I buttered the bread and warmed the stove, enjoying the rise and fall of her voice when she was excited. “No. But it would be nice to have a midday nap.”
“I know.” She sighed and leaned back onto the kitchen chair. “I read that everything shuts down except cafés. Schools, businesses, stores, banks… it’s forcing everyone to calm down and take a minute to breathe. I would’ve loved it there, I know it.”
“Why didn’t you go?”
She deflated. “My mom got sick. They found a lump about three months before I was supposed to leave, and the results weren’t good. She went through chemo for a while, and it went into remission, but that year was tough. I couldn’t imagine myself galivanting through Spain while my mom was fighting for her life.”
Dang, to want something that bad and be so close. Missing it must’ve been devastating. “I’m sure she would’ve understood if you went.”
“Oh, she was furious at me for backing out, but I don’t regret not going then. The timing was off.” She traced a line down my table with her index finger.
An unknown feeling took hold of me. I wanted to comfort her, tell her what she did was admirable and amazing, but the words got stuck in my mind and stayed there. Despite the way they acted lately, I’d do the same thing for my parents. How could I not? I was grateful for the life they provided us. But would my parents ever sacrifice anything like that for me?
Probably.
I don’t know.
My mood soured, and I focused on cooking. Being jealous of Becca because her mom was so involved in her life was ridiculous.I’m a grown-ass man.I exhaled, hoping all the negative energy inside me would escape, and flipped the sandwiches. Becca hummed from the table, and I snuck a glance at her. She had a half-smile on her face, and her hands were flat on the table.
“You know anembarrassingamount about me now, from my tattoo to my obsession with Spain. It’s only fair you share some of your stories. Does your mother set you up on dates and obsess over you finding a partner? What was your favorite trip of all time? Do you know any random facts about countries that will make me feel like less of a dork?”
“That’s a lot of questions at once, Becca.”
“Well, take your time. We literally have all night.”
Her response had me smiling again, and I answered her first question. “My mom doesn’t try to set me up with anyone. Honestly, my parents couldn’t care less about what I do or don’t do. They never quite got over my divorce. They firmly believe that a marriage should be suffered through because of vows, even though it wasn’t a healthy relationship. We both wanted out, and it was amicable. My sister, however, would plan my entire life down to the minute if she could.”
“Yeah? Older or younger?” she asked with her usual warm tone.
“Older. Definitely older. She calls or texts every day and has tried setting me up with most of her friends. She blames me every time it doesn’t work out but—what word did you use? Weenies? They were weenies.”
“You cannot steal my word to describe women. Women are not weenies, Harrison,” she scoffed. “I think I like your sister.”
I barked out a laugh. “I imagine she’d like you.”
“Weenies,” she mumbled under her breath. “Find your own word.”
I fought a smile as I finished up the sandwiches and then set them on paper plates and grabbed two bottles of water. She thanked me, and we ate in silence. My own word. I thought of a couple I wanted to say but saying them would seem rude.
I settled on one and clapped my hands. “Okay, I got my word.”
“And?”
“Ungenuine. A lot of those dates, the women didn’t seem genuine. They were too worried about saying the wrong thing, it seemed like an act.”They aren’t like Becca who is 100 percent herself all the time.“I grant youweenieback.”
She snorted into her fist, and I fought my own laughter. “I aim to amuse here.”
“I’ll say.Grant you weenie back.” She shook her head and moaned as she took her next bite. “This is the best grilled cheese I’ve had in months. Probably because I didn’t make it. There’s something about someone else cooking for you.”
“Bikini, you mean?”
She met my eyes, and a warm sensation started in my stomach at our shared joke. It was stupid, something she’d rambled minutes ago, but the way she looked at me had me looking down at my plate.
“You’ll never forget that fact, I bet you. Now, I’m not forgetting about my other questions, but you need to share a weird food fact so we’re even. It can be about anything. The weirdest food you tried or know how to cook, or a food horror story like you thought you were eating bacon but it ended up being rattlesnake. Happened to my dad once, I swear.”
My face would hurt from all these damn smiles by the time this storm was over. How she moved from one topic to the next without taking a break was a talent I would never have.
I racked my brain for something, anything, like she’d mentioned and could only think of one thing somewhat related to food. The day I thought my sister would actually kill me dead.
