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“Never,” I said. “You’re my best friend.”
Sam smiles at me and hugs me.
“You look like you could use junk food and a movie to clear your mind,” she says.
“You always know exactly what I need.”
Sam looks pleased with herself. “It’s my job as your bestie. Come on, Alex and I raided the sweets aisle at the store again.”
I stand and follow her to the kitchen. I might have lost Blake, but at least I still have Sam in my life. And Michelle. It has to be enough.
Chapter 31
Blake
When I drive the road past the pub in the small Texas town, I don’t even notice it. I stop in front of my mom’s place and get out.
She walks to the door. This time, when she sees me, I get a smile. It makes me more positive about talking to her. I have a lot to get off my chest.
“I didn’t think I would see you again so soon,” she says and cups my cheeks.
“I didn’t think you wanted to see me again at all,” I counter.
She shakes her head. “It’s been tough, Blake. A tough year… a tough life. I have bad days. A lot of them. But you’re my son, and that will never change. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
I nod and follow her into her small home. She fusses in her kitchen, making two cups of instant coffee as before. I watch her while she works. Those hands are the same hands I remember watching as a child when she did things around the house. But they don’t tremble anymore.
Mom isn’t the woman she used to be back when I still lived at home. She’s a lot older, with graying hair and wrinkles on her face, and her fingers are a little bent and twisted. But she doesn’t look like she’s scared of her own shadow anymore. Her smile comes easier.
She might be older, but since my dad left, she’s okay.
When Mom carries to coffee to the coffee table, I pick mine up and take a sip.
“Tell me how you’ve been,” Mom says. “I feel terrible I didn’t ask all that much the last time I saw you. It was a bit of a shock.”
“I’ve been okay,” I say. “I had some difficulty at work, but nothing I won’t be able to handle.”
“You’ve always been so strong,” Mom says.
I glanced at her.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
She blinks at me. “For what?”
“For leaving you here with him. I shouldn’t have left without you.”
“No, Blake,” Mom says and puts her cup down. She turns on the couch to face me directly. “You were right to go. I was the one who chose to stay. You got out of here, and I don’t blame you for that. I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t protect you when that was my job.” Her eyes well with tears. “I regret a lot of things I did.”
I take her hands. “I’m okay. We’re going to be okay. I’m here now, and I’m going to take care of you. I’d like to move you to New York so you’re closer to me. And I’d like to buy you a nice house, bigger than this, with a big garden you can mess around in all day.”
Mom shakes her head. “I can’t let you do that for me. You have your own life to live. I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’ll never be a burden. I have more than enough to make this work. I want to see more of you and to make sure you have everything you need.”
“Are you sure?” she asks.
I nod. “There’s just one thing. Recently, a lot of stuff came out in the paper about Dad.”
