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Chapter 28 – Greek Mythology
Ruby
“What’s his name again, Momma?” Jace asked, lining his cutlery up evenly beside his plate.
We were sitting across from each other at the West End Diner early Sunday morning. I’d just finished telling him about Vander, how important he was to me, why we separated, and that there were still strong feelings between us.
“Vander.”
Jace nodded thoughtfully. “He’s Greek?”
“He is.” I watched the emotions flit across his face. A bit of apprehension, mostly curiosity.
He raised his head and met my eyes steadily. “Are you guys getting married?”
I shook my head. “It’s too early for that, but we do care about each other very much.”
Worry creased his forehead. “Does he know about me?”
I felt my eyebrows hit my hairline. “Of course! You think anyone who knows me, doesn’t know about you?”
He smiled, but my heart hurt. I did not ever want him to feel as though he was in the way or a burden.
“He wants to meet you. That’s why he’s coming today.”
“Yeah?” His little face broadcast hope, and I mentally berated myself for all that I denied him.
“Absolutely.”
I steered the conversation onto safer categories, like wilderness survival and tree trekking, while we finished our breakfast. We walked out waving our goodbyes to Voula.
We stocked up at the pet store, then made our way home. In the car, he looked quietly out the window. I pulled into the driveway, and he looked down into his lap.
“Do you think he’ll like me?”
I reached over and scratched his head lightly. He needed a haircut. His waves had grown long enough to loop up into curls.
“If he doesn’t, he’s getting kicked to the curb.”
Jace raised laughing eyes to mine. “Momma, nobody says that anymore.”
“Oh, yeah? What do they say? What’s the lingo nowadays?”
“Nowadays? Really, Momma?” He laughed.
I opened the car door and stepped out. He met me by the front of the car and threw his arm around my waist, and I squeezed him tightly for a long moment. When we got inside, I sent him off to do his homework, then slipped into my bedroom for a minute to breathe.
A few hours later, I waited on the front step as Vander pulled in and parked his car across the street. I watched him lope across the street with his easy stride and remembered how overjoyed I was to see him on my front step that day more than twenty years ago.
A smile tugged at my lips. It had been a long time coming, but maybe it was finally our time.
He stopped and smiled down at me, flowers in one hand, a gift bag with a bottle of wine in the other.
I stood up and dusted off the seat of my jeans. “You brought me flowers?”
He leaned in close but didn’t try to kiss me. He smiled wickedly. “The flowers are for Yiayia, the wine is for you.”
I laughed, and he pressed his forehead against mine. I took a deep breath. This would be okay.
