I relaxed against the headrest and kept my eyes on my best friend’s kids—strong, resilient, and facing the hardest obstacle of their lives. I could only hope I’d live up to her expectations where her children were concerned.
“We’re home,” Weston said as he turned into the driveway. The hearse parked in the road until the last car of the procession had arrived, and then the director left. What a business death was.
The kids got out of the car and ran up to the house. I sat there with Weston, staring at the garage doors that either needed a great coat of paint or replacing. Either way, something had to change.
“Were those her parents?”
“Yeah,” I said, not needing him to specify. “I’m torn because how shitty must it be to find out through an obituary that your only child died, but then again, how shitty do you have to be to kick your only child out of the house because she wanted to keep her baby?” I shook my head. “They never reached out. Not even to my parents to check on Miri. They didn’t even know about Nova until today. The way her father looked at me and then at Nova ... you could see it in his face. She looks identical to Miri, and I’m sure it hurt him to see it.”
“Miriam doesn’t want her family to have anything to do with the kids?”
I shook my head. “They didn’t want her, so there’s no need for them to want her children now.”
Weston nodded. “I suspect they’ll show up today.”
“Yeah.” I pushed imaginary lint off my dress.
“I don’t want you to worry. Between your brother, me, and Jerome, we’ll make sure the kids are safe.”
I looked at him, and he smiled softly. He’d been my rock ever since Miri came home to die, always there when I needed him and even when I didn’t. I didn’t know how he managed to do it, but he had a knack for being in the right place at the right moment.
“People are starting to walk in,” he said in the quiet. “We can go in or stay in the car. Whatever you want.”
“What I want isn’t possible.”
He nodded, knowing from our past conversations that the only thing I wanted right now was to go back in time and catch the cancer before it got out of control.
“But I guess I need to put on a fake smile and pretend I’m happy to have everyone in her house.”
Weston linked his hand with mine. “No one expects you to fake it, Antonia. Go in there and be Miriam’s best friend.”
That was something I could do easily.
He came around to my side and held the door open for me. Over the past handful of weeks, that was one of the things I’d noticed about Weston: He was a constant gentleman.
Inside, people lingered. They had drinks and made themselves plates of finger foods. While my mom had wanted to make everything, Lee from the Ridgeview Diner had insisted on catering. Samira had provided the family with breakfast every day since Miri passed, and Vera had taken care of the flower arrangements. It was because of Miri and how she treated people that I was able to give her a decent farewell.
I found my sister, Isabella, sitting in the corner with Nova on her lap. “Hey,” I said as I approached them. “I’m happy to see you’re eating.” Nova gave me a one-arm shrug and swirled her celery stick in the ranch.
Isabella was a nurse and had given me valuable advice when I told her Miri was sick. Now, she was taking on the role of another doting aunt.
“Did you see who’s here?”
My sister nodded. “She’s in the living room. I haven’t seen him yet.”
A long time ago, my brother, Rocco, had joked one time that Miri’s parents didn’t deserve names after what they’d done to Miri. We all agreed and had collectively decided to stop referring to them by their first names.
I sighed heavily at what faced me and thanked my sister for watching after Nova. I had zero intention of seeking the Vaughns out. When they were ready to talk, they’d find me. Until then, I mingled, thanked people for coming, listened to their stories about Miri, and kept my eye on Cutter.
Thankfully, he had a strong group of friends surrounding him, but it was mostly Eleni and Flinn by his side. As soon as Cutter told his best friend his mom had died, Flinn was at the door. He’d been at the house every day since, staying by Cutter’s side, even at night.
I liked that their friendship was like mine and Miri’s. It gave me hope that Cutter would always have someone to talk to about anything.I wondered if Mara would be the same for Nova or if Nova would shut down. The latter weighed heavily on my mind, and I was thankful we’d gotten into therapy. Not only as a family but individually as well.
Some people stayed for minutes, while others stayed for hours. When the house was almost empty, my mom and Samira worked in the kitchen, packaging up food we didn’t need but would keep. Finger foods were great for munching on when your stomach needed something but wasn’t ready for a big meal.
The last of the guests were Miri’s book club friends. I walked out with them, hugged and thanked them, and told them I’d see them for the next meeting. I would go in Miri’s place, at least for a little bit.
When I turned toward the house, I saw Miri’s parents lingering in the yard, talking to Weston. I didn’t care to know what they were speaking about. I already knew it would be about the kids or Miri.
