Chapter 20
breakfast w/Cam
Throwing together breakfast was a chaotic ballet. Callie adjusted the toaster setting the wrong way, not noticing until the bread was burning, and she stood there staring, tears hovering, as Jess pulled another loaf from the pantry and kissed her on the lips, “See,” Jess murmured, low and private, “you’re too hot for anyone but me.”
“Jess,” Callie whined, her lower lip protruding, “I want it to be perfect for him.” Jess swung back from the pantry via the fridge, “Three slices, medium, with butter and peanut butter on standby.” Jess snorted, “If we ever host a sleepover, the boys eat like it’s their last meal. It’s fascinating.”
“Do they,” Callie chortled, winking, “sounds familiar.”
Jess was ready with a quip of her own, drooling a sloppy drip of syrup on her finger. Her brow cocked, “Actually, you’re tastier, and I’m trying to ignore the fact you’re not wearing any underwear under my delightfully accessible sweatpants.”
Callie started to laugh and jumped to hug Jess. Somehow, miraculously, and by the time a horn sounded from the driveway, scrambled eggs, fruit, pancakes, and a pitcher of orange juice were laid out on the table like a Hallmark ad.
Jess had physically shivered at the sound of the horn. She looked at Callie, “How red is my face?” She asked, adjusting a stack of plates as the front door opened. Cam came through the front door and, very deliberately, announced himself, “Hey, I’m home.”
From his volume, it seemed more of a warning than a greeting.
Callie turned to Jess, her jaw hanging, only to see her frozen as they heard his footsteps coming down the hallway. As he rounded the corner, both Callie and Jess stood there, caught, cheeks flaming red, guilty as teenagers sneaking in at dawn.
Cam paused, surveying the scene with a bemused little smirk. Then, he walked over to Callie and gave her a casual hug.
“Good morning,” he said, like he hadn’t just walked into a romantic comedy’s climactic kitchen scene. It broke the tension a little, and Callie hugged him back, her eyes suspiciously shiny.
Jess was just about to suggest they eat when she caught it—Cam winked at her. Not big and obvious. Just a small one, private and knowing.
Callie saw it, too, and burst into tears, laughing even as they came.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Jess whispered, catching her by the waist as Callie laughed and cried simultaneously, shaking her head.
“It’s fine,” Callie hiccupped, “Just…God… It’s all so much.”
Jess kissed her temple, steadying her, marveling again at the sheer courage it took to be so open-hearted.
Cam, mercifully, didn’t comment. He smiled and sat at the table, “This looks great. I’m gonna eat and take a quick shower. I’ve got stuff going on today.”
There was a sudden silence, and Jess and Callie tried not to look at each other. The empty nest- we can play planets had just aligned.
“Stuff?” Callie asked, far too innocently, broadcasting to the table where her mind was.
Cam looked out from under his brow, “Just…stuff.”
Callie smirked, then leaned forward, far too pleased with herself, “Will there be some post-shower cologne for this…stuff? Do you have a date?”
Cam stopped mid-bite of his toast, “Why would you think that?”
Callie shrugged, “You just had a little-I might put some product in my hair tone,”
“Well,” Cam said, slightly rattled, “At least I’m not wearing someone else’s sweatpants.”
Callie blinked and looked down at her plate, “Touchè.”
Jess coughed into her tea, failing to head off a laugh, “Maybe be home by 6.”
“Study group,” Cam quickly blurted, though his ears were glowing slightly, “shouldn’t be a problem.”
The table calmed as they ate. Jess made a big show of dousing her pancakes with far too much syrup, and Callie rolled her eyes, and Cam saw. He sprinkled a little more cinnamon on his pancakes before carving off an overly large bite. “Nice add,” he mumbled, chewing, then looked at Callie, “Your mod?”
Callie grinned, “Yeah, Call of Duty, Kitchen Ops.”
Cam laughed. It was funny, and Callie thought he was maybe just being polite, “Don’t let your mom’s sweats fool you. I’ve clocked more hours in Stardew Valley than your K/D ratio will ever touch.” Tipping her juice glass to him, she added to her chops, “Also, I beat Breath of the Wild in Master Mode without rage quitting, so I’m in for the whole campaign.”
Cam’s brow narrowed, then narrowed further. Accompanied by silence, a sudden tension reappeared at the kitchen table, “So…” he said finally, clearly thinking about something because he caught his mother’s eye, “So, lightning round.”
His choice of words startled Jess, and she gasped before the first question was asked, “Sweet or savory?”
“Savory,” Callie shot back, unfazed, “unless it’s lemon bars. Or cinnamon buns. With extra glaze.”
“Pineapple on pizza?”
“Yes, but add jalapenos, too. Balance, young Padawan.”
His brow arched, “Fries or onion rings.”
“Curly fries. Crispy. Side of ranch, condiment of the masses.”
“Solid,” Cam nodded, “last one, ice cream flavor?”
Callie didn’t hesitate, “salted caramel. Or anything with an obscene amount of peanut butter.”
“God, you two,” Jess marveled, then snickered as Cam pulled the peanut butter jar away from Callie to shield it in the crook of his arm.
“Mom,” he said flatly, “I’m building a profile here. Can’t stock the cupboards without intel.”
“Your son…” Callie gasped, “Is trying to match my snack shelf to my soul. It’s…kind of adorable. Can I add a couple of things?”
Cam’s face went blank, then Neo gestured to Callie’s Morpheus for her to continue, and Callie snickered, “I’m a dark chocolate and tea woman. Kettle chips when I’m stressed. God, that was so cool.”
Cam clicked an imaginary pen, “Noted. This will be reflected in the roommate dossier.”
Jess groaned, “Camden James, you’re not interviewing her for a lease.”
“Not a lease, Mom, Jeez. More like establishing the groundwork for our future dynamic. You know, quiet mornings, cozy evenings, arguing over the remote.”
Callie, her lower lip in her teeth and chin trembling, didn’t dare look at Jess. Cam took that as his exit cue. “Gonna head up and shower. Great breakfast, thanks.”
Jess swore she heard Cam chuckle as he went up the steps. Both Callie and she sat there in a different kind of silence. But Callie noticed Jess eyeing the pantry, “Jess…I know he’s amazing and all. Don’t feel pressured in any way.”
Jess smiled softly, but Callie continued, “On the other hand, we may have to discuss some sort of time-share agreement with the coolest son in the world.”
“He is, isn’t he?” Jess said, her throat closing, “He’s like his dad.” She blinked away tears. “I’m sure we can come to some sort of equitable arrangement.”
“Arm-wrestling?” Callie suggested, “Or leg wrestling. I recall a smashing good time last night.”
“Mmmm,” Jess hummed her approval. She reached over to take Callie’s hand. “We may need a recovery nap.”
And just like that, Cam was back in the kitchen. “One other thing,” he offered, “A minor suggestion?”
Jess was mortified. There was no way he didn‘t just hear that. “S-sure,” she stuttered, having returned to the same crimson blush at Cam’s first arrival.
“Maybe dial back on the PDA?” Cam offered kindly, “Just a thought, I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but-” He shrugged, “more like a suggestion, like when we all go out. The public thing.” His brow arched, and Callie knew he was teasing.
Overwhelmed, Jess gawked at him, horrified. Callie, the traitor that she was, collapsed into helpless, breathless laughter. She was loving every minute of it. Jess put her head on the table with a groan, and Callie reached over to rub her back.
Jess sat up, her face burning, “It’s a little soon,” she gurgled, “and public? Oh…my God.”
Cam snagged the last piece of toast from the plate, making an extended show out of eating every last crumb. “Yeah,” he added casually, “Since the All-Team Skate, not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me when you two are going to get together.”
He turned, grinning widely, “The whole team shipped you right away.”
Dead silence. Callie stared. Jess stared.
Cam shrugged like he hadn’t just set the kitchen on fire, then tapped the side of his neck with one finger, right where a suspicious little bruise might appear. He grinned, “Cute.”
Callie broke first, snorting tea through her nose.
Jess, now dark scarlet, just gaped, somewhere between laughing and crying. Her son, her brilliant, beautiful boy, had known. Had rooted for them. He had believed.
Callie reached across the table and squeezed Jess’s hand, a grounding wordless promise. And, for one luminous moment, Jess let herself believe it might be true. Maybe, just maybe, the massing storm in the distance could be weathered.
Together.