by Naomi Niles
“Is she…like how she used to be?” Sam asked awkwardly.
“In some ways yes,” I nodded. “But she’s changed, too.”
“Did she ask about any of us?”
I smiled. “She asked about all of you,” I said. “She loves us, you know – she didn’t leave because she wanted to.”
There was a pause. “I… I’d like to hear her story.”
“You will,” I said. “Just be a little patient, and you’ll soon understand.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” he said, after a moment. “I’m not quite as forgiving as you can be.”
I smiled. “Give her a chance, Sam,” I advised gently. “Sometimes life throws tough choices your way, and you just do the best you can. Mom did what she thought was best – for all of us.”
Sam sighed deeply. “I’ll try,” he said. “Has no one told Talen yet?”
“I haven’t spoken to Talen in weeks,” I admitted. “Longer, probably… I tried calling awhile back, but there was no answer.”
“He’ll get around to returning our calls when he’s good and ready,” Sam replied, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
“Yup,” I nodded. “Anyway, I’ve got a few more consultations to get to, little bro. Thanks for the advice.”
“Be honest – it was better than what Pete would have given you, right?”
I laughed. “I’m gonna plead the fifth on that one.”
“Don’t be a pussy.”
“Goodbye, Sam.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Sam yelled before I could cut the line. “See ya, Doctor Frankenstein.”
Smiling, I headed to Zackary’s office. I had to wait five minutes in there alone before he showed up after a consultation.
“John!” he said. “What brings you here?”
“I wanted to speak to you about that offer you made me a few weeks ago.”
“Thought it through, did you?” he asked, his expression turning immediately hopeful.
“I did.”
“And?” he asked. “Am I going to like you answer or not?”
I smiled and stretched my hand out to him. “I’d like to come on board, if you’re still willing to have me.”
“Ha!” Zackary crowed, with delight. “That’s great news. I’m glad to welcome you into the fray.”
“I’m glad to be a part of the fray,” I said.
“It’s going to require a lot of adjustment on your part,” Zackary warned me.
“I’m aware,” I nodded. “But I think it’s time for an adjustment. It’s going to be difficult to leave Colorado, but I think it’s the right decision.”
“Have you shared the news with your family yet?”
“No,” I said. “I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Well, I’m sure they’ll be happy for you.”
“I think so, too,” I nodded, feeling a little nervous about my new decision.
“Excellent,” Zackary smiled. “Then we’ll discuss everything at length this weekend. How does that sound?”
“Perfect,” I nodded.
After that, the distraction that had clouded my mind through the morning dissipated completely and I actually ended up enjoying the rest of my day. After work, I decided to drive over to Mom’s house. It was a strange feeling, to know where she was and to know that I could see and speak to her anytime I wanted.
She answered the door with a smile on her face.
“JJ,” she greeted. “What a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I’m sorry, I know it’s late, but… Are you busy?”
“Not at all,” she said quickly. “I’m delighted you’re here…at whatever time.”
“Have you eaten yet?” I said. “Because I’d like to take you out to dinner.”
“Oh,” Alice seemed surprised by the request, but she looked game for it, too. “Do you have any place in mind?”
“I do actually,” I said, thinking of Kami. “And, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kami
I glanced at the time. It was closing in on twelve o’clock, but I was barely feeing tired. It had been a good night. We’d had a full house, as usual, and I had gotten a lot of compliments about my new menu. I had even gone into the restaurant to speak to a couple of customers.
I was cleaning up in the kitchen when Haley walked in and bumped me on the head.
“Hey,” I said. “What was that for?”
“I know it’s late, but we have two more customers,” she said with a suspicious smile on her face.
I frowned at her. “It’s almost twelve; we’re not accepting any new diners.”
“I think we should accept these two.”
I pushed the kitchen door open slightly so that I could peek out. I saw JJ sitting at a table in dark jeans and a black shirt. He looked particularly good, and I suppressed a sigh as I closed the door on him.
“What’s he doing here?”
“I assume he came for dinner,” Haley said. “And considering the time I’m thinking he knew he’d only be able to have a conversation with you if he came at this time.”
“Well, I don’t think I have the energy for a long conversation with him about…everything.”
“You didn’t notice who he was with, did you?”
I frowned again. “I couldn’t see from that angle.”
“Take another look,” Haley prompted.
I peeked out of the kitchen door again, and this time I saw the woman sitting at the table with JJ. She had his hazel eyes and his coloring, and possibly even his smile.
“Is that who I think it is?”
“I think he wants to introduce you to his mother,” Haley said. “Big step, if you ask me.”
“I can’t not go out there now,” I said.
She nodded. “Oh, go on,” she said. “He’s making an effort, and he did apologize about springing all those plans on you the other day.”
I felt myself soften towards him. “It’s not fair. Why does he have to look so damn good?”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Oh, what problems you have: my boyfriend is too damn hot.”
I smiled. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
Haley shook her head. “He asked you to move in with him. He asked you to relocate with him. He’s shared his family secrets with you. And, he’s brought his mother over to meet you. I think it’s safe to call him your boyfriend at this point.”
I smiled a little and checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror before I headed out. As I approached their table, I was struck by the realization that I was the first woman JJ was introducing to his mother.
“Hello,” I said.
JJ rose the moment he saw me, and his mother did, too. “Hello, Kami,” she said, taking the reins. “I’m Alice, JJ’s mother. I’ve heard so much about you in a short time. I’m thrilled to meet you.”
“I’m thrilled to meet you, too,” I said.
I expected a handshake, but she leaned in to give me a hug. I met JJ’s eyes over her shoulder, and he smiled at me.
“I know it’s late,” he said. “But—”
“No, it’s fine,” I said, cutting him off. “Please, sit down.”
Alice turned to me, and I was struck by how young she looked. I knew she had had JJ when she was a teenager, but it was still jarring to see how youthful she was. She looked closer to forty than to fifty.
“You know, I’ve actually heard about this restaurant,” Alice said. “But getting a table here is so difficult.”
“Well, you won’t have to worry about that from now on,” I assured her.
Alice smiled. She looked at me carefully for a moment, and I felt myself blush under her gaze. “You have no idea how special this moment is for me,” she said, after a small pause. “To be introduced to someone my son cares so much about. I never thought I’d ever get to experience these kinds of moments.”
I hesitated, unsure of what to say and unsure of
how much JJ had told Alice I knew. “I assume JJ told you about our past?” Alice asked, cutting to the chase.
“I… Well, yes,” I nodded, glancing at JJ. “He did.”
“I know I must have seemed like a terrible mother—”
“He explained to me why you left,” I told her. “And, I think I would have done the same. Sometimes certain choices aren’t always straightforward.”
Alice smiled, and then she glanced around the restaurant. “You should be very proud of what you’ve built, Kami,” she said. “It’s an impressive thing for two young women to do on their own with no support.”
“I am proud,” I nodded, feeling an instant connection with Alice. She had the kind of maternal touch that seemed to impact everyone around her. I instantly missed my own mother. “I just wish… Sometimes I wish my mother had seen what Haley and I managed to accomplish.”
Alice’s smile was sad, but understanding. “You’ll drive yourself crazy thinking like that, darling. I used to do it, too. I used to think about all the things I was missing out on: all the birthdays, the holidays, school events, and milestones. And I used to hate myself because of it.
“But in the end, what’s happened has happened. Just have faith that if your mother had been here, she would have been extremely proud and extremely happy.”
I nodded. “I’ll have to cultivate that skill.”
“Oh, it is a skill,” Alice nodded. “Make no mistake, you have to work at it.”
“Maybe I’ll just come to you for tips,” I smiled.
“Please do,” she nodded. “You can call me anytime.”
I could feel JJ’s eyes on my face, and I remembered that they had come here for dinner. “Oh God,” I said, standing up. “Dinner… I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about that…” Alice started to say.
“No, I insist,” I said. “This dinner is completely on me, by the way. Now, let me tell you our options. We have a crispy skin duck with roasted potatoes and a red wine caramel jus. We have salmon pasta in creamy garlic sauce, and we have fried rice with charred eggplant, and paprika chicken. We had two more options, but I’m afraid we sold out for the night.”
“That’s quite the menu,” Alice said admiringly. “I don’t think I can say no to the salmon pasta, though.”
“Excellent,” I said. “JJ?”
“Fried rice please,” he replied.
I nodded and excused myself as I made my way into the kitchen. Haley left me in the kitchen and went outside to chat with JJ and Alice. I was just starting on preparations for both dishes when JJ walked into the kitchen.
“Hi,” he said, his smile was a little cautious.
“Hi,” I replied.
We stared at each other for a moment, and then we both started speaking at the exact same time. “Please,” JJ said. “Let me go first.”
“Okay,” I nodded.
“I’m sorry about the other day. I wasn’t thinking. It was extremely insensitive of me to bring it up the way I did, and it was also wrong of me not to consider your feelings about everything I was asking of you.”
The forgiveness came easily at his words. I should have known he was not the kind of guy who’d make everything my problem. He was the kind of man who took responsibility for his actions and owned up to things when he was wrong.
“I’m sorry, too,” I said. “I should have replied to your text.”
“I understood,” he said. “It was a lot to take in.”
I smiled. “You’re a really great guy, JJ,” I said, feeling a little bubble of sadness about what I had to tell him. “You’re the only man who’s ever treated me well, actually.
“But the thing is… I can’t leave California. My home is here, my sister is here, and my business is here. Haley started all this up, but I have to help her see it through. Not just for her sake, but for mine.”
“I understand,” JJ said, holding up his hands. “I completely understand. I mean… I didn’t think things through at first. But now that I have, it doesn’t make sense for you to leave California. In fact, it makes much more sense the other way around.”
“The…other way around?” I repeated in confusion.
“My mentor offered to make me partner at the clinic,” JJ said. “And, I just accepted his offer – today, actually.”
“You accepted a job offer in California?” I asked, trying to make sure I understood right.
He smiled. “Yes,” he nodded. “Looks like I’m the one who’s going to be doing the relocating.”
I just stared at him for a moment, dumbstruck by the news. He looked at me with raised eyebrows and then he laughed. “Say something, Kami,” he said. “Because the only thing that would throw a wrench into the works is if you said you weren’t happy about that decision.”
I burst out laughing and jumped into JJ’s arms. “How could I not be happy?” I demanded. “That is the best news I’ve got in ages.”
“Really?”
“Really,” I nodded. I kissed him hard on the lips, but even when I pulled away, I kept my arms firmly wrapped around his shoulders. “You’re actually moving here – permanently?”
“Permanently,” he confirmed. “That’s the plan.”
“I can’t quite believe it.”
“Neither can I, actually,” JJ said. “It’s a big move.”
“It is,” I said, sobering a little as I pulled away from him. “Are you sure you’re making the right decision? I mean, are you sure you’re doing this for the right reasons?”
“I am a hundred percent sure you are the right reason,” he said fervently. “Everything else I can deal with.”
“You’ll be leaving behind your brothers,” I pointed out, knowing how close he was to all of them.
He shrugged. “They’ll survive without me,” he smiled. “It’s about time we each start to develop our own lives, anyway. Alan has, Peter has, and I think they’re both better off because of it. It’s just my turn. And the woman I love happens to live in California. So that’s where I’m going to be.”
I froze in place for a moment, taken aback by the unexpected beauty of his admission. “The… The woman you love?” I repeated. The sound of those words was like music to my ears.
He smiled at me without the slightest trace of embarrassment or self-consciousness. “The woman I love,” he nodded. “Does that scare you?”
“A little,” I admitted. “But in the best way possible.”
JJ winked at me and drew me in for another kiss. I was the one who was forced to break it. “Stop distracting me, otherwise I’ll never get this dinner ready.”
He laughed. “You’re right. How rude of me. How can I make it up to you?”
“You could help me out here,” I suggested.
“Done,” he nodded willingly.
“By the way…”
“Yes?” JJ asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Your mother is wonderful,” I said. “I really, really like her.”
JJ’s smiled turned even brighter. “I knew you’d like her. And, I knew she’d love you, too.”
“It’s easy to talk to her.”
“I’ve found that, too,” he nodded. “It feels like my family is finally coming together…after all these years.”
“Funny,” I said. “I was about to say the same thing.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
JJ
“So, JJ,” Haley said as I grabbed Kami’s bag off the conveyer belt.
“Yes?”
“How hot are your brothers exactly?” she asked. “Like medium hot or spicy chili peppers hot?”
I laughed and shook my head at her. “I’ll leave that up to you to decide, Haley,” I said. “You should know that two of them are already taken, though.”
“Sigh, just my luck. It’ll probably be the best-looking two, as well. Can’t catch a break lately.”
“Stop teasing him,” Kami said as she linked her arm around mine. “This is going to be a really long week if you insist o
n hitting on JJ’s brothers.”
“I’m trying to make it interesting.”
We changed the topic as Mom joined us from the restroom. She looked a little flushed, and her eyes kept darting around the airport frantically. I could tell she was nervous about seeing everyone.
I had to admit, I was a little nervous myself. No one knew that Mom was joining me on this trip. In fact, they didn’t even know that I was bringing Haley and Kami. I had wanted it to be a surprise, but in hindsight, I wasn’t sure why I had thought that would be a good idea.
Haley and Kami were one thing, but to spring the mother who had disappeared on us sixteen years ago was a different story altogether. Kami seemed to be aware of Mom’s discomfort. She put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.
“Don’t overthink,” she said softly. “It’s going to be All right.”
She gave Kami a tentative smile. “Maybe it’s best that I check into a motel somewhere. I could meet your brothers tomorrow,” she said, looking at me imploringly.
“No way,” I said firmly. “You are definitely staying at the house with us.”
“You should have at least told them I was coming,” she said, biting her lower lip. “I don’t want them to be…unprepared.”
She said unprepared, but I knew that what she really meant was unhappy. She didn’t want them to be unhappy about her sudden appearance. I wanted to tell her everything was going to be fine, but I didn’t want to make promises I couldn’t keep. I was fairly sure Alan and Peter would be happy. I wasn’t quite sure about Sam, and I had no clue what to expect from Talen. My one consolation was that Talen probably wouldn’t be at the house when we showed up. I was actually hoping that would be the case.
“Come on,” I said, patting Mom on the back. “And have a little faith.”
We walked through the airport and through the sliding doors to where small groups of people were waiting for loved ones and family members. I spotted Sam immediately. He was at the front, holding up a sign that read “Doctor Titty-toucher.” The moment he spotted the small group of women I had with me, he turned chalk-pale, balked a little. Then he attempted to get rid of his sign before they could see it.
He had just managed to dispose of it when I reached him. “Nice sign,” I said, grabbing him for a hug.