AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m okay,” she said, though the walk around the bed and into the bathroom had winded her. “I need a few minutes, and then will you help me out to the couch?”
“Of course,” Will said, his voice low and quiet. He reached to close the door behind Mama, and he leaned his forehead against the barrier between them. Helplessness washed over him in waves, and tears pricked his eyes.
He never let anyone see him cry. Ever. He rarely did anyway, but hearing his mama’s labored breathing had punched him in the lungs this morning. He suddenly seemed to be leaking from every hole in his face, and he turned away from the bathroom and grabbed a tissue from his father’s bureau.
He didn’t want to grow old alone. He’d already spent four decades by himself, with varying periods where he’d had a girlfriend at his side. After he’d wiped his nose and eyes, he pulled his phone from his pocket and went to Gretchen’s texts.
They’d been in contact; it wasn’t like he never talked to her anymore. He just hadn’t seen her in the flesh for eight days now.
“Too long,” he murmured to himself as he tapped the phone icon to call her. A text simply would not do this morning.
“Will,” she said, plenty of surprise in her voice. “What’s up?”
“I miss you,” he blurted out. “I hate that I haven’t seen you in so long. I know it’s Thursday, and you have your routine with your daddy.” He turned around, his mind on the fritz. “But what about lunch? Can I bring you lunch? Even if I only stay for ten minutes, I’ll get to see you.”
As he spoke, he realized how vulnerable he’d just made himself. He heard the sound of his voice, and he knew it had been desperate. As he tried to decide if he cared that Gretchen knew he missed her and wanted to see her, she said, “Lunch would be wonderful, Will.” She cleared her throat, and that made Will smile. “I miss you too.”
