Chapter 9
Toby
“Toby!” My mother’s voice cut through the hubbub in the airport.
I whirled around and spotted her and Dad immediately. The sleepy little airport, normally half empty all the other times I’d been through it, was wall-to-wall people today. Last-minute summer destination trips, maybe.
As gently as possible, I made my way toward my parents with a light heart.
I’d been making progress with Liza, slow that it was, progress was progress in any form.
And it was so nice to see them again. I couldn’t wait to show them my place, give them a tour of the hospital, and introduce them to my new foster clan.
When the crowd cleared and I made it, there was a big surprise waiting for me. “Wes!” I exclaimed with a big smile on my face. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
He held out his thick arms. “I didn’t want to leave you missing me for too long.”
My mother snuck in for a hug, and Dad clapped me on the back before I slung my arm around Wes’s neck and squeezed. He’d been my best friend, him and Porter, for a long time. “Porter’s gonna be happy to see you.”
We walked to baggage claim together and then out to my car. It was a squeeze with everyone and their luggage. “I’ll get something bigger soon,” I said. “This was the best deal I found on short notice when I came out here permanently.”
Mom chuckled. “It’s okay, dear, you didn’t expect to be hauling around four full-grown dragons.” She sniffed. “Though, I don’t take nearly as much room as your father and cousin.”
They were pretty wiped out, so I took them straight to my place. “I’ve only got one guest room, but I did manage to get my hands on a king-sized bed in my room. You don’t mind bunking in with me, do you, Wes?”
He groaned. “You snore.”
I shrugged. “That or the couch, man. You surprised me. We could stop somewhere and get you an air mattress, but you’d still be in my bedroom, on the floor listening to me snore.”
“I guess,” he muttered, but he shot me a grin in the rearview mirror.
“I ordered a meal from this meal delivery place,” I said. “And I’m off all weekend and I’ll work from home on Monday, but the rest of the week you’ll be on your own while I’m at work. I don’t like working from home too often.”
Mom reached over—she’d gotten the shotgun seat, of course—and patted my hand. “We can take care of ourselves. We’ll just take you to work and use your car.”
I nodded. “Works for me.” We’d always been close. I’d been well distracted since moving, but it had to be hard on them to have their only son move so far away. They could do whatever they wanted while they were here.
Except for meet Liza. I’d barely gotten her to tolerate me, much less my parents.
We pulled into the complex and unloaded the car.
With the three of us being particularly strong, we managed it in one trip.
Bert, the man that watched the lobby, part security guard, part administration, must’ve seen us coming, because he held the door open.
“Thanks, Bert,” I nodded at him, then waited for everyone to come through.
“Mom, Dad, Wes, this is Bert, our guard. He takes good care of us. Bert, my family.” And it was true. Bert had been friendly and welcoming. “He helped me find my car on short notice, giving me the info of an honest dealer.”
He tipped his hat at my mother, who tugged a bag out of my father’s arms. “Bert, I brought something for Toby here, but I think you deserve it.” She unzipped the bag and pulled out a big baggie full of her gingersnap cookies.
I moaned. “Oh, those are my favorite.”
“Hush.” She waved me down. “You have grocery stores here in Bluewater, I take it?”
Bert eyed the cookies and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
She pressed the bag into his hand. “Then I’ll make more. You enjoy these.”
Bert beamed at my mother. “Thank you, ma’am. I look forward to trying them.”
“Well, that’s it,” I said. “He’ll lay down his life for you now.”
My father gave him a conspiratorial wink. “That’s how she does it. The woman could take over the world with her cookies.”
“All right,” Mom said, zipping the bag and handing it back to Dad. “Lead the way.”
After I got them settled and they freshened up, they insisted on seeing the town. “We’re invited to a clan flight tomorrow,” I said. “So, don’t get overtired today.”
“Are they feeding us?” Mom asked.
I had to fight hard not to roll my eyes. “I expect so, they usually do.”
She tutted. “Well, show us this town you love and let me stop at a grocery store. I’ll bake tomorrow morning, so we don’t arrive empty-handed.”
My mother, ever the hostess or perfect guest. “Yes, Ma.”
Wes grinned. “Hey, don’t complain. I beg her to make me cookies all the time and she only does it if I earn them.”
I snorted. “You never earn them.”
The rest of the day went by peacefully enough, at least until they insisted on seeing my new office. “Come on, we came here to see where you work.” Dad beamed at me. “I’m proud of my boy. Running the entire nutrition department of a whole hospital.”
I sighed and drove them to the hospital. There was nothing saying I couldn’t show my parents around.
“Could we have dinner in your cafeteria?” Mom asked.
She was sweet, but I’d had enough cafeteria food. “We can, yeah. But, Mom, it’s still a cafeteria. Mass produced and not like home cooking. I had a meal service ordered for tonight.”
Checking my watch after we parked, I clicked my tongue. “Actually, let me text Wayne and tell him we’ll pick it up. We won’t be home in time for the delivery.”
I sent the message over to him as we headed inside, then I took them straight to my office. “This is it,” I said, arms out.
They stood and looked around at my bare space.
“Well, it’s gloomy,” Mom said, looking disappointed. “Not even a window.”
I shrugged. “I don’t mind. Plus, it’s mine. My own space. I’ll bring things in slowly to personalize it.”
She sniffed and looked around, and I would’ve sworn I saw her measuring the space. She was going to do something before they went home. I already knew.
“I’ll show you the cafeteria, then we’ll go get our dinner.”
They nodded and followed along a few doors down. “Get yourselves a drink if you’d like?”
“Oh, I would like some tea,” Mom said. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Wes stayed with me while Mom and Dad went through the line. “Well?” he asked. “Where is she?” It was the first time we’d been alone since they arrived.
“Who?” I asked, playing dumb.
“You know who.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked around. “The babe.”
I nudged him with my shoulder. “Don’t call her…” I trailed off as I spotted her. “She’s here,” I whispered.
“Where?” Wes’s head swiveled around as he looked.
“The redhead,” I continued, my voice barely audible. “In line.” I gulped. “In front of Mom.”
Wes snorted and burst out laughing, drawing both Liza’s eyes and my parents’. I waved, and all three waved back, but thankfully, they didn’t notice Liza’s hand moving and she didn’t notice theirs.
This was my nightmare. If they figured out who she was, they’d scare her off, for sure.
“You didn’t tell them, did you?” I asked, my throat nearly closing as Liza moved up in the line and my mother bumped into her. Mom clutched Liza’s arm and looked up at her, Liza being a few inches taller than my tiny mother.
They both smiled, and Liza said something that made Mom laugh, then Liza walked over to a table.
A few seconds later, Mom and Dad joined us near the door, carrying to-go cups.
“This tea is very good,” Mom said. “See? You know your way around a cafeteria. I’m sure the tea was dreadful before you came. ”
I didn’t correct her, because she’d find something else to compliment if I did, but I hadn’t changed the tea brand or how it was made. If it was good, it was because it had always been good.
We made it to the car without incident, and I headed straight for Wayne’s restaurant.
I ran in to get the food, and Wes came in with me.
“Hello?” I asked as I opened the restaurant doors.
“Anyone here?” The place was dark, but we were pretty late.
Miss Olivia’s Kitchen generally only did brunches…
I was pretty sure. The rest of the business was in catering.
A light shone from under a door in the back of the room, so I headed that way.
“This is kind of spooky,” Wes whispered. “But damn, it smells good in here.”
Inhaling deeply, I shrugged. I didn’t smell anything, not even food cooking. “Sure.”
I pushed the door open and stuck my head in. “Wayne?”
“Back here!” he yelled. We went through an empty kitchen and then through another swinging door to find Wayne sitting at a desk doing paperwork.
“I hope we didn’t keep you,” I said, feeling bad. “My parents insisted on seeing the hospital.”
“No worries.” He stood and held out his hand to Wes. “It made me finally sit down and do this paperwork Livvie’s been harassing me about.” He grinned at Wes. “Wayne Parsons.”
“Wesley Miller.”
Wayne raised his eyebrows as he drew his hand back. “Brothers?”
“Cousins,” I corrected. “Thanks for waiting, though, really.”
“What is that smell?” Wes asked. “Like oranges and cinnamon.”
Wayne and I exchanged a glance because I didn’t smell it at all. “No idea. Maybe Livvie’s got some new dish baked up somewhere.”
Wayne turned and picked up a big paper bag. “I heated it up while we waited, so it should be ready to eat as soon as you get home.”
He clapped me on the back and followed us back through the other kitchen and the dining room. “I hope you enjoy,” he said. “I put a few of Livvie’s goodies in there.”
“Thanks, see you tomorrow!” I called as we got in the car.
Wes shook his head. “I can’t get that smell out of my nose.” He took the food and sat in the back with my father.