Chpter Forty Seven

ma's eyes were wide, and she was breathless, "ma come sit beside me." I patted the chair next to me, catching her breath she moved to the chair and took a seat. exhaling in and out she asked between breaths, "what did you mean sons?"
"ma, I don't want you to panic..."
"why what's happened, Jonny your scaring me..."
I did not want to say anything until Madison came back with some news, I tried to drag it out, unsuccessfully, "you get my cell?"
I was given a short one word answer, "Yes"
"can I have it?"
"when you tell me what is going on, quit stalling Jonny, what did you mean sons?"
I took a breath about to explain when Madison came back into my room.
She smiled at my mom, "All is good, it was a flesh wound, he lost a little blood, but he's fine, he fainted from shock...."
I smiled t Madison, "thank you, that's great news."
my ma sat looking from one to the other of us, "Will you please for the love of god tell me what is going on..."
Madison looked a little uncomfortable, I motioned for her to leave, she was grateful and took a quick exit.
taking my ma's hand, I started to explain; "Ma, matt is fine ok, remember that, but he was injured when he got here to see me earlier today."
"how was he injured?"
"Antonia, her hench's, they...."
"they what?"
"stabbed him."
my ma blinked her eyes three times digesting the information. she looked at me stunned. taking a deep breath she sat back and asked, "how?"
I had no option but to tell her what Matty was trying to do, from trying to befriend Antonia so he could learn her moves to try to protect me, to where the goons caught him at the hospital entrance in the parking lot and warned him what was to come if I do not comply with Antonia when I'm released.
she grabbed my hand, tears brimming in her eyes that softly flowed down her cheeks..." my poor babies..."
"ma, its ok, were both big boys, we can sort this..."
she looked at me with disbelief, "I don't think you can, look at you Jonny, and now Matty, my baby boy....no what this needs is a mothers touch..."
"Ma, please stay out of it..."
a steely look of determination set on her face and her lips were pursed into a fine line. she was past hearing me.
"Ma"
blinking she looked at me, she smiled and patted my hand, "Yes, Yes I know, I'll be fine.." then the look I had just seen returned.
Her zoned out expression changed only when there was a knock at the door, "Can we come in?"
Madison was with Matty, pushing him in a chair. "Hey there I have someone that wants to come see you and tell you he's ok? that alright?"
my ma leapt out of her seat and across to Matty, she smothered him in kisses calling him her baby, she only stopped when Matty said "enough ma, I can't breathe..." she then stood back panicked she had caused damage...
"I'm fine look, ..." he then looked at me, "Jonny, I'm sorry I got involved, and I'm sorry they got to me and that I scared you earlier... forgive me"
I nodded my head and held out my hand for a fist bump, Madison pushed him closer so his fist could meet mine. then we both smiled to each other which caused our ma to start in... "See what I put up with Madison, they are always as thick as molasses, they stick together no matter what..."
Madison looked at my ma, then us before she answered, "but that's good right, brothers that care for one another..."
"Yeah, but not when they side with each other keeping their mom at arms length."
Madison smiled and laughed, " that is called son's rights..." she then excused herself letting Matty stay for a while with strict instructions if he felt tired he would get me to call a nurse.
once we were alone, my ma fired questions at Matty, they came so fast it was like her mouth had turned into a gattling gun...

"ma please, slow down, give Matt a break already..he's still weak.."
She looked at me with cold eye's... "Ma, the detective you told me about is calling over to meet with us around six, like you say lets leave it to the professionals eh?"
she spun her head to look at me, and with an over sickly "Of course sweetheart" she turned back to Matty again...
Something told me, my ma was making plans and it had nothing to do with telling the cops.