wants to join the family business and thinks if we get a store that’s a little farther west, we’ll get even more customers. Right now, for the first time, we have people booked out for three months.”
“Three months? That’s amazing.”
“I know. Theo’s been making ads and joining all these breakfast groups, and they bought the wrecker, so now they’re towing people. Your dad was up at five a.m., towing some idiot who missed the guardrail.” I think of Liv’s mom.
“Was the driver okay?”
“Luckily, yes.”
A heavy dose of melancholy hits me, making me miss our small kitchen table that we crammed around each night and talked as a family. I miss knowing the ins and outs—something I never fully appreciated when it was happening. “Hey, Ma, if you’d adopted Theo or me, would you have told us?”
“What?” she shrieks.
“I’m not accusing you. I’m just asking.”
She’s silent. “I don’t know. I mean, I think so. Maybe? I wouldn’t want to hide it from you because I would want you to know there was nothing to be ashamed of, and I wouldn’t want to keep secrets from you, but … maybe not? I wouldn’t want you to doubt you weren’t every bit my son just because you didn’t come from my womb. I would raise you like you were my blood and fight for you and die for you just like you were mine. And I wouldn’t want you to question if someone had abandoned you or that you weren’t good enough because someone didn’t keep you…” she sighs. “I don’t know. Why? What’s got you asking that question?”
“A friend discovered that her mother might not actually be her mom.”
She sighs again. “That would be my top fear for not telling. I can’t imagine what she’s going through. I hope that she understands that love sometimes makes us all do crazy things.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely in her head right now.”
“A her friend, huh?”
“Just a friend, Ma.”
“Your dad and I were friends before we dated. It’s better that way. You have a strong foundation, so that when things crumble—because they always do—you don’t break apart.”
“You’re reading too much into this.”
She laughs. “That’s my job as your mother.”
“How are things for you?” I ask. “How’s the neighborhood?”
“Good. Your Dad’s been working so much. I’ve got a box full of invoices to send out. Theo’s teaching me how to send them electronically, which is making me feel very old.”
I laugh. “You’re not old.”
“We made Taylor ham, eggs, and cheese rolls tonight, and it had us talking about you. Dad said we should try sending you a cooler with some Taylor ham and some dry ice and see if it makes it.”
“If you’re going to do that, you’ve got to wait and send some tomatoes. The west coast doesn’t know what tomatoes are supposed to taste like.”
“What about their corn?”
“Not even close.”
“There’s no place like home.” I can picture her smiling.
“I’ve got to get some homework done before I call it a night. I just wanted to call and see how you were doing and tell you I love you.”
“I love you too, Arlo. Take care, and be gentle with your girl friend, who’s just a friend. I’m sure she’s going through a lot right now.”
“Night, Mom.”
My hour of homework stretches to two as I get distracted thinking of Liv’s situation.
Me: Tomorrow’s supposed to be nice. What time are your classes? Do you work?
Liv: I have three classes tomorrow and work. Thursdays are busy.
Me: That’s right. Your first class is at 10, right?
Liv: 10:30
Me: Want to get breakfast?
Liv: I can’t. I’m going to breakfast with Whitney and some other people from work for her birthday and then I have dinner at her and my dad’s house later.
Liv: You can come to dinner if you want.
Liv: I don’t know if that’s weird for you with my dad, but it shouldn’t be. Rose is coming.
The idea of seeing Coach Harris outside of practice is strange. I’ve spent plenty of time with him as we’ve traveled to games, dined with him, talked with him about classes—but I realized upon meeting Liv that most of our conversations have been about sports and shit that doesn’t matter considering I had no idea she even existed. Then I wonder if that was intentional—if he didn’t tell us about her to protect her from the type of horny guys who could always use an extra reason for the coach to play them above another player.
Me: I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Your dad’s