Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
How do you sit a teen down and say, “Sorry your mom died, but now you have to move”? It didn’t matter how I tried to form the statement in my head; it felt wrong and hurtful.
I couldn’t conceivably take Cutter away from his last two years of high school, but I also couldn’t stay in Grove Hill. Not if I wanted to keep my job, and I was going to need my job if I was to take on two children and raise them as their mother had.
I banged my hand on the steering wheel, and my tears returned. Everything was so fucked up, and there wasn’t one easy solution to fixing any of this.
Chapter 16
Antonia
By Saturday, everyone knew Miri had cancer. It didn’t take long for word to spread, and it took even less time for people to start showing up at her door or saying something to me in the local grocery store. I found out quickly why so many people loved living in a small town. It was the closeness, the camaraderie, and the overall feeling that everyone was family.
The parents of Nova’s best friend, Mara Blanchard, had volunteered for anything and everything one could think of. One of my biggest concerns was being there when Nova got off the bus. The driver wasn’t allowed to let children off the bus unless a parent or guardian was available, and with my mom not able to uproot her entire life, we needed another plan. Thankfully, Miri could call in, instead of having to go into the school, to add Mara’s parents to the approved-pickup list.
Cutter was a bit easier. Most of the time, I would pick him up from school, and I talked to Miri about teaching him how to drive. While I hadn’t figured most of anything out, one thing I did know was I wouldn’t take the kids out of school until the end of the school year. Their mother was dying, and the last thing they needed was to lose their friends. But, I knew if I needed anything, Flinn Langston’s parents would step up, or Weston.
While Miri slept, I snuck out for a walk. My plan was to walk the mile into town and grab coffee from the Cozy Cup Café, which was owned by one of Miri’s friends, Samira. I’d get some doughnuts and take them back for Miri and Nova. Cutter had a game today and preferred not to load up on sugary snacks.
At the end of the driveway, I started at the sound of movement. Looking to my left, I saw Scout running toward me. Crouching, I braced myself for the lick attack that was about to happen. I’d never been a huge fan of dogs, but this guy oddly brought me a sense of calm, and I needed as much of that as I could get right now.
“Good morning,” Weston said as he ran toward us. He grinned, and my heart raced a smidge. My heart shouldn’t have been doing anything.
“Sorry, we were working on commands, and he saw you.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.” I gave Scout a few more pets and then stood. “How was Cutter this week?”
“He was good,” Weston said, nodding. “I think he has a good support system around him.”
“Did he tell his friends?” I asked.
“I think kids just found out.” Weston shrugged. “I haven’t heard anyone come out and ask him, so I think they’re just in the know and hanging out like normal.”
“Well, that’s good, I guess.” I looked down the road and motioned. “I’m heading into town to get breakfast. I need the exercise, so I thought I’d walk.”
Weston tilted his head slightly, and if I wasn’t mistaken, there was a slight smirk playing on his lips, making me wonder what he was thinking.
“Mind if Scout and I come with you?”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Weston hooked Scout’s leash to his collar, and we started down the road. I regretted saying yes because I wasn’t sure there was anything for us to talk about, but I didn’t want to be rude. He was free to walk up and down the road whenever he wanted and didn’t need my permission to go into town.
We walked for a few minutes in silence until Weston cleared his throat. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, although I may not have the answer.”
He huffed a little and smiled. “What happens to the kids when Miriam . . . you know,” he asked sheepishly.
“I’ll take them. Long before Cutter was born, she asked me to take care of her baby if she couldn’t. I promised.” I shrugged. “I’ve known them since before they were born. I was there when she had them and was the second one to hold them. It makes sense for them to go to me, and if it wasn’t me, it’d be my parents.”