Page 72 of Maverick

Maverick squeezes my hand, his touch grounding me. "I'm so sorry, Cadence. I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you and Nan."

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. There's more to the story, the promise I made to Pops to take care of Nan, but I'm not ready to share that part yet. It feels too personal, too close to my heart.

"After he was gone, I threw myself into taking care of Nan. I think, in my mind, if I could be the most amazing granddaughter on the planet, it would make up for losing him."

"Because you're all she has left."

"Yeah."

Maverick's thumb rubs gentle circles on the back of my hand. "I understand that. You're loyal and you love deeply. Those are good things. But doing it alone isn't sustainable. It's okay to accept help, to lean on others when you need it."

I meet Maverick's gaze, the truth of his words resonating deep within me. "You're right," I admit softly. "It's not easy for me to ask for help. I guess I've always felt like I had to be the strong one, you know?"

Maverick nods, his expression understanding. "Your grandpa, was he sick for a long?"

I take a deep breath, the memories flooding back. "He was diagnosed with lymphoma. It was...it was aggressive. We tried everything, but the treatments just weren't working."

I feel the sting of tears in my eyes, and Maverick's hand tightens around mine. "He fought so hard, but in the end, it wastoo much for his body to handle. It was less than three months from diagnosis to his passing."

"Aw fuck honey, that's awful."

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "When Nan got sick, it was like reliving that nightmare all over again. I was so scared of losing her, too."

Maverick's thumb traces gentle circles on the back of my hand, a comforting gesture. "It's terrifying, losing the person you love most in the world." There's a certainty in his words, a lived experience.

"It was," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "I spent so many nights lying awake, worrying about what would happen if...if Nan didn't make it. I kept thinking about how alone I would be." No one to put as an emergency contact. No one to care if I came home late. That's not a life I want to live. I want connections. I want a family.

Maverick's brow furrows. "Your mom didn't step up, even then?"

I shake my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "My mom...she's not really in the picture. I barely hear from her, sometimes going years without any contact."

I see the surprise flicker across Maverick's face, followed by a flash of anger. "She didn't even come to see Nan when she was sick?"

"She did, actually. Blew into town like a hurricane, promising to be there for us. But when things got tough, when Nan really needed her...she couldn't handle it. She left, just like she always does."

And all I felt was relief.

Patty always brings drama when she comes. I could see she truly wanted to be there, at least at first. But pretty quickly, it became obvious that she didn't have the emotional bandwidth to be of any help. She was too lost in whatshewas losing. Whatshewas feeling. Whatsheneeded. She didn't ask how I was handling it, or actually do anything to help Nan.

It felt like I had to take care of both of them. And when she left, all I could be was glad.

"It broke Nan's heart. She still holds out hope that my mom will come around, that she'll want to be a part of our lives. But I've learned not to expect anything from her."

Maverick's expression softens, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek. "I'm so sorry, Cadence. You deserve so much better than that. Every kid does."

"Maybe. But I had Nan, and I think that makes me pretty damn lucky."

"I think so too," he says, scanning my face with soft eyes. "I?—

The shrill ring of his phone interrupts his next words. "Fuck. I'm sorry, that's the family ring. I'll get rid of them."

He answers, trying to keep his voice low, but I still catch bits and pieces 'are you fucking kidding me' and 'it would serve you right if I let you rot in there'. I slowly lean a little closer, now desperate to know what's going on.

He groans and stabs the off button with his thumb then gives me a helpless look. "I'm so damned sorry Cady. But I have to go. My brothers need me."

"Wait…right now? It can't wait?" What happened to no interruptions? I’m more disappointed than I’d like to admit.

"Fuck. I'm sorry, but no, it can't." He pulls out his wallet and drops enough bills on the table to cover every meal in the restaurant, then comes to pull out my chair. I look at my pasta longingly, wishing I'd eaten faster. He takes my hand, pulling me out the door and back toward the apartment building. When we get into the elevator, he surprises me by hitting the down button.

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