“How is your mother doing?” my mom asked, as I dished us all up some pizza and breadsticks.
“She’s good,” he said. “Like I told Peyton, though, she’s probably tired of me hanging around. She’s got her own life to live.”
“I don’t think parents ever get tired of having their babies around,” my mother said fondly, looking at me. “We don’t know how much time we’ll really have with them, so we have to take what we can get.”
“Don’t talk like that,” I said softly, sliding into an empty chair next to Korbin. He smelled so good that his intoxicating scent wasn’t even covered by the pizza, and I couldn’t tell if it was the food or him making me drool. “You’re going to be around for a long time, Mom.”
My mother smiled, but this time it was forced, and the tension in the air was evident as she reached for her slice of pizza and took a bite, chewing slowly.
“I start chemotherapy tomorrow,” she told Korbin. “My precious daughter her took Fridays off so she could take me. Am I a lucky parent, or what?”
“Mom.” I took a long drink of my wine, wishing that this conversation wasn’t happening right now. It didn’t feel like the truth, not when I’d intentionally stayed as far away from home as possible all these years. I had left my mother to fend for herself while I hid out in the city, avoiding my hometown and all the people in it. “You don’t have to talk me up. I have not been the daughter I should have been.”
“Don’t be silly,” my mom said. “You’re all I need.”
Korbin was looking at me now, those vivid eyes on me as my mom continued to rattle on about all she’d been doing or trying to do in the last few months. I could feel his eyes on me as I got up to pour another glass of wine, and then again as I sat back down and took a long drink. My mother was oblivious to the tension between Korbin and me, and for that I was glad.
Mom was only able to eat half a slice of pizza before she called it good, but at least there was some color in her skin from the wine and food.
“I think I’m going to call it early,” she said, taking her dish to the sink and finishing the swallow of her drink.
“Can I help you to your room?” I asked, and Mom scoffed.
“Don’t be silly. I can walk just fine.”
“That’s more than I can say,” cracked Korbin, and my mother giggled. “Behave, you two. Korbin, stay as long as you’d like. I’m sure Peyton appreciates the company.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I muttered, reaching for the bottle of wine to pour another glass. Korbin was smiling as he waved goodnight to my mother. The two of us watched her depart, vanishing upstairs to her bedroom, leaving us alone and silent in the kitchen.
“Thanks for coming tonight,” I said after a few minutes of silence, reaching for a second breadstick. “She seems happy you’re here. Apparently, I’m not very good company.”
“I don’t think it’s that,” Korbin said, holding out his own glass so I could pour him another drink. “I think she enjoys the normalcy of it. Back to how things were before the cancer hit.”
“Is that how you feel about your knee?” I asked. “Just wishing for a little bit of normalcy?”
“Something like that.” When he smiled again, the scruff on his chin and cheeks stood out prominently, and it took everything I had in me not to reach over and start running my hands through his hair. Instead, I made it a point to look away from him, focusing instead on the tiny window over the sink. It had started raining, but I didn’t mind. The house felt cozier when it was dark and damp outside.
“My mom found a nurse,” I said, ignoring the nausea that suddenly rolled in the pit of my stomach. Korbin looked over, waiting for me to go on.
“That’s great,” he said. “Less burden on you, yeah?”
“It’s Amanda.” Her name spilled from my lips like poison, and I didn’t know why.
“Amanda?” Korbin repeated. “Really?”
“Yeah. Apparently the doctor sent her over. She was—cleaning my room when I got home tonight.”
“Oh, well, that’s nice,” Korbin smiled innocently. He didn’t get it. And why should he? Maybe I was the only one who got weird vibes from her.
“Yeah, it’s—nice,” I said hesitantly. “I guess she’ll be good for my mom.”
“Why do you seem upset about it?” he asked, and I looked away, focusing instead on the table top than on him.
“I’m not upset,” I insisted. “I just—I don’t know. I get weird vibes from her.”
Korbin laughed, but I don’t think it was meant to be insulting. “She’s harmless,” he assured me. “Maybe a little strange, but let her do her job and see how she does. The extra pair of hands can’t be a bad thing, right?”
“No. No, I guess not.” Knowing that I wasn’t about to get anywhere with this, I forced my attention away from Amanda and changed the topic of conversation. I was hoping to get the easy flow back without Amanda ruining the night. “So, curfew,” I said after another minute, turning to face him. “Do I need to drive your ass home?”
