“Oh, yes,” she said, smiling reminiscently. “We both did. For me, it was so different than where I’m from, and for your dad, well he loved river fishing.”
“Fly fishing?” I asked.
“I guess so.” My mom said with a shrug.
Mom continued to tell me stories about Dad. Hearing any new detail about Dad always helped pull me out of a fog. Maybe my mom knew that, and it was part of why she was telling me.
When we arrived in Creekstone, I took my mom to the house first. I worried it might feel weird bringing my mom to Creekstone, where Kit and I had been together. But Aunt Rita was there in the foyer waiting for us.
“You must be William’s mom, Bonifacia!” Aunt Rita declared.
“Yes, you can call me Bonnie. You must be Aunt Rita.”
The two hit it off. Aunt Rita took my mom on a tour of the house. I trailed behind them. I’d been back to Creekstone a few times for work since the breakup at the beginning of summer, but if I could make it a day trip, I did. I decided not to give up my lease on the apartment, just in case I wanted to stay overnight. Part of me was struggling to let go.
When we reached our second-floor apartment, Aunt Rita turned to me and said, “The renters across the hall have left. They were finally able to buy a home, thanks to some new affordable housing that was developed near town.” Aunt Rita beamed. “So, I made up that room for your mom to stay in while she’s here visiting.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that.” I was surprised at the gesture. “You can add the cost of her stay to my monthly rent.”
“William, don’t be crazy. You’re family.” Aunt Rita shook her head insistently. Aunt Rita meant well, but it made me feel terrible. It reminded me of all that I had lost with Kit. Over the months, I’d gotten better at not sinking into such a noticeablebad mood. I’d learned how to mask it a little better so my friends and family would be less concerned, but I was still blown apart by losing Kit.
I thought about it all the time. Maybe we moved too fast. My promotion and need to move back to Atlanta may have put our relationship into a pressure cooker, and the first chance Kit got to hit the eject button, she did it.
My mom and Aunt Rita made dinner at the house together. The next day, Rita offered to take my mom around town while I worked, then we met for lunch at The Pub. I had two meetings at the newly opened entrepreneurship center. Braithway had started volunteering with me there, and when the meetings were over, I invited him to lunch.
I introduced Braithway to my mom and Aunt Rita. I noticed a smile and expression I’d never seen on Braithway’s face before when Aunt Rita said, “I think we met at a volunteer coordination meeting at the hospital.”
After lunch, Mom told me that she wanted to head back because jet lag was catching up to her. When we got into the car, Mom leaned over and said, “I think they like each other.”
“Who?” I asked, buckling my seat belt.
Mom rolled her eyes and said, “Puh-leease. William. Are you blind? Rita and your boss.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, and I said, “I guess I hadn’t noticed,” even though I had.
Mom shook her head. “You’d have to be blind not to see that chemistry.” Then she said, “Just because they’re retired doesn’t mean they don’t want to have someone to be with. Most people are very sexually active in their senior years.”
“Mom,” I said. “I just…could we not talk about this?”
Mom giggled. “William, you’ve got to lighten up.”
“I guess I haven’t been able to think much about dating since…” My voice caught in my throat. I hated even saying it. “...since Kit left.”
Mom nodded and looked out the window. “Rita thinks she’ll come back to you.”
I whipped around to look at my mom. “What did she say?”
“William,” Mom said seriously. “Before I tell you, I think it’s important that you decide what you want. Kit left you with no chance to even explain yourself. She listened to three gossips in a bar and threw your entire relationship out the window. Does she deserve a second chance?”
“What did she say?” I insisted, ignoring my mom’s questions.
“Rita said she knows Kit. She and Kit’s father have spoken, and they both think Kit has made a mistake. They think Kit is still in love with you and will come back to you when she sees you again.”
“Oh.” I swallowed the lump of disappointment that had formed in my throat. “But Kit didn’t actually say anything to Aunt Rita or anyone. That’s just how Aunt Rita feels?”
“Yes,” Mom said, “But Rita knows.”
I shook my head. “All Kit’s family and friends thought she should get back with her college boyfriend, Matt, but Kit never wanted that. So, this is probably the same thing.” The last thing I wanted was to be another ex-boyfriend pining away for Kit long after she had moved on.
