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“Oh, no. You shouldn’t have to do that,” I blurt out, standing again, feeling like I need to do something, but what?
“Sweetie, she’s my friend. I’ll do anything for her, so please, it’s no worry. I just think you should get here as soon as you can,” Susie says, and I look at the guys.
They glance at each other for a matter of two seconds and then all nod.
“We’re going home, boys,” Nate says, and they all scoot out of the booth, getting ready to leave.
I look at the record album still sitting on the edge of the booth and can’t believe how much none of that matters anymore in the blink of an eye.
Cole grabs it, tucking it under his arm like it’s an old newspaper and not the exact thing we’ve waited five years to finally get.
Paul stops me and says, “Go take care of your mom, I’ll handle everything here on my end.”
Everyone’s support fills me with hope as I grab my purse, give D’Ambra and Raymond a hug, and head straight to our apartment complex, where we all have our own separate places now, so we can get ready to head home.
* * *
We flew into Billings and landed around eleven, then rented a car. Driving into Mason Creek after all these years feels a little unreal. We’ve lived the big city life of Nashville for so long that I almost forgot just how quiet everything is here.
I talked to Susie as we boarded the flight, and she had just gotten my mom in bed at her house, so I told her I’d be there in the morning.
As we pull up to my house, so many memories flash through my mind. Even though it’s the same place, everything feels different about it. The yard isn’t as kept, and the seasonal flags that my mom changed almost monthly still say Christmas even though it’s July.
Seeing that she’s missed changing it those many months fills me with worry. It was something she took pride in—that and the way our tiny home looked.
She always said, “It’s not the size of the home, but the pride you take in making it your own.”
How could she let it go like this?
Cole puts the car in park and turns it off as I open the door. To my surprise, all of the guys do the same thing.
“I don’t need help with my bags,” I say.
“We know,” Nate says with a laugh.
I guess they’re used to myindependent womanthing I’ve stressed all these years.
“Then, what …” I look at all of them, not finishing my sentence because I don’t want to be rude.
“You’re not staying here alone,” Trent says.
I stop in my tracks, and they all keep walking toward my house.
When Nate glances back to me, all he says is, “You coming?”
I love the connection that has grown between the four of us.
We went from basically strangers—well, as much as you can be strangers in a small town—to a true family. These guys are the brothers I never had, and I know they would do anything for me. Knowing that they all planned on staying with me, like it wasn’t even a question, puts a smile on my face.
I rush up in front of them and grab a key from under the pot that used to hold an arrangement of flowers, including tulips, every year, but now all that’s left is the tulip leaves that died a few months ago.
We enter the house, and seeing how she’s been living hits me hard. I’m sure to some people, it wouldn’t be that bad, but knowing how much of a clean freak my mother was, I’m surprised to see the couch pillows and blankets thrown about as well as a few coffee mugs sitting on the end table, looking like they are a few days, if not weeks, old.
“I’ll get you guys some blankets,” I say, and Nate stops me.
“Don’t worry about us. We’ll find what we need. You get in there and get some rest.”
I reach up to hug him, then the other two. “I can’t thank you enough for coming home with me.”
