Chapter 7 #2
For the next hour, we chat about anything and everything.
I tell her about Baylor still loving New York, but we’re hoping she’ll make it home to visit soon.
Leighton is thriving with her design business in addition to her duties at the Manor, and Courtlynn is working at the Manor, but she’s yet to really find her place or her passion. I know she will, though.
As for me, the Manor is running like a well-oiled machine.
I’ve finally gotten the hang of it and have added so many things in the last ten years.
I’ve learned a lot, and made just as many mistakes, but all four of us kept pushing through the pain of missing them, of the unknown, and came out stronger because of it.
When I make it back home, I realize I didn’t eat dinner.
It’s after seven, so I should be able to sneak into the kitchen and grab whatever is left over, if anything.
I don’t feel like cooking, and my sisters are both out.
Leighton is meeting with Bowen to go over a logo for his bar, and Courtlynn is going to dinner with her best friend.
That leaves me to fend for myself, and cooking for one isn't a good time—not for me at least.
I park my car in my driveway and walk over to the Manor.
I’m lost in my thoughts, thinking about my visit with Mary, or I would have used the side door again.
Instead, I make my way to the front door and freeze when I lift my head.
Copeland is sitting on the steps. He hasn’t noticed me yet because his elbows are resting on his knees, his head is tilted, and his hands are resting on top of his head.
I freeze, and my heart squeezes in my chest. He’s sitting here alone, dealing with the news they got today. I can’t just walk past him. I may still be angry at the way he changed our plans, but I’m not heartless.
Pulling in a deep breath, I slowly exhale before moving to take a seat on the step next to him. As soon as he hears the sound of my shoes on the first step, his head lifts, and sad eyes find mine. His eyes are this gorgeous chocolate brown, but right now, they’re dark and full of grief.
“Hey.” I offer him a smile that I hope isn’t a grimace as I take the final step and sit next to him.
“Ells.” His voice cracks, and so does my heart. It cracks wide open for this man, for his family, and the pain they’re going through.
I don’t know what to say. I have no words to make him feel better. I don’t even know if he wants me to be sitting out here with him. I knew the eighteen-year-old boy who stole my heart. This man I’m sitting next to, I don’t know him.
I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. Instead, I sit quietly with my hands clasped together in my lap. If he wants to talk, he will. If not, I’ll just sit with him for a few minutes.
Mary’s words come back to me about him being alone, and no matter what our past looks like, no one should be alone after the news he received today.
Sure, they knew she had cancer, but now, they have a definitive plan of action, and that’s a lot to process.
It also comes with the fear of losing someone you love.
“It’s in her lymph nodes,” he finally says. His voice is low and raspy.
“I know. I just visited with her,” I say softly.
He nods. “Thank you for that. I’m sure she enjoyed it.”
“No thanks needed. She’s family.” I tense as I say the words, because there was a time when I thought Mary James really would be my family.
“I don’t know how to help her, Ells. She’s all stone-faced, and I’m a fighter. She’s teared up, but she’s yet to cry. Is she in denial? Should I force her to talk about how she’s feeling? I don’t know what to do here.”
“She’s strong. Life has tossed her some sadness, and this is just something else she’s going to conquer.”
“You don’t know that.”
His words aren’t mean, just a statement of fact.
I think about my reply before I speak again.
“You’re right, Copeland. I don’t know that.
Life is short and precious. This disease is terrible and has taken far too many, far too soon.
All you can do is be there. Let her know that no matter what she needs, you’re there.
That might mean time alone to process. That might be taking her to appointments or holding her hair back from the drugs making her sick.
We won’t know what she needs until she tells us.
” I pause, letting him process my words.
“She knows that you, Chandler, and Macie are there for her. Be her strength when she needs it, be her shoulder, and say everything you’ve ever meant to say but haven’t. Tomorrow isn’t promised for any of us.”
“Thanks, Ells,” he says, leaning his shoulder into mine.
Tingles race up my arm, and my belly flips at the connection after all this time. How can this man still make me breathless and cause that type of reaction from me after all our time apart?
“Have you eaten?”
“Yeah, dinner was great.”
I nod. “I took some to your mom.”
“Thank you for that.”
“Of course.” I stand and dust off my pants from the step. “My sisters and I, we’re here for all of you. Just let us know what you need.”
Copeland peers up at me, his sad eyes boring into mine. “Even me?”
Damn. I swallow hard past the lump forming in my throat.
“All of you.” With that, I start to walk away, but the feel of his hand wrapping around my wrist stops me.
I turn to look at him. He’s now standing, and there’s a look in his eyes that I can’t name.
My wrist burns from his touch, and my heart weeps from missing him.
“Thank you, Ells.”
I nod, and with a sad smile, he releases me, and I turn and walk away.