Page 58 of Embers of You
“What’re you doing here?” another feminine voice asks, and that’s when I notice the younger woman behind Sutton.
“Just backing up my boy. Aren’t you happy to see me, Lil?” Parker answers.
“Is someone talking? All I hear is a buzzing like the world’s largest and most annoying bug.” Lily looks around, refusing to make eye contact with Parker.
“What is this?” Sutton asks, bending down to take out the flowers and note I tucked into Duke’s harness. Lily looks overher shoulder at the note, and I catch the tiny smile on Sutton’s perfect lips.
“Damn, cowboy, you’ve got it bad, don’t you?” Lily announces and I stand proud because yeah, I do and I don’t care who knows it. I’ve never understood men being ashamed for how much they want a woman. “Could you teach that one a thing or two? Because sending a ‘you up’ text is not the move.”
I turn toward my coworker. “You didn’t.”
He looks away guiltily, and I shake my head. We’re trying to train him, but there’s only so much you can do for a twenty year old guy, he’ll learn eventually. It seems like Lily isn’t the type to shy away from teaching him either.
“Thank you, Duke. This was very sweet of you.” Sutton bends down to squish my dog’s face.
“Hey, he’s just the messenger.”
“He’s also cuter.” She smirks up at me.
“Oh shit.” Lily chuckles.
“Tough luck, man.” Parker claps me on my shoulder.
“I really enjoy having an audience for this,” I joke.
“Thank you for the flowers,” Sutton tells me softly while I’m pretty sure Parker and Lily are in the middle of a stare off.
“I’ll make sure a vase is always full of them in your house if you let me,” I tell her honestly and I don’t miss the way her cheeks fill with color. “Bring Bennet by sometime soon, Duke and I miss you both.”
She nods slightly. “Okay.”
“Let’s leave the pretty girls alone to get back to their jobs.” I start to guide Parker and Duke out the door.
Once we’re outside and almost to our cars Parker says proudly, “She wants me.”
I scoff, “Yeah, I’m sure she does, buddy.”
Duke and I hop into my truck, and I just hope that Sutton won’t find an excuse to shut down again.
When I get back home, I check on Ma with Duke happily by my side.
“There’s my boy,” Ma greets, and I know better than to think she’s talking to me. It’s confirmed when she bends slightly to pet my dog and I just shake my head.
As she starts to stand up, I notice how unsteady she is, and I move quickly to help her. Just like she always does, she shakes me off, insisting she’s fine. I want to believe her, I want to pretend that she’s fine and that the cancer isn’t taking over her body. I want to believe the treatment is doing what it’s supposed to and she’s getting better.
But it’s not the truth, and we know it, even though we don’t talk about it. Ma comforts me more than I comfort her, even if it’s not completely obvious. She accepts her reality, while I’m continuing to live in some variation of denial. The variation where she’s okay and going to get through this even though everything is saying otherwise.
“I’m fine, don’t you have a girl to dote on?” she teases.
“Just did. Duke brought her some flowers.”
“That’s so sweet of you. I knew I raised you right,” she tells the dog and I chuckle.
“What about me?”
“You were my first son, my trial run so I did what I could.”
“Well, thanks.” I shake my head. “Do you need anything?”
