“Give your mother my best,” Maggie said, stopping at her car as I continued onto mine. “And, uh, have fun with you-know-who tonight.”
“Bye, Maggie.” Sliding into the driver’s seat, I turned on the engine and started the heat. It was raining again, a common occurrence in Washington, but I really didn’t mind it. It was crisp. Cool. Cleansing.
I sent a text to both my mother and Korbin letting them know that I was on my way home. Then I drove in the direction of my mom’s house, tempted more than once to text Korbin again and call the visit off. But I knew I couldn’t even if I wanted to, because he had wanted to come for her, too. For my mother. Who was I to keep the people who cared about her at arm’s length? Once upon a time we’d all been family, even if it had eventually fallen apart.
It was already getting dark by the time I got back to my mother’s house, and I found her inside, curled up on the couch with a glass of orange juice watching FRIENDS reruns.
“You okay, Mom?” I asked, hanging my jacket near the door. She glanced over her shoulder at me and smiled. It was a genuine smile, but I could clearly see the exhaustion in her features, the tiny lines of stress and fatigue etched into her face. Dark circles were prominent under her eyes, but she’d never complain. Not my mother.
“Hi, sweetheart. How was work?”
“It was fine,” I said, joining her on the couch. “How are you feeling today?”
“Anxious to start chemo tomorrow,” she said softly. “The sooner we can get this cancer out, the better.”
I took her hand, squeezing it gently between mine, realizing just how much weight she’d lost in the last few months, even the last few weeks. She felt frail, like if I squeezed her hand too hard it might just break. I loosened my grip immediately but kept ahold of her hand. Somewhere upstairs there was a clunk, and I froze, breath catching in my throat.
“Is someone here, Mom?” I asked, slowly rising from the couch, my eyes pinned on the staircase.
“Oh goodness,” my mother’s hand fluttered over her heart and she straightened up with a smile. “Yes, my new home nurse. She just got here about an hour ago and said the doctor sent her to help.”
“Really?” I got to my feet, eyes still on the stairwell. “That’s great, Mom. Has she been helpful?”
“Yes, she’s been cleaning. It’s wonderful.”
“I think I’ll go up and meet her,” I said, slowly climbing the staircase. I checked the bathroom, which was empty, then placed my hand on the doorknob to my bedroom. The nurse wouldn’t be in there, would she?
“Hello?” I stepped into my bedroom just in time to see a young woman straighten up from smoothing out my bed sheet. She turned as I came in, smiling.
“Hi,” she said, and I recognized her at once. It was Korbin’s friend, Amanda.
“Oh, Amanda.” I stopped at the door, trying to figure out what in the hell was happening. “Um, hi.”
“Peyton, right?” she said, stepping forward to offer her hand, which I took hesitantly. “I hope you don’t mind, I figured I could be of help to you, too.”
“Um, thanks,” I murmured. “Did Dr. Hudson send you?”
“Yes,” she said dreamily. “What are the odds, huh? Your mother is such a nice lady.”
“Um, yeah. She’s wonderful.” I stepped into the bedroom even further, leaving the door hanging open on its hinges behind me. “Look, Amanda, it’s sweet what you’re doing, but you don’t have to clean this room. I appreciate it though.”
“Oh, okay. No problem.” Amanda flashed a grin that didn’t seem genuine and then stepped around me. She was dressed in plain purple scrubs, fitting the part, but I felt tense around her for some reason, annoyed that I’d found her in my bedroom. I turned and followed her down the hallway, shutting my bedroom door behind me.
“I think we’re good here,” I told her, following her down the stairs. “Thank you so much for coming by though. It’s immensely appreciated.”
“Oh, Amanda.” My mother got to her feet when she saw us coming down the stairwell, smiling gleefully. “Thank you for coming, dear. You’ve been so nice to chat with.”
“Of course, Mrs. Blake,” said Amanda with that sickly sweet grin. “I’m happy to help. See you again soon?”
“That would be lovely,” my mother said, reaching out to pat her hand fondly. Amanda squeezed my mother’s hand back and went to the closet to get her jacket, shrugging it on.
“Good to see you again, too, Peyton,” she said with a wink. “Small world, eh?”
“Small world,” I agreed quietly. “Thanks for coming, Amanda.”
My mother and I stood at the living-room window, watching Amanda leave, and I realized that I hadn’t been breathing normally until Amanda’s car was out of sight, vanishing into the night.
“She’s such a sweet girl,” my mother said. “Hopefully it takes some of the burden off you, Peyton.”
