When he saw Athena wince, he realized his words had come out sharper than he’d intended. “I’m sorry. I was out of line. That wasn’t fair to you.”
“No,” Athena said, blowing into her hot tea. “But you have a point.”
Somewhere down the block, kids were playing basketball. The rhythmic sounds of the ball and occasional bursts of laughter filled the silence between them.
“I miss him, too,” Athena said, looking at him. “Every day. But missing someone and living in their shadow are quite different. Anyway, your mother needs me. So do your sisters.”
“That’s very astute.” Blue looked at her with surprise. “You’ll always be family. They’ll never abandon you, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
She looked down at her tea and smiled. “I know that. They’ve helped me through so much.”
Athena drew a breath to speak again, but before she could, his mother called them inside for pie.
That night, in his old bedroom with the same twin bed and an old Chicago Bulls poster on the wall, Blue did his push-ups on the braided rug, thinking about the day as he did.
After he finished his sets, he sat on the edge of the low bed to check his messages.
Nothing of interest. Then, after hovering his finger in the air for a few uncertain seconds, he tapped an app on his phone.
The crowdfunding page loaded slowly on his mother’s weak Wi-Fi signal. When it did, he nodded in satisfaction. The number of supporters was surging.
Good for her. He’d made sure to get her cup into the picture.
Even if that was the last thing he could do for her.
16
The sunrise sent pink streaks in the morning sky, and Jo was behind the counter preparing to open the diner. She had just started a pot of Queen’s Blend when her phone buzzed with an alert. She wiped her damp hands and tapped her phone.
“Hmm, what’s this?”
When the app opened, it showed that her crowdfunding campaign had reached its initial goal, meaning it would be funded and she could produce the coffee and merchandise to go with it.
Ten thousand dollars.
“Oh, my gosh.” She let out a little squeal. Adrenaline coursed through her. Her fingers shaking with excitement, she sent a group message to Junie, Maileah, and Rocky: First hurdle crossed!
Their congratulations flooded in. Now the campaign had to keep going to reach her real goal and make her life a little easier.
She set the pot on the warmer and stood basking in the moment. Plenty of pledges were from her customers and others on Crown Island, but now the majority were from strangers lending their support.
It almost didn’t seem real.
The clock ticked loudly, signaling the opening time. She tied her apron tighter and unlocked the front door, still tingling with excitement.
“Good morning, everyone,” she called out with her happiest, broadest smile.
Deb Whitaker, along with Hank and Sherri, were the first customers in the door.
“Sounds like you’re having a great morning,” Hank said.
“And a good morning to you,” Deb said, sliding onto a stool. “You look like you have a huge secret. Come on, spill it. We need to know why you’re grinning like the Cheshire Cat.”
Jo rested her elbows on the counter, cradling her face with a teasing smile. “First, it’s time for diner trivia. Do you know where Lewis Carroll got that phrase for Alice in Wonderland? Seems that in Cheshire, England, the local cheesemakers often made cheese shaped like big old smiling cats.” She held up her hand as if to swear, enjoying this. “True story—I hear everything at this counter.”
“Oh, stop it,” Deb exclaimed. “It’s too early for this, and you’re stalling. Now you’ve got to tell us.”
“Okay, okay,” Jo said, laughing. She did a little happy dance. “My crowdfunder campaign just hit its first goal. I’m so excited, I’m about to burst. I’m trying not to scream with joy.”
