Same for Nova. Mom missed Nova earning a badge for selling a lot of Girl Scout cookies, and Nova was going to a horse camp this summer to learn how to ride. Toni was worried, but Weston assured her the camp was safe and highly recommended.
Weston was the other part of our lives my mom was missing. He’d always been my coach, at least since high school, and now he was really part of our lives because he and Toni were dating. I thought I’d miss Brendan, but I didn’t. It took me seeing Toni smile at Coach that I knew they were meant for each other. I knew my aunt missed my mom—we all did—but Coach made her days easy. Weston was by far the better choice for Toni and for us. He never acted like he was better than us, and I saw the way he looked at Toni. Sort of like the way I looked at Eleni. Toni said I had stars in my eyes.
Plus, I liked having him around. Ever since my mom got sick, Coach had been someone I could count on, and now he was always there. I’d never had a father figure live with me before, and while it was an adjustment, Coach fit in our family.
One thing my mom wasn’t missing were her parents. I decided, for myself and Nova, that we wouldn’t pursue a relationship with them, unless ordered by the courts. Even then, Toni said she’d fight a court order with everything she had.
Toni was also going to be our mom—well, officially, on paper. I didn’t really care for the “guardian” title because she was so much more than a guardian. She was our mom, aunt, and friend rolled into a fiery, loving, supportive person.
She was our person.
The court-appointed guardian told me and Nova we’d lose the social security benefits if Toni adopted us. We didn’t care about money. If we couldn’t have our mom, we wanted Toni.
Tonight, Eleni and I were going to prom. Toni and Samira had helped me with my promposal. Samira made me chocolate-covered strawberries and wrote “PROM” on them. Toni and I made a sign that saidI Would Be Berry Lucky if You Went to Prom with Me. She said it was important to add “Yes” and “No” checkboxes, which I did in strawberry stickers, since they were Eleni’s favorite fruit.
Even though we’d been dating for a while, I was nervous about asking her. What if she said no? Or didn’t like the way I’d asked? Whatif her parents told her she couldn’t go? I wasn’t sure her parents even liked me; I thought they only tolerated me because it was easier than fighting with their daughter about our relationship.
My fears were eased when Eleni said yes before I could even utter the words.
Weston took me to rent my tux. We drove to Manchester, where most of the chain retailers were. He said it would be easier because the selection would be better. Eleni’s dress was hot pink or electric pink, and she had provided a swatch—whatever that was—so everything could match.
I wanted to rent a limo, but being a two-sport athlete hadn’t left me much time to work. Thankfully, Toni said she would pay for it and encouraged me to ask my friends if they wanted to pitch in. At first, I didn’t want to because being alone with Eleni was a priority, but I relented and asked Flinn and Malik if they wanted to share the cost. Flinn asked a girl from a couple of towns over to go with him, and Malik planned to bring Janelle, but she didn’t want to go to prom. He was going stag. I didn’t think that was fair to him, especially since he and Janelle were no longer a couple. She’d broken things off after word spread that she was pregnant. Malik was confused and hurt but wasn’t going to pressure her into anything. He’d been working every chance he could so he could help Janelle with the baby. I was surprised he still wanted to go to prom or be the fifth wheel in the limo. Eleni said Malik might want to ride in the limo for the experience.
Toni was cooking dinner for my friends. We were having roasted chicken and potatoes with a cream sauce, steamed broccoli, and a dinner salad. For dessert, Samira had made these massive cupcakes. They’d arrived earlier in the day and taunted me every time I went into the kitchen to bug Toni.
She slapped my hand when I tried to taste the cream sauce. I couldn’t help it. Everything smelled so good, and even though she hated cooking, Toni could cook, now that she’d practiced almost everynight. She’d already started teaching me and Nova how to make things from scratch.
Living with Toni was a lot different from my mom. Sometimes they were the same, but they parented differently. Granted, Toni was flying by the seat of her pants. According to her, she had a good support system in place, and since coming to Grove Hill, she’d made friends with Samira, Vera, and Edith. They even kept up their “book club” nights.
Nova and I had the same chores as before, and we had rules. Some were new, like I had to tell Toni where I was at all times. She worried, especially when she was in Boston for work and wouldn’t be home until late. Homework had to be done as soon as I got home from school, and we weren’t allowed to use the word “fine” when asked how we were doing or how school was. This was something she’d learned from our therapist.
“Everything ready for tonight?” she asked as she gently nudged me away from the stove. “Tux is hanging up?”
“Yep.” I went to the cupboard and took out one of the many water tumblers we had. That was another thing that had changed. Toni didn’t trust the water in the well since my mom had gotten so sick. We were having a water filtration system put in and had one of those water jug things in the corner. She used the water dispenser for drinking and cooking.
The other thing that had changed was we were moving into Weston’s temporarily while the house was being remodeled. We needed new electrical wiring, a roof, and subflooring, and a couple of the walls needed to be replaced due to aging plaster or something. Weston was paying for all of this, and since Nova and I owned the house, we didn’t have to pay him back until we’d sold.
If we ever sold.
Weston was moving in with us once the remodel was done as well, and I didn’t mind. I liked the idea of having a man around, not only to help me but to protect Nova and Toni.
Once my tumbler was filled, I secured the lid and went to the refrigerator. I wasn’t hungry but bored. I sighed as I stood there.
“What are you looking for?”
“Nothing. Everything,” I said as Toni laughed. “Why are there flowers in here?”
“Those are from Vera. She did Eleni’s corsage.”
I took the clear plastic container out and studied it. There were three roses. Two were white and one bright pink, with pink ribbon wrapped around it, making a bow.
“This is pretty.”
“Do you think Eleni will like it?” Toni asked as she moved around the kitchen. I thought about sneaking a taste of the cream sauce but figured prom was far more important, and I didn’t want to get into trouble.
“Yeah, she will.” I put it back and reached for the pack of cheese slices, taking a few out and then closing the door. Toni’s back was to me as she stared out the kitchen window. We were getting a new fence as well, some chickens, and maybe a dog. We had Scout, but he spent most of his time with Nova, and with my summer sports schedule, Toni wasn’t sure if we should get one now or wait.
“Are you okay?”
