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“As am I, son. Grab a seat. Tell us about life. What brought you back.” Dad went to grab a glass from the cabinet and Mom used her hip to bump him away and grabbed a glass. He planted a kiss on her forehead, and she beamed up at him. She never would let him fix his own drink or plate, not that he ever demanded it. She just loved doing it. Probably because he never asked.
We all sat at the table, and I snacked as Mom sat, head propped on her hand as she listened intently to my stories. I told them about the hospital I was at, a few friends they had met while they visited me, and of course the long trip back.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us you were moving back. Iwouldbe mad, if you hadn’t moved back,” Mom said as she stood to check the oven.
“Really, Mike. Why didn’t you mention it? We’re glad you’re back but would have been equally glad had you told us in advance.” Dad stared across the table at me.
Sighing, I answered. “I don’t know. I wanted to surprise everyone. Plus, I had some cold feet. I guess I was scared if I told anyone, and I backed out then I’d disappoint you. It was a big move.”
Mom scoffed. “But this is home. Why wouldn’t you want to come back? Honestly, I’m shocked you took so long.” She pulled a ham from the oven and the smell filled the kitchen. God, I missed her cooking.
“I know. But I got used to it out there. And because of school, I had connections for work. I had friends. It was just easy.”
“Have you seen Jaz or Onyx? I go to her salon, Onyx’s. Jaz is going to be a doctor from what I hear.”
I nearly choked on my tea. “Yeah. I ran into them.”
“I would say small world, but in a small town, that’s expected. And Jason?” she asked.
I nodded. “He helped me move into the apartment and get my stuff put up.”
Dad stood and went to pick at the ham before Mom smacked his hand away. “Jason is a good boy. I run into him occasionally. He’s got a pretty little lady these days.”
“Lucy. Yeah, I met her, and we had dinner last night. She’s great. They’re engaged.”
Both of them smiled. “We saw them out together not long ago and he told us.” Dad put his arm around Mom and his eyes became glassy. “His parents would be so happy for him and wouldloveher.” Dad and Pops were great friends. Mom was friends with his mom as well. It was hard on everyone when she passed, but Mom stepped up and tried to help out anytime she could since Jason was in high school. She said no boy that young should be without a mom, so she was his stand-in. I felt just as bad I couldn’t be here for my parents when Jason’s dad passed as I was for not being here for Jason.
Dad cleared his throat and Mom clapped her hands together before she said, “I have a few more minutes on the sides. Why don’t you boys get out of my workspace and go watch sports or something?”
Dad smacked her behind and she yelped but grinned and I ran from the kitchen. I was an adult, but I didn’t need to see all that. I sat down on the sofa and the Braves’ pregame show was on. I used to love watching the games with Dad. I hadn’t followed the Braves since I went out West unless they were playing one of our teams. I smiled though, realizing I could start watching them again. I had left so much behind; I was excited to settle back into my hometown.
Dad came and plopped into his chair and put his glass down on the side table next to him. “We’re looking good this year.”
“So, I hear. It's hard to follow Atlanta teams out West.”
“Hmph, we paid extra to be able to watch your college games.”
“That seems so long ago.”
“Yep, I followed the team a couple years, but the new coach has his head up his ass, so I got tired of trying to root for them. I get local ball on my regular channels.”
We used to love watching UGA together. I had hoped I’d get picked up there, hell I would have gone to GA Tech, but I didn’t have the grades for it. I got lucky I was picked up by any big school. The tiny school I was playing for didn’t have much of a program, so they didn’t have much for scholarships. They also didn’t have much of a nursing program. Or any medical programs.
I sipped my sweet tea and settled into the couch. Looking around, I noticed pictures of me when I was young, all the way through college graduation, with a few of us when they went to California to visit. My eyes landed on a collage of pictures of me and Jaz. Some were us before school dances, high school graduation, family gatherings, the trips we took to the beach on spring break in high school, then after graduation.
“She’s a lovely girl, son.”
I snapped my head toward him. “Huh?”
He raised his hand and pointed to the pictures I was staring at. “Jaz. She’s a lovely girl. You say you ran into her?”
I nodded and sipped my tea.
“And?”
“And nothing, Dad. I saw her.”
“Hey, don’t take that tone with me.” He sat up and wagged a finger at me. “You may be bigger, but I can still whoop your ass.”
