“It’s for my mom, really,” I say. “She was always worried about me playing football.”
“Have you had a concussion?”
I nod. “Two minor ones. I’m lucky, actually. It could have been worse.”
“How is your mom?” Charlotte smiles a little.
“She’s doing well. Still working as a nurse in Mother Baby. Still loves it.”
“I remember her dipped chocolates at Christmas time. To die for.”
“She’s got a talent for it.”
We’re packed up and ready when a little boy who can’t be over two and his dad come into the room.
“Jarrett!” Charlotte cries. “So good to see you today.”
I can’t stop staring at the way her face lights up at the kid.
“I better go,” I tell her. This whole thing was just…weird. I didn’t peg Charlotte as someone who would go out on a limb like that and cut me down to size.
Looks like maybe I underestimated her.
Chapter 8
Charlotte
I’mshakingbythetime I make it out to my car a little after six o’clock.
I was able to show up for my clients and give them my best. It’s the least I can do, considering they won’t have services here in two months’ time.
But in the in-between moments, when I was sanitizing the toys and instruments or on my break, it slammed into me again.
The Center is closing, and I don’t know what’s going to happen with these kids.
Of lesser importance, I embarrassed myself around star pro quarterback, Taysom Reed. My brother’s best friend. My former crush.
I ease onto the freeway and then place a hands-free call to my brother.
“How was the world of Monopoly money today?” I ask Kyle when he answers. “Did you get to pass go and collect two hundred dollars? Did you land on Park Place?”
Kyle is an investment banker downtown. I really have no idea what that means, so I make Monopoly jokes.
“Ha. Ha.” Kyle’s quiet for a moment. “How about you? Did you land in jail?”
“Well, actually…”
“Are you in jail right now?”
“Very funny.” Kyle knows I’m not the jailbird type. “But I had a pretty rotten day.” I pause, waiting for the courage to form the words. It doesn’t really come, so I plow through it anyway. “I lost my job today.”
“What?” Kyle says. He’s always worried about my financial life since he’s obsessed with money.
“Well, I’ll still work there until June first, but then I’m outta there. Along with all the other OTs.”
“Why? How can they do that?”
“They can do that because we are beholden to gifts and grants and the university is deprioritizing us. So yeah. It’s awful.”
