Page 19 of Finding Home
Lila nods. “Yeah. I asked Daddy if we can have cheesy chicken this weekend. It’s one of my favourites.”
“Cheesy chicken,” Chloe says excitedly. “That sounds really good.”
“It is. You should come over and eat some.” Lila looks over at me. “Daddy, can Miss M come over for cheesy chicken this weekend?”
“If she wants,” I say, knowing the conversation I want to have with Chloe later could impact that decision.
“I’ll need to check my schedule,” Chloe says, and when Lila visibly deflates she adds, “But if I can, I’d love to eat cheesy chicken with you.”
Lila perks up and smiles as she continues to eat.
“How’s your grandma?” Chloe asks me, and I stiffen slightly. No one besides Grandma and me knows about her cancer diagnoses, and I know she doesn’t want people in town knowing, but if my plan is to work, I’m going to have to tell Chloe. Something deep in my gut tells me she won’t go spilling the secret, though. There’s something about her that’s inherently trustworthy.
“She’s adjusting to her new reality,” I say. I haven’t told Lila anything about Grandma being sick yet, because I don’t want to worry her until we have a better idea of what’s going on. I know I’m going to have to tell her some things soon, but the concept of cancer is so big I don’t know how to yet.
“I get to spend the night at Grandma’s,” Lila adds. “We play games and watch movies. We also bake. I like Grandma.”
I can’t help but smile at Lila’s confession. Knowing she’s comfortable with her and starting to settle into this new life is important. It makes it not feel like I’ve completely fucked this all up.
“She’s a very nice lady,” Chloe says. “I’ve known her for a long time.”
“You have?” Lila asks, and Chloe nods.
“Yes. When I was a kid, my friends and I would go into her store with whatever money we’d earn and we’d buy candy. She was always very nice to us. I took my sister-in-law Hannah into her store this summer when she was visiting.”
“That sounds fun,” Lila says.
“It was.”
We finish eating, and I clear our plates and tell Lila to head upstairs and play while I have a conversation with Chloe. She seems a little more shy now as she sits at the table, her hands folded in her lap, her right thumb nail picking at her left.
“Would you like a coffee?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No, thanks. Caffeine would just keep me up tonight.”
I nod and turn the coffee pot on to make a single cup.
“So, you wanted to talk about my situation,” Chloe finally says, breaking the tense silence that’s filled the kitchen since Lila left.
I lean against the counter, crossing my legs and my arms over my chest. “You mentioned needing to move out of your current place.”
She nods. “Again, I’m not sure how this is any of your concern.”
I sigh. “My grandma isn’t telling people this, so this can’t leave this kitchen.”
She straightens. “Of course.”
I run a hand down my face as I take a deep breath. “She’s been diagnosed with cancer. It’s why I moved to Willow Valley. She’s going to have surgery, and then she’ll have treatment. Right now, she’s been watching Lila while I work, and I know she won’t be able to do that after her surgery and when she starts chemo. I need to find a solution, and that’s where you come in.”
She raises a brow but doesn’t say anything.
“We have a spare room. You could move in, do whatever you’d like with the room, in exchange, you’d watch Lila while I’m on shift. Maybe pop in and check on Grandma.”
Scepticism is written all over her face before she opens her mouth. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
I grab my coffee and move to join her at the table. “It’s a win-win situation. You have a place to stay that’s not your parents’, and I have someone to watch Lila. Someone Lila likes.” I sigh. “She doesn’t warm up to people easily. I’m completely blown away she’s gotten as close as she has to both you and Grandma. I was worried she’d have a very difficult time adjusting to the move.”
She gnaws on her bottom lip, something I’ve noticed she does when she’s debating something internally. She did it that first night we met before she invited me into her place. I want to use my thumb to pull her lip from between her teeth and bite it myself. I want to know what her moans would sound like if I did. I sit back in my seat, putting some distance between us, and push that insane thought out of my mind, because if we’re going to do this, have her move in and watch Lila, that means absolutely nothing can happen between us.
