Page 22 of Someone to Remember
“We’ll be there for her. Every step of the way.”
I nod because that’s all I’m capable of right now. I ache for Taylor, knowing all too well what’s ahead in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
Five
Iris
At home, I go through the motions of packing up the kids for a night with Aunt Roni, Uncle Derek and the kids, whom they love. I hated to ask them so last minute, but I knew the kids would be excited about going there, and I want them to be happy so I can focus on whatever Taylor needs.
I’m in Sophia and Laney’s room, trying to pack for them while my mind races with a million other thoughts. Having to tell our friends this news is killing me, but I can’t let them hear about it from others. Will’s accident has been all over the news, and it wouldn’t take much to draw a line from that story to Taylor.
Wynter returns my call as I’m zipping the girls’ bag shut. She’s laughing when I take the call. “Xavier just said fuck, and Adrian islosingit.”
Under normal circumstances, I’d be laughing right along with her. She’s one of our biggest success stories among the Wild Widows. But right now, I’m barely holding it together.
“What’s wrong, Iris?”
“I’m afraid I have some upsetting news about a widowfriend. Do you remember meeting Taylor and Will at my cookout last summer?”
“Of course. She’s having another baby soon, right?”
“Yes, she is.” God, this sucks. It took forever for Wynter to buy in to the hope and optimism we sell and to believe she could rebuild her life after losing her young husband, Jaden, to cancer. Now she’s happily married to Adrian, his son, Xavier, and her and Jaden’s daughter, Willow.
“Is the baby okay?”
“Yeah, all is well there, but, honey… Will was killed in an accident at work last night.”
“What?” The word comes out as one long exhale. “Is she… Her kids…Fuck.”
“Yeah, it’s a nightmare. I didn’t want you to hear it on the news.”
“A guy Adrian knows played basketball with him. He said his friend was killed on the job and had a baby on the way. I didn’t connect him to Taylor… God, Iris.”
“I know.”
“What should we do?”
“She’ll need us when she’s ready.”
“She won’t want us and our toxic positivity.”
“I think she will eventually.”
“I don’t know… What reason would she have to believe in our bullshit anymore? Why would any of us believe in it if something like this can happen?”
“As Gage said, we have more of a chance of being struck by lightning or winning Powerball than being widowed twice in a lifetime.”
“I don’t know… This is like the last fucking thing I needed to hear. Right when I’m starting to have some faith in the future again.”
“I know, honey. I’m sorry to have to tell you this news. I wanted you to hear it from me, and I want you to hear this, too… When Taylor and I talk about the Wild Widows, which wedo once in a while, even though she isn’t active anymore, we always say you’re our proudest success story.”
“What?Me?Why me? She barely knows me!”
“Oh, Wynter,” I say on a sigh. “I wish I had video of who you were when you first joined us so I could show you how far you’ve come. You were so angry and bitter and entertaining suicidal ideation and generally convinced your life was over because Jaden died.”
She has nothing to say to that, so I continue. “And now… you’ve found the courage to have Willow and to love Adrian and Xavier and to build a whole new life for yourself.”
“For all the good it’ll do me if they can end up dead, too.”
