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The front door opens, and Trevor appears, sniffing the air before even stepping foot in the house. “Is that Mama Jo’s cookies?” he asks no one in particular. Connor and I watch as Trevor turns his back to slide off his shoes, talking to himself, “I love me some Mama Jo cookies. Mmm-mmm.”
Connor stifles his laugh.
When Trevor turns around, he sees Connor at the table and halts momentarily. Slowly, as if stalking his prey, he makes his way over to us and picks up a handful of cookies. His glare shifts between Mom and Connor. Once. Twice. To Connor, he says, “These are my favorite cookies…. and you’re in my seat.”
Mom and I bust out a laugh.
Today…
Today is a +infinite day.
* * *
Ava: Thank you.
Connor: For what?
Ava: For giving me a part of my mom I thought I’d lost.
Connor: No, thank you.
Ava: For what?
Connor: For letting me be witness to it.
Ava: You’re something else, Connor.
Connor: You’re something MORE, Ava.
TWENTY
connor
“Is your dad tall?” Ava asks, walking along the bleacher bench, bouncing my basketball.
“He’s a few inches shorter than me.”
Ava spins, goes back the opposite direction—long, tanned legs moving swiftly. I could watch her all damn day. “Is that where you got your height and athleticism from?”
“Height is from his side, but he doesn’t have an athletic bone in his body. Apparently, my mom ran college track, though.”
Ava stops completely, the ball held to her waist. Lips parted, she tilts her head, as if contemplating. The girl’s got an inquisitive mind, I’ve realized, and I wonder what questions are floating through her head. “Huh” is all she says.
I laugh under my breath and stand, take the ball from her. “Ask, curious girl.”
She snatches the ball back. “I was just thinking, you got split genetics.”
“I guess.”
“Do you know much else about your mom?”
“I kind of remember what she looks like, but it’s a little hazy. And I don’t know if it’s from memory or because I saw a picture of her once,” I admit. “In a drawer in Dad’s side table. They were both wearing FSU sweatshirts, so I assume that’s where they met.”
“He hasn’t told you about her?”
“Nah. He doesn’t really talk about her or what happened, and to be honest, I kind of prefer it that way.”
“Aren’t you at all curious?”
