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)
“Then why do you call it ‘book club’?” Brendan asked. “Why not call it what it is?”
“Well,” Miri said as she put her glass on the coffee table. I watched her every move for any sign that she might be tired or in pain. The doctor had her on a boatload of painkillers, and she could lose some of her functions, but she hadn’t as of yet. Still, I waited.
“It started out as a book club. We used to read a book a week and talk about it, but then it became more. Like when Vera’s husband asked for a divorce. She needed someone to talk to, so she talked to us.” Miri shrugged. “We still pick a book and read. We just allow ourselves longer than a week on most.”
“Kind of like when you go golfing,” I said to Brendan. “It’s not like you golf and then come back. You stay around, shoot the shit with your buddies, get drunk, and miss your flight.”
Brendan smirked. “Touché.”
Miri yawned, and I looked at the time. It was close to eight. “Are you tired?”
She nodded. “I think I’m going to go up and take a bath, and then crawl into bed with the book.” Miri winked at Brendan as she stood.
He chuckled.
I went upstairs to make sure Miri was okay and checked on Cutter. He was in his room, on the phone with Eleni. His door was ajar. I knocked and waited for him to tell me to come in.
“Hey, I just wanted to see what your plans are this evening.”
“A bunch of us are going to Malik’s to hang out.”
“Are his parents home?” I already sounded like a mother and not a cool aunt.
Cutter rolled his eyes. “Yes. His house and parents’ cell phone numbers are on the refrigerator.”
“Great. Do you need me to give you a ride?”
He shook his head. “Jayden is picking me up, and yes, before you ask, Mom lets me ride with Jayden, and he has a graduated driver’s license.”
I opened my mouth to ask about Jayden’s number, but Cutter beat me to it. “His number is on the refrigerator as well.”
“Wow, this was easy. Let me know when you’re leaving. I’ll be downstairs. Your mom is taking a bath, and then she’s going to bed.”
“Thanks, Toni.”
“You’re welcome.”
As I walked back downstairs, I wondered when Miri and I would sit the kids down and talk about the future. I would need to have some kind of answer for Cutter, mostly, about our future. The thing was, I had no idea what was going to be right. My job was in Boston, and while I was in Grove Hill now, I couldn’t stay forever. At some point, Brendan’s dad would want me back in the office.
Brendan was in the kitchen doing the dishes when I walked in. I poured myself another glass of wine and sipped slowly. “You don’t have to do those.”
“I figured if they were done, you could come back to the bed-and-breakfast with me.”
“You know I can’t.”
“No, I don’t know that you can’t.” He shut the water off and dried his hands. “Miriam’s going to bed. Nova’s at a friend’s house. Cutter’s going out. What on earth would keep you here?”
“They keep me here,” I told him. “Something could happen. The kids could need me.”
“Nothing’s going to happen.” Brendan placed his hands on the counter, one on each side of me. “Come back with me.”
I shook my head. “You’re going to have to get used to this.”
“Used to what?”
“Us, with kids.”
He stood straight up. “What are you talking about?”
“The kids aren’t going anywhere, Brendan. I’m their guardian.”
He took a step back and then another. “Wow . . . um, I’m not sure what to say.” He ran a hand through his hair and blew out his breath.
“There’s nothing to say,” I told him. “I’m not letting some strangers raise my best friend’s kids.”
“They have other family, Toni.”
“No, they don’t. You know this. Other than my parents and siblings, I’m their family.” I pointed to my chest and strained to keep my voice low.
“So, what? We’re going to completely change our lives to accommodate two kids?”
“Yes, we are.”
Brendan gripped the back of the chair and looked at me. “We never talked about kids, Toni. I thought we were on the same page here with careers, marriage, travel. Kids were never part of the plan.”
“That’s not true, Brendan. Anytime I’ve brought up us having kids, you’ve said soon. Maybe that’s been your ‘plan,’” I said, adding air quotes for emphasis. “We have no plan. We’ve been together for what, four years now?” I held my left hand up. “Do you see a ring here? Are we sharing an address? No, we’re not, so again, I ask what plans?”
“We talked about taking things slow.”
“When we started dating, Brendan. You move slow then. Not years later.”