediately runs to his father and climbs in his lap. I feel my face soften at the sight.
    Tate stands up and straightens his tie. He looks amazing in his white button down and black slacks. Though the black Converse throw me off. Since when does he wear shoes like that? I glare down at them, totally freaked out. “They’re Max’s. I forgot to pack shoes.”
    I nod absently. That makes more sense. Knowing Tate, he ran out of the house with a few changes of clothes only wearing a pair of tennis shoes. The only time I’ve seen him wear dress shoes is when he’s going to work.
    Max stands up holding Blake closely and heads to the front door without saying anything to either of us.
    I ignore Tate and follow Max out to his car. I climb in the front seat while Max puts Blake in his car seat in the back. Tate opens the back door and climbs in behind me. I push my seat all the way back, so he doesn’t have much room to move his legs. Max coughs and I look up to see him trying to hide a laugh and smile. This makes me smirk.
    When Max gets into his Eclipse and starts the car he