Chapter 16 Antonia
Antonia
By Saturday, everyone knew Miri had cancer.
It didn’t take long for word to spread, and it took even less time for people to start showing up at her door or saying something to me in the local grocery store.
I found out quickly why so many people loved living in a small town.
It was the closeness, the camaraderie, and the overall feeling that everyone was family.
The parents of Nova’s best friend, Mara Blanchard, had volunteered for anything and everything one could think of.
One of my biggest concerns was being there when Nova got off the bus.
The driver wasn’t allowed to let children off the bus unless a parent or guardian was available, and with my mom not able to uproot her entire life, we needed another plan.
Thankfully, Miri could call in, instead of having to go into the school, to add Mara’s parents to the approved-pickup list.
Cutter was a bit easier. Most of the time, I would pick him up from school, and I talked to Miri about teaching him how to drive.
While I hadn’t figured most of anything out, one thing I did know was I wouldn’t take the kids out of school until the end of the school year.
Their mother was dying, and the last thing they needed was to lose their friends.
But, I knew if I needed anything, Flinn Langston’s parents would step up, or Weston.
While Miri slept, I snuck out for a walk.
My plan was to walk the mile into town and grab coffee from the Cozy Cup Café, which was owned by one of Miri’s friends, Samira.
I’d get some doughnuts and take them back for Miri and Nova.
Cutter had a game today and preferred not to load up on sugary snacks.
At the end of the driveway, I started at the sound of movement.
Looking to my left, I saw Scout running toward me.
Crouching, I braced myself for the lick attack that was about to happen.
I’d never been a huge fan of dogs, but this guy oddly brought me a sense of calm, and I needed as much of that as I could get right now.
“Good morning,” Weston said as he ran toward us. He grinned, and my heart raced a smidge. My heart shouldn’t have been doing anything.
“Sorry, we were working on commands, and he saw you.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.” I gave Scout a few more pets and then stood. “How was Cutter this week?”
“He was good,” Weston said, nodding. “I think he has a good support system around him.”
“Did he tell his friends?” I asked.
“I think kids just found out.” Weston shrugged. “I haven’t heard anyone come out and ask him, so I think they’re just in the know and hanging out like normal.”
“Well, that’s good, I guess.” I looked down the road and motioned. “I’m heading into town to get breakfast. I need the exercise, so I thought I’d walk.”
Weston tilted his head slightly, and if I wasn’t mistaken, there was a slight smirk playing on his lips, making me wonder what he was thinking.
“Mind if Scout and I come with you?”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Weston hooked Scout’s leash to his collar, and we started down the road. I regretted saying yes because I wasn’t sure there was anything for us to talk about, but I didn’t want to be rude. He was free to walk up and down the road whenever he wanted and didn’t need my permission to go into town.
We walked for a few minutes in silence until Weston cleared his throat. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, although I may not have the answer.”
He huffed a little and smiled. “What happens to the kids when Miriam . . . you know,” he asked sheepishly.
“I’ll take them. Long before Cutter was born, she asked me to take care of her baby if she couldn’t.
I promised.” I shrugged. “I’ve known them since before they were born.
I was there when she had them and was the second one to hold them.
It makes sense for them to go to me, and if it wasn’t me, it’d be my parents. ”
“That’ll be nice for the kids. To be with someone they know.”
I let out a small groan. “Remind me of this when Cutter wants to yell and scream at me.”
“He’s going to go through a lot,” Weston said. “Not only are his hormones all over the place, but he’s losing his mom, and his dad—”
“Doesn’t exist,” I said, interrupting him. “Their dad isn’t in the picture. Never has been. I’m not even sure he knows he has a daughter.”
“Wait, so he left when Miriam was pregnant? Just up and left his son?”
I grimaced. “Sort of. He wasn’t around for Cutter until he showed up randomly. It was like he had an oat to sow, did, and bailed when Miri told him they were having another child.”
“Bastard.”
The one-word statement made me chuckle. “Among other things. I don’t want to say he ruined Miri’s life, but . . .”
“No, I get it.”
“Yeah . . .”
“What about Miriam’s family? Will they fight you for the kids?”
This time I let out something that sounded like a half cough, half laugh. “She’s an only child, and her parents disowned her when she wouldn’t give Cutter up.”
Weston opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it. I half grinned and continued walking toward the crosswalk.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”
“It’s something that doesn’t come up, ya know? People don’t ask at games where the grandparents are. My parents show up. They fill the holes left by Miriam’s family.”
“I like your mom,” he said as we crossed the street. He held the door for the Cozy Cup Café and waited for me to enter.
“Is Scout allowed inside?”
“Yeah, Samira loves all dogs.”
The Cozy Cup Café was a vibrant place. As soon as you walked in, the yellow walls welcomed you.
Small tables lined one wall, with booths along the other.
In the center, round tables were available for bigger parties.
Toward the back, where patrons placed their orders, was a large display case with fresh pastries, cakes, and muffins.
I wanted to buy the whole lot and eat it all in one sitting.
We walked to the counter and waited in line, which moved fairly fast for a Saturday morning. I placed my order and motioned for Weston to place his, as I intended to buy his breakfast since he’d repaired the porch.
He had his phone on the tap-to-pay before I could maneuver around him and Scout.
“I was going to pay,” I told him as we walked to one of the empty tables.
“I figured, but that wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me.”
“Well, thank you. Next weekend is on me.”
His eyebrows popped up. “Are we doing this again next weekend?”
I shrugged. “I’m going to need friends. I know I can count on my mom, but she has her own life. Nova has a friend whose parents will help with pickup if I’m stuck in a meeting or at the hospital.”
“I’ll be your friend,” he said.
“Me too,” Samira said as she approached with our coffees and the order of doughnuts I’d placed for Nova and Miri. “You just have to let us know what you need.”
“Us?”
Samira smiled. “I know you’re not here a lot, but Miriam has a nice little friend group. Usually, we get together once a week to gossip. It’s our ‘book club,’” she said, using air quotes around “book club.”
“Do you actually read?” Weston asked.
Samira shook her head, smiled brightly, and placed her hand on his shoulder. “We bring books, but we also bring wine, and let me tell you, loose lips sink ships.”
“Oh, lovely,” I said, trying not to laugh. “So what time is book club next week?”
Samira paled. “It was Miriam’s turn to host.”
“And she’ll host,” I said. “Her last however many weeks she has need to be normal. It’s better for the kids to see her living her life.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Tell me when and what time, and Miriam will host.”
Samira beamed. “Edith and Vera will be so happy. We really want to help out where we can.”
“Believe me, I’ll take all the help I can,” I told her as I handed her my phone. “Put your number in there and text yourself.”
She did and handed it back to me.
“Please let me know what Miriam usually does when hosting.”
“I will. This will be fun.”
“That’s the goal, to make things fun for her.”
Samira excused herself to help another customer. I watched her walk away, lost in thought.
“You’re an amazing friend,” Weston said.
I shook my head slightly. “I don’t know about that. Miri would do the same thing for me. There’s a good chance she doesn’t want anyone at the house, but I refuse to watch her sit there and wither away.”
“Is she going to the game?”
“She is. It’s important for Cutter to see her out there. She already missed one game and doesn’t need to miss any more.”
I reached into the bag and took out one of the doughnuts. They were fresh and still warm. My mouth watered at the thought of eating it. I held it up to Weston; he smiled and politely declined.
“I shouldn’t eat this, but I tend to eat my feelings.”
“I have a home gym in my garage if you ever want to work out.”
“Really?”
Weston leaned forward and held my gaze. His dark, slightly wavy hair had some hints of gray around his temples. It made him look distinguished and charming. His eyes were a warm brown and full of kindness and empathy. He smiled, and the corners crinkled.
“The gym here is very expensive,” he said quietly. “Even with my status, they wouldn’t give me a discount.”
“Your status?”
He looked taken aback by me questioning him. “Remember, I told you I was a former professional baseball player?”
I mouthed “Oh” and nodded.
“Early in my career, people rolled out the proverbial red carpet for me, but then I retired, and I thought they’d do the same, especially here, but nope.”
“Are you on social media?”
He nodded.
“Okay, so the next time you want something, you tell them you’ll post about using their facility or drinking in their coffee shop. It takes some negotiating, and you don’t do it before you walk up to the counter. You set a meeting.”
Weston sat back and grinned. “Or you make friends with the café owner and get her to love you, and build your own home gym so you don’t have to watch the gym bros take selfies or videotape their workouts.”
I leaned back and matched his grin. “Okay, very valid.” I paused and then said, “Why do men do that?”
Weston laughed. “I have no idea. Anytime I ever worked out, I had state-of-the-art facilities, either in high school, college, and then the pros. I went into the place here and wondered what I had walked in on.”
“Well, I might take you up on the offer.”
“Gym’s open twenty-four seven.”
“Wow, such great hours.”
“I even have a sauna,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.
I hid my laughter behind my hand and cleared my throat. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked as he took a drink of his coffee.
“For making me laugh, for being an ear.”
Weston winked, and I tried not to think anything of it or look too deeply into his facial expressions. He was just being friendly.
My phone vibrated, and Miri’s name popped up on my screen. I read her text, told her where I was, and said that I would be there soon. “Miri’s awake; I should get back.”
“Let’s go.” He stood, reached for Scout’s leash, and then hollered to Samira that we were leaving.
On our walk back, I asked, “Is there anything I need to know about Cutter’s basketball or baseball schedule?”
Weston thought for a moment. “I don’t believe so, but I’ll go through the emails I’ve sent to the parents and make sure you get a copy.”
“Thanks.”
“Has he mentioned the travel teams?”
“I know of them because he’s been in Boston playing before, but that’s about it.”
“It’s fairly convoluted, so how about I come over tonight and explain everything? I think that might be the best way instead of asking him and reading it all in an email.”
“Okay, yeah, that’ll work. We don’t have any plans later.”
We stopped in front of the driveway.
“I’ll see you at the game,” he said and continued toward his house. His words caught me off guard. He would see all of us at the game, but he’d singled me out. Why?