Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Jack
The flowers sit on the passenger seat of my truck, and I can’t stop glancing at them.
The tiger lilies and whatever else she added—they’re not just flowers.
They’re a statement, a story, and somehow, Brynn managed to capture my mom’s spirit in a single arrangement.
It’s impressive, and it’s distracting the hell out of me.
I pull into Rachel’s café again, grabbing a box of pastries Mom loves. Rachel’s already working behind the counter, her usual energy buzzing around her like she’s had too much of her own coffee. She spots me and waves me over.
“Jack! Back so soon? What can I get for you?”
“Hey, Rachel. I just need a box of those lemon bars. My mom loves them, but she doesn’t bake like she used to. It’s her birthday today.”
“Oh, it is? Tell her I said happy birthday! And give her a hug from me. I’ll send you with the lemon bars, this birthday cupcake, and…” She looks around her display case and pulls out a red velvet cookie. “This is also her favorite.”
“Will do,” I say, sliding a bill across the counter as she hands me the box. “Thanks.”
“Anytime!”
I nod and head back to the truck, the box of pastries joining the flowers on the seat. The scent of lemon and sugar mixes with the floral notes, and for a second, I’m hit with a wave of nostalgia. Mom’s kitchen used to smell like this when I was a kid—sweet, warm, and comforting.
Man, she used to bake so much. It was one of her side hustles before those were a thing. She worked two jobs and also made fresh-baked goods for people during the holidays for extra cash.
When I pull up to Mom’s house, I see Joanne’s SUV in the driveway. I grab the flowers and pastries and head inside, the screen door creaking as I push it open.
“Jack!” Mom’s voice rings out from the kitchen, warm and welcoming. She appears a moment later, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Her face lights up when she sees the flowers. “Oh, Jack, those are beautiful!”
“Happy birthday, Mom,” I say, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Got you some pastries from Rachel’s, too.”
“You’re spoiling me,” she says, but her smile says she doesn’t mind one bit. She takes the flowers, holding them like they’re the most precious thing she’s ever seen. Tears fill her eyes. “These are stunning. Did you pick them out yourself?”
I hesitate, then shake my head. “Brynn put them together. She’s got a way with this stuff.”
Mom’s eyes soften. “These are…they’re tiger lilies, your dad used to bring them to me once a week and…
goodness, the eucalyptus, that was your dad’s favorite smell.
These are…these are perfect. I wish I could save them forever.
Jack, this is…beautiful.” She’s babbling now, tears running down her cheeks as she pulls me into a hug.
“Brynn has always had a good heart. And she’s so talented. Tell her thank you for me, will you?”
“I will,” I promise.
I didn’t expect the gesture to make my mom cry. Now I know what Brynn was talking about.
Joanne appears in the doorway, a grin on her face. “Jack! You made it. Come on in, the kids have been asking about you.”
“Hey, Joanne,” I say, stepping inside. “How’s Rick?”
“Same as always,” she says with a laugh. “He’s out back with the kids. He and Bret are throwing a football and trying to teach Ava how to throw and catch. It’s… going about as well as you’d expect.”
I chuckle. “I’ll head out there.”
“Jo, did you see these flowers Jack brought?”
“Oh, my goodness, did Brynn do this?” Joanne gasps as she puts a hand to her mouth. “I remember seeing the tiger lilies pressed in Dad’s Bible.”
“He always took one from the bouquets he brought me and pressed in a page, usually whatever passage he was working on,” Mom says as she looks out the window fondly.
Her eyes are glassy, but she’s smiling at the memory. My heart aches for her. She never dated again after my father committed suicide. She was so focused on raising us, and I guess maybe she never wanted to put herself out there like that again.
My brother-in-law, Rick, comes in a few minutes later, holding a football and looking slightly exasperated.
“Jack,” he says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Good to see you, man. You here to save me from these kids? I swear Bret’s arm is a cannon.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it under control,” I say, grinning.
“Barely,” he mutters, but he’s smiling too.
He grabs me in a giant hug and then claps me on the back.
“How’s the fire department?” I ask him.
“It’s a lot,” he says with a chuckle. “But I love my job. I’m about to get a spot on the day shift, so I’ll be home a lot more for the kids. I think they’re having mercy on Joanne, knowing we’ll have teenagers soon.”
“Thank goodness for that,” she calls out from the kitchen. “Me bringing Captain Dean Mama’s blackberry pies all this time has finally paid off.”
“You’re still making the pies, Ma?” I ask.
“Special occasions only, and with Ava and Joanne’s help. Olivia and Brynn have come over to help, too.”
I shouldn’t be surprised that Brynn has come over to help; it seems like something she would do. The thought causes my stomach to flip a bit.
She knows my family better than I do.
The thought is like a negative twitch of guilt in my side.
I push it away so that I can focus on being present for my mom’s birthday.
We settle into the rhythm of family life, the chaos somehow comforting.
Mom puts the flowers in the center of the dining table, where they catch the afternoon light.
Every so often, I catch her glancing at them, her face soft with memories.
It hits me how much thought Brynn put into them and how she managed to capture so much in a single arrangement.
“These really are something,” Mom says later, running her fingers over the petals. “They remind me of your dad. Sometimes, he would just bring me flowers from the side of the road, just because.”
“I remember,” I say quietly.
“And this arrangement…” She trails off, her voice thick with emotion. “They’re perfect. Just perfect. Their fragrance…it takes me back. You did so good, son.”
I swallow hard, pushing the emotions down for the time being. It really is nice to see Mom so happy with the arrangement. I can’t help but think that if Brynn had just surprised me with whatever, it would’ve been great, but it wouldn’t have elicited this same response.
I glance at the flowers again, thinking of Brynn. Of the way her eyes lit up when she talked about them, her passion spilling over in every word. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone care about something that much. It’s… refreshing.
And unsettling.
Rick interrupts my thoughts, handing me a beer and gesturing toward the backyard. “Come on, let’s see if we can teach these kids a thing or two.”
“I don’t know if I’m cut out for this,” I tease. “I’ve got to be able to throw myself up on a horse in the morning.”
“I’ll take it easy on you, Uncle Jack!” Ava giggles as she throws the football to her brother.
“Okay, I’m impressed with that throw.”
“Bret taught me how to spin it!” she squeals excitedly. “It feels so cool coming off my fingers.”
I chuckle to myself. It’s nice to be around my niece and nephew. When I was in Texas, I didn’t get to see them very often. Tate and Savannah pretty much monopolized all my time.
Savannah, especially, hated when all of my attention wasn’t focused solely on her, which made working and helping to raise my nephew very difficult at times.
The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of laughter, teasing, and more than a few failed attempts at football. By the time I head home, the sun is dipping low on the horizon, and my mind is still on the flowers.
She’s under my skin, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.