Homecoming - Chapter 22
Thursday
Brooklyn
I pushed Jacob’s hair off his forehead. He was sleeping so peacefully.
He’d made a new friend here. His first friend, really.
Actually, he’d made several. We’d spent the rest of yesterday afternoon kicking the ball around with James, Rob, Penny, and Scarlett.
All while I tried to ignore James’ piercing gaze.
I knew what I had to do if I was going to stay.
And yet…I didn’t know how.
Matt deserved to know the truth. Especially if a lot of my assumptions about him were dead wrong.
But every time I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, I kept picturing him laughing in the pool with James’ sister. James’ sister. What kind of friend did that, anyway?
I looked down at my sleeping son. He wanted to stay in New York. And that meant I had to. I had to put him first.
But the thought of staying twisted my stomach into knots.
I didn’t know what staying entailed. Could I really just avoid my father in the city?
He wanted me to take over his business. I had no desire to do that.
I just…I didn’t know what I wanted from my future anymore.
I’d had it all laid out in front of me. Clear as day.
But my future had been ripped away. Lazy days with Miller on the back porch or out on the dock.
Jacob playing with a younger sibling. Tears stung my eyes and I tried my best to blink them away. That future would never happen now.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered to Jacob.
He slowly opened his eyes. “Por qué?”
I laughed. “Jacob, I don’t know as much Spanish as you do.”
He just blinked at me. “Why are you sorry, Mommy?”
“For everything that was taken from you.”
“By Abuelo?”
I hadn’t told him about my father’s involvement in what had happened.
But Mrs. Alcaraz talked to him almost exclusively in Spanish.
And I had no idea what she’d been saying.
“I’m going to figure that out, okay? I promise.
” I still didn’t know what to believe. Poppy had corroborated my father’s story. But I didn’t trust either of them.
“Can I meet him?” Jacob asked. He sat up, suddenly full of energy.
I shook my head.
“But he’s my abuelo.”
“Do you know something I learned from your daddy?”
He shook his head.
“That real family isn’t about blood. It’s about looking out for each other.
Loving each other unconditionally. You and your father are my family.
Kennedy and Mrs. Alcaraz are our family.
” James, Rob… I stopped my train of thought before it led to dangerous territory.
I’d been about to think of Mason. Who had really been the brother I’d never had.
I remembered playing video games with him.
Seeing him laugh and smile when he rarely did that at school.
And thinking about Mason would lead me to thinking about Matt.
“But he’s my abuelo,” Jacob said.
“I know he is in name, sweetie. But he was never a dad to me. And if he wasn’t a father to me, he’s not a grandfather to you. Do you understand that?”
He nodded. “But I can I meet him?”
“Sweet boy, why do you even want to?”
“I need to tell him something.”
“And what do you need to tell him?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ll think about it, okay?” But I only said that to appease him. I needed more time to think. I needed to make sense of what had happened. But that was impossible. It was all senseless. Families fighting. Ruining lives. No, Jacob could not meet my father.
“Where’s my abuela?”
“Mrs. Alcaraz had to leave early for work. But that means I get to make you…”
“Cuppycakes!”
I smiled. “Exactly.” I booped him on the tip of his nose.
Kennedy hopped out of her room on one foot as she pulled on her boots. “Morning, guys,” she said. “What are the two of you up to today?”
“We’re going to see my abuelo,” Jacob said.
“Jacob, I didn’t say yes.” I lifted him off the couch and into my arms. “We’re going to bake and then maybe we can go play in Central Park.”
“Can we go play with Scarlett again?” asked Jacob.
“Um…another day.” I think I needed some time before we did that again.
I couldn’t stand that judgement on James’ face.
I knew he felt bad about what I’d been through.
But I was pretty sure he also thought all of this was my fault.
That I’d chosen to stay away. But it was more complicated than that.
And he had no right to be upset with me.
It certainly seemed like his life had turned out just fine.
He had an amazing wife and two kids. It’s not like he was still married to the troll.
Kennedy hadn’t said much about me running into the Hunters. But her silence screamed volumes.
“Anything else you’re going to do today?” Kennedy asked.
I knew what she wanted me to say. That I was going to text Matt. Or go see him. Or something. I’d promised her I would.
I was saved from replying when there was a knock on the door.
Kennedy frowned. “Did you buzz someone up?”
I shook my head. And then my heart started pounding. Was it Matt? He was an expert in sneaking into this building…
But when Kennedy opened the door, her friend Tanner was standing there. In a wide brimmed hat and a huge smile.
“Good morning, ladies.”
“Hey, Tanner,” Kennedy said. “Can I help you with something?”
“Not this morning. But answer your door tonight, yes?”
“Okay…” She looked so confused.
He walked into the apartment and looked around before his eyes settled on me. “We’re going on a little road trip. We should be off. It’s quite a long drive.”
I looked over my shoulder like he must be talking to someone else. “Sorry…we?”
“Yes. You, me, and the little one.”
“A road trip!” Jacob looked so excited.
“Mhm.” Tanner leaned down to look him square in the eye. “And you should look outside at what we’re driving in.”
Jacob wiggled out of my grasp and ran over to the window. “Mommy, Mommy. His car is so long!”
“It’s a limo,” said Tanner.
“Um…” I looked over at Kennedy. What the hell was happening?
“We better hurry,” Tanner said. “We want to beat traffic.”
“I don’t think a road trip is a good idea right now.”
“But, Mommy, there’s a limo!”
“Yeah, Mommy, there’s a limo,” Tanner said.
“I’m sorry, could I talk to Kennedy in private for a second?” I hooked my arm through hers and pulled her to the side. “What is he talking about? A trip?”
Kennedy shrugged. “I honestly have no idea. And what exactly am I answering my door to tonight?”
I laughed. “How should I know?”
“Well, you know what I do know?” Kennedy said. “That Jacob looks really excited about that limo.”
I looked back at Jacob. God, he really did. How was I supposed to say no to that excited grin? And at least this would distract him from wanting to talk to his grandfather. “How well do you know this Tanner guy?” I asked.
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Aren’t you guys friends?”
“He’s actually Ma…”
“ My best friend!” Tanner said way too loudly and looped his arm around Kennedy’s shoulders. Apparently we hadn’t been far enough away from him to hide our conversation. “She was going to say I’m her best friend. And she’s mine. Isn’t that right, Kennedy? We’re each other’s best friends?”
“Um…” Kennedy said.
“I’m quite honored, really. To be such good friends with someone so wonderful.” Tanner slapped her on the back.
Kennedy laughed. “Thanks, Tanner.”
I guess they were close then.
“We really should be going,” Tanner said. “We don’t want to hit traffic on our way to our top secret destination.”
“Top secret?!” Jacob started jumping up and down.
“That’s right, little man.” Tanner walked over to him. “Is that what you’re wearing?”
Jacob looked down at his wrinkled t-shirt. “For a little bit.”
Tanner laughed. “I have no idea what that means. Let’s go!”
“So I can trust him?” I asked Kennedy.
She nodded. “Absolutely. He’s a good guy. Even if he is a little strange.”
Honestly, a ride in a limo and a surprise road trip seemed perfect. Especially because it meant I could delay talking to Matt. “Okay,” I said. “We’re in.”
Tanner opened the door for us and Jacob ran out.
“Where exactly are we going?” I asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
I wanted to ask more questions. But it was hard not to be caught up in Jacob’s excitement. I ran after him down the stairs, out the front door, and right up to the limo.
“Wow,” Jacob said. “It’s so long!”
I ruffled his hair.
“Breakfast shake?” Tanner asked and handed me a to-go cup. He handed a sippy cup to Jacob filled with the same thing.
Had he been holding those a second ago?
Jacob took a big sip and his eyes grew round. “Chocolate!”
I smiled and took a sip too. “Thanks, Tanner. This is really nice of you.”
“Anything for my best friend’s friend,” he said. “Drink up.”
I took another sip. It was the most delicious breakfast shake I’d ever had. It really just tasted like a chocolate milkshake. Wait…was it a chocolate milkshake? I took another sip. It didn’t really matter, it was just as healthy as a cupcake would have been for breakfast.
“After you, m’lady,” Tanner said and opened the limo door.
We all climbed in and the limo pulled out onto the road.
Jacob started running around the inside of the limo examining everything.
“How old is the little one?” Tanner asked.
“He’s four.”
“That’s probably a good age.”
“For…what?”
“For everyone involved. Babies cry all the time. And toddlers can be a handful. But he’s almost in kindergarten. He’s practically an adult.”
“Hardly. He’s just a little boy.”
Tanner laughed. “Oh I know. And thank goodness he’s not a teen. What kind of things is he into?”
“He loves football.”
“Does he now? Well, that’s splendid. I couldn’t think of anything better. And what about you? What kind of things are you into?”
“Um…I love baking.”
He just stared at me. “That’s it?”
“And running.”
“Exercise is such a good stress reliever. Stress ages most people, so it’s good to get ahead of it.”
“Do you like exercising too?”
“Oh, no, I don’t need it,” he said. “Tell me more about yourself.”
He just said that stress ages people. Did that mean he was never stressed out? Or that he just hated exercising?
“I should really be taking notes,” he said and grabbed a clipboard from the seat next to him. “Sorry, what is the little one’s name?”
“Jacob.”
“Got it. Jacob. Four years old.” He scribbled on the paper. “Football. Perfect. Go on.”
“Um…”
He kept writing.
“Why are you writing all these things down?”
“Oh, I’m planning a…thing.”
“What kind of thing?”
“Another surprise.”
“This is already quite a nice surprise.”
“This one isn’t really for you. Well, I mean, it kind of is. But it’s actually for my best friend.”
“It’s for Kennedy?”
“What?” Tanner looked up from his notes.
“You said it’s for your best friend…which you said is Kennedy.”
“Indeed I did say that.”
“So what’s the surprise? It’s not her birthday or anything.”
“Well, if I revealed it, it wouldn’t exactly be a surprise, now would it? Ah look, we’re out of the city.”
I turned to look out the window. “Do you like her as more than a friend?” I asked. If he was going to all this trouble to win me over, there must be something else there.
“Who?” Tanner asked.
“Kennedy.”
“Oh, we’re still talking about her.”
I laughed. “Who else would we be talking about?”
“I have no idea. I was hoping to be talking about you. I need more information. What makes you tick? What’s your favorite pastime? What’s the most romantic thing Matt ever did for you?”
I yawned. “I’m so sleepy. Wait…what?”
Tanner cleared his throat. “Nothing.”
“Did you just ask about Matt?” I yawned again.
“I think you’re just tired. The open road will do that to a person. Here,” he said and pulled a blanket off the seat next to him. “Why don’t you take a nap?”
Had that blanket been there a second ago?
He placed it on my lap. “Really, just rest. I’ll let you know when we get there.”
I looked over at Jacob, who was already fast asleep. We’d just woken up. But honestly, a nap sounded amazing. I guess the open road really did make me sleepy.
“I think I might just take you up on that.” I yawned again as I pulled the blanket over myself.
“Good, good. You’ll need all the rest you can get. Saturday is going to be a big day.”
“What’s Saturday?” I mumbled as my eyelids started to feel too heavy to keep open.
“The surprise of course.”
“Right. For Kennedy.”
“Sure.”
And the last thing I remember was that I didn’t see a driver through the glass partition. It looked like the car was driving itself. God, I really am exhausted.