Page 41 of Healing Eleanor

Lily lets out a quiet gasp. Grace’s eyes go wide. Austin freezes, his fork suspended midair. Evelyn turns white as a ghost. And I brace myself for the inevitable impact of everyone’s reaction.

“Oh, Irina—” Richard starts.

“No, Rich.” Mama holds up her hand. “No feeling sorry for me, okay?” Her gaze sweeps across the table. “Just because the cancer is back doesn’t mean that I want to be treated any differently. Please. Let’s just forget I even said anything.”

Evelyn slams her fork down, the metal clinking loudly against her plate. “Irina Kozlov,” she snaps, her voice sharp with hurt. “How dare you not tell me.” She stands, pointing across the table. “You don’t get to tell me how to feel. I can’t just forget that my best friend is going through the worst thing imaginable—again!” The last word splinters on her lips.

Richard reaches up and pats her back, urging her to sit back down. “Let’s speak calmly, dear—”

“Calmly? Really, Richard?” She whirls on him. “That’s what you have to say at a time like this?”

“Enough.” Mama’s voice cuts through the tension. “I’m sorry for keeping this from you,” she says, turning to Evelyn. “But what could I say? I didn’t want to burden everyone all over again.”

“You don’t get to decide what I want to be burdened by, Irina.” Evelyn’s voice trembles with helplessness. “You’re my best friend. You are not a burden.”

Tears well in Mama’s eyes. “Thank you. I just… I didn’t want this to be a big deal like last time.”

“Irina,” Evelyn says gently, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin. “We love you. We want to help. Give me your schedule. I’ll move clients around, so I can take you to your appointments.”

While Mama and Evelyn start working out logistics between bites and tears, Lily leans around Mama and catches my eye. Her brow is slightly raised, her head tilts, like it’s her silent way of asking: Are you okay?

I cross my arms and give a slow nod. I have no choice but to be okay.

Mama isn’t exactly making it easy, shutting everyone out like this. She has a faith as strong as tungsten, but to hear her call herself a burden? I haven’t seen her this desensitized since Daria died, or when my drinking got out of hand.

Eventually, the conversation shifts. Evelyn insists she’ll be the one to take Mama to her appointments, since I’ll be too busy with the fall season starting. I don’t argue.

Talk turns to Grace’s cheerleading, then drifts to Austin and the upcoming football season. Evelyn and Mama pepper him with questions about practices, rival schools, and how he feels being second-string quarterback. There’s no doubt in my mind: Austin’s going pro. That kid’s arm is a cannon. If the current quarterback wasn’t a senior, Austin would have that starting position locked in by now.

Then Lily steers the conversation toward Richard, who’s the chief of our local fire station. He’s on call nearly twenty-four-seven. He has to leave for days or weeks on a rare occasion. Grace and Lily both wear the same strained expression as Richard speaks about his schedule. You can tell how hard it is for them.

As he explains his next assignment, the conversation somehow—unfortunately—shifts to me.

“So Nik,” Evelyn says around a bite of lasagna. “How’s everything at the company? Anything new?”

After swallowing a bite of garlic bread, I nod. “Busy, like Lily mentioned. One girl got injured, two didn’t renew their contracts, and we somehow ended up short in the corps.” I take a sip of water. “I’ve been sitting in on auditions all this week, and we’ve still got four more to go.”

“I actually met one of the girls auditioning for the principal position this morning!” Lily pipes up, practically bouncing in her seat. “I almost knocked her over.” She winces and glances at Evelyn. “But don’t worry, Mom, she’s totally fine. I didn’t do anything that you wouldn’t have done.”

I cover my mouth to hide a laugh. Only Lily would say that.

Evelyn circles to me, eyes narrowing, seeking confirmation.

“The girl—Eleanor—was in one piece when she auditioned,” I say, fighting a grin. “All is well.”

Evelyn glares at Lily. “Were you running through the facility again, Lillian?”

Lily waves her hands. “Maybe.”

Evelyn raises a brow. The classic mom look that means: don’t push me.

“Okay, yes. I was.” Lily admits with a huff. “But only because I was looking for him,” she says, pointing at me.

I hold up my hands in surrender. “I swear I didn’t see her, E, I’m innocent.”

Lily agrees immediately. “He’s telling the truth. And before you say anything, I know we’ve talked about this. But I had a good reason this time.”

“Well, let’s hear it then,” Evelyn says, crossing her arms.