Chapter Thirty-three
Don
After breakfast, we help Mom clean up the kitchen before we head to the bedroom to relax for a bit. Really, I just want a moment alone with Abby to make sure she’s doing okay. I don’t want her to get uncomfortable at any point during our stay.
I lay on the bed and motion for her to join me. When she does, she curls up against me with her head on my chest.
“How are you doing, beautiful?” I ask.
“I’m okay,” she replies.
“Just okay?”
She looks up at me. “Don, I’m good. I promise. Your mom is great, and I’m having a nice time. I know that I’m anxious and antsy and a bit neurotic, but you don’t have to worry so much. I can hold my own.”
“Oh, I have no doubt you can. I also know that sometimes, you get overwhelmed, and you don’t say anything to anyone, which just makes things worse.”
“I promise to let you know if I am feeling overwhelmed,” she promises.
I know we should probably go back out there and help Mom with whatever she needs. But after our late night in the bedroom and our very early flight, I can barely keep my eyes open.
Apparently, Abby has the same problem because when I say something else to her, all I am met with in response is a soft snore.
It doesn’t take long before I am right behind her.
“Uncle D.” I hear a loud whisper in my ear as I feel two tiny hands forcing my eyelids open.
“Kaylee?” I ask.
“Time to wake up.”
I look over to find Abby, but she’s not on the bed with me anymore. The only one here is Kaylee who is now pressing her forehead against mine.
“Get. Out. Of. Bed.”
“Don’t you want to lay down and take a nap?” I ask.
“Nope.”
“Didn’t think so,” I mutter. “Alright, Uncle D is up.”
Walking out to the living room, I look around for Abby, but still nothing. Instead, I see Paul sitting on the couch, watching a football game on his phone. And Mom is still busy in the kitchen.
I walk over to shake Paul’s hand. “Good to see you, bud.”
“Hey, you too, man.”
Paul and I have a relationship of few words. He’s a nice guy, and we talk when we actually have something to say. But neither of us is big on small talk.
“Where’s that sister of mine?” I ask.
“Oh, your mom was almost out of butter, so Jill and Abby ran back to our house to get some more.”
My eyes go wide. “I’m sorry. Abby and Jill are together?”
He nods. “Yep. Why is that a big deal?”
“Paul, you are married to Jill. You should know better than anyone the answer to that question.”
“Good point,” he says, but he just goes back to watching football before Kaylee jumps up onto the couch with him to start asking a million questions about what’s on his phone.
I make my way into the kitchen and ask my mom, “Why did you send Abby with Jill?”
“Honey, I didn’t send her. You were asleep, and Abby came out here shortly after Jill arrived. They started talking, and when I needed butter, Abby volunteered to go with.”
“Poor thing doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into.”
Mom points her finger at me. “You need to give your sister some credit. She’s the whole reason you decided to actually ask Abby out, remember?”
“That point isn’t lost on me. But I also know that Jill can be a bit much sometimes. I don’t want her to scare off the first girl that I’ve cared about in a really long time.”
“Your sister would never do that. Jill cares about you way too much. I think she just wants to get to know someone you care about—just like I did.”
“You’re nicer than Jill,” I argue.
She pats me on the shoulder. “Give your sister some credit. She loves you and just wants to see you happy.”
Deciding to take her advice, I watch my mother walk around the kitchen, cooking a giant meal and seemingly enjoying herself.
“Mom, how have you been?” I ask.
“Oh, I’ve been alright, I guess.”
“What have you been up to? You been keeping busy?”
“Eh, I guess watching Kaylee during the day keeps me pretty busy.”
“Have you been hanging out with anyone lately?”
She stops peeling potatoes and looks at me. “What is this? What is it that you want to know?” She waves the peeler as she talks.
“Jill told me you were thinking about doing some online dating.”
Realization hits her face. “Your sister started freaking out because I started playing Scrabble online. A couple of older gentlemen tried messaging me about things other than the game.”
“And you did what?” I ask, drawing out each word.
“I blocked them. I get on there to play Scrabble, darlin’—not drop my drawers.”
I never thought I would hear my mother use that phrase. Not going to lie—it’s a little unnerving.
“I just don’t want you to get lonely,” I tell her.
“Who says I’m lonely?”
Jill.
“I’m not saying you are. I’m just saying that I wouldn’t fault you if you wanted to start dating. You’ve been single a really long time. You gave up a lot for Jill and me.”
She puts the peeler down and grabs the towel draped over her shoulder to wipe her hands. “Sweetheart, listen to me. If you think I have been celibate your entire thirty-five years of life, you are wrong. Through the years, I’ve dated, and I’ve done just fine for myself. Even now.”
“What?” I ask, unable to say anything else.
“Don’t look so surprised. Better shut that mouth of yours before a bug flies in.”
“When? How?”
“Donovan, when you and Jill were little, dating took a back seat. But as you got older, you both got busier. I had more time to do my own thing.”
“Is there anyone serious I should know about?”
“Not right now. There’s one guy that I go see movies with sometimes, but it’s never gone further than that. It’s more of a friendship than anything.”
“You never know. Abby and I were just friends, too, and look where that ended up.”
“We’ll see.” She smiles. “So, do you think Abby is the one?”
“I think it’s a little early to say for sure,” I tell her. “Mainly because I don’t want to freak Abby out, but yeah, I think she’s the one.”
“Good. I like her. You better not let her go.”
“I don’t plan on it,” I pause a moment. “I just hope things are going well between her and Jill.”