Page 40 of Taking What Was His

“Good morning.”

“Hey, Mom.”

She watched him get himself a bowl of cereal and sit and shovel it in.

She cringed, watching him. She didn’t like to eat anything mushy, and she could tell his cereal was getting like that. She turned around and started to unload the dishwasher.

“Mom, do you want me to mow this morning?”

She looked out the window. Yeah, it was getting up there. Their backyard was a good size, but it still only took a short amount of time to push-mow it. “Sure. It looks like it needs a trim. While you’re doing that, I’ll trim around the trees and bushes.” She ruffled his hair. “What would I do without you?”

Jayden snorted. “Your life would be dismal, that’s for sure.”

She chuckled. “You’re right about that.”

Jayden got up and put his bowl in the sink. He turned back when he got to the door. “Hey, Mom.”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“I just wanted to tell you that I really like Roman.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, he’s cool.”

It’s like he’d been reading her mind.

“I’m glad you like him. I’ve been second-guessing myself.”

“Why?”

“The last thing in the world I want is to see you hurt, and I’m afraid if you get attached and he leaves, it could break your heart.”

“Mom, if you live your life thinking about the what ifs, you’re never going to really live, and that’s what I want for you. I’m going to be gone to college, and I don’t want you to be in this house alone. He’s a good guy. Give him a chance.”

Her eyes teared up, but she smiled. “How’d you get so smart?”

He grinned and shrugged. “I’m just good like that.”

He turned and walked outside.

She watched him pull the mower from the small shed and start it.

Part of her felt a little lighter because he wanted her and Roman together. At the same time, his leaving for college made her physically ill.

“I have to stop. I’ve still got five years. Hopefully, by then, I’ll be stronger,” she told herself, shook her head, and snorted.

She had to pretend at least that she would be fine. She would be horrified if her son felt guilty for leaving home and living his life.

She’d see how the next few weeks went to see if dating Roman was a good idea or not.

Maybe by then, she’d know. She walked out of the back door, got the trimmer out of the shed, and got to work. Perhaps if she stayed busy, she would stop stressing?

She was coming down the steps several hours later when she heard voices in the kitchen. She frowned when she realized it was Evan’s voice and not Roman talking to Jayden.

She stopped at the kitchen doorway. “Hi. I didn’t know you were going to drop by.”

“He thought he left a wrench behind and came to get it.”