CALDER WAS brilliant at not quite lying. He spun a masterful story about how a mutual friend had been left alone by her heartless boyfriend, and she had no family close. Calder had begged her to join our festivities, but she didn’t want to impose. So, now, in a short trip, Calder and I wanted to head back to Vancouver to spend time with her.
Betty had tears in her eyes. “I’m so proud of my baby boy. You’ve become so wonderful.”
I somehow managed to not roll my eyes. “I get my heart from you, mama.”
With promises that we’d be back in time for Christmas dinner, we got in Calder’s racy black sports model and headed back to the city.
“What are you going to do?” Calder pulled into my driveway.
“I’m going to sleep my ass off and watch a lot of Netflix.”
“You should get out more. I’ll be ba
