Page 62 of Out Of A Fix

I took a big step back, breathing through my nose so I wouldn’t puke.

Griff, if his grin was any indication, found the face I was making and the quick, quiet retch that came out of me, very amusing.

“It won’t be that funny when I throw up on your shoes.”

“I think tuna casserole is gross too, but why all that?”

“Have you ever eaten something and it made you sick, and then afterward, just smelling whatever it was made you gag?”

“Yeah. It happened with ambrosia salad, and I’m still not over it.”

“Mine was green olives,” Darwin confessed, leaning on the counter.

“I don’t even know what ambrosia salad is, but I bet it’s grosser than olives. For me, it’s tuna casserole. My dad and I ate it so many days in a row because it was easy, and that was bad enough, but then this one time it made me sick, and it’s been… God, most of my life at this point. I can’t eat that.”

Darwin went and got blue painter’s tape from the garage, and we wrote the names of whom the dishes belonged to on the bottom of each so there would be no mix-up when it was time to return the empties.

“Nash.”

When I turned to Griff to see what he wanted, I found Shelly Canton standing there.

“You’re the man who’s been here taking care of the kids, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She took a breath. “Tatum told me what you said about why I made a mistake with her, about what I said about the house, and I appreciate that.”

“Of course, and you have my condolences on the loss of your mother.”

“Thank you, but…” She stopped and glanced at the boys.

“Guys, give us a minute, will you?”

They both immediately crossed the room to the other two women and Luke and Tatum.

“Caitlyn,” she began, then stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. “Before she left, Caitlyn told me she wanted me to step in and help the family.”

I nodded. “Well, I’m certain that in time you’ll be able to⁠—”

“But don’t you see? I need the connection and purpose now.”

“Don’t you think,” I began gently, “that now, when you just lost your mother, is the time when you should be focused on yourself and your own healing?”

“No,” she rasped, taking a step closer. “I want to be here. I need to be here. Can’t you understand that?”

I took a breath. “I understand that’s what you want, but I don’t believe it’s what’s honestly best for you or the kids.”

“And you are? Is that what you’re saying? You show up, out of the blue, and you believe you’re what’s best for this family?” Her voice rose, and I wished I could think of a way to comfort her, but I wasn’t sure it was possible.

“No,” I said with a sigh. “I think their father is what’s best for the family. They need to finally get on with the business of making a life without your friend.”

“You don’t understand,” she heaved out, her hands fisting tight. “It’s supposed to be me. Caitlyn said that everyone, the kids and Luke, would need comfort, and the person they would want that from most would be me!”

And yet, Tatum didn’t have this woman’s number in her phone. She had mine, she had her father’s, her grandparents’, her neighbors’ on both sides. I had to wonder how big a role Aunt Shelly had in the lives of Caitlyn’s children. Not to mention that this was eighteen months after her leaving. Now, there was Shelly’s recently deceased mother to consider. I had no doubt that her mother’s care had sucked up all of her time, which I respected, but to now suddenly want to step into the space that Caitlyn used to occupy was not possible.

“Did Caitlyn tell you something about Luke?” It had to be that. This woman had been making plans.

“She said how beautiful he always thought I was and how kind and loving. That she talked about me with him for years, and especially when she was planning to leave with Marcello for San Francisco.”