see it. To cope, I told myself it was simply a resident of Millville and reminded myself of how small the town was.
That was until one evening when I’d just finished with dinner and bathing my mother. I left her in her favorite chair in her bedroom to fix her plate. Bobby was asleep in his bassinet in her room while I worked on her. The doorbell rang as soon as I crossed the kitchen for the hallway.
It was strange. Aunt Sonya, Treesha, and Toya called before they came over. So, my thoughts automatically went to Ms. Thompson. Maybe she’d left something here earlier? I lay the plate on the counter and went for the door.
I didn’t recognize her at first. She was thin. Even in a big, beautiful three-quarter length fur, she was so much thinner than I’d last seen her. She was also paler, no matter how much makeup she put on. Also, her head was covered in a black turbine with a Chanel brooch pinned to the front.
“Please don’t say I can’t come in. It’s freezing out here.” Reluctantly, I moved aside to let her in. I watched her take the place in, likely paying judgment to the home I’d proudly created. “May I sit?”
“NormaJean, how the hell do you even know I exist?”
“I can explain if you’d allow me a moment off my feet.” Her smile had dimmed a lot.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
When I came back into the living room from serving my mother her dinner and checking in on the baby, NormaJean’s head swung, gazing over the walls and furniture while rubbing her arms up and down.
“I don’t have roaches or rats, if that’s what you’re worried about getting into your fur coat,” I hissed.
“I’m not. I’m just a little…curious. That’s all.”
“I’m not in your, or his, or her hair anymore, so I’ve got nothing for you to be curious about.”
“I’ve been getting updates on you for months now.”
My jaw dropped. “You had me followed?”
“It’s not the most dignified thing I’ve done, but I always have my reasons.”
“Then share with me. You want to harm my family or something, lady?”
“No!” Her head shook as she smiled. “I would never.” Then her eyes fell and danced toward the floor. “Ashton’s still not speaking to me.”
“And why should I care?” I sat back, acting bored by the information because I was.
“You shouldn’t. It was a travesty I caused.”
“What travesty?”
“You don’t know?” I shook my head. Me leaving couldn’t be the travesty because no one cared—except the athletic department who I learned, after Jimmy’s letter, had been looking for me. Trisha only had my work number and called once a month, asking me to come back. She didn’t know, I couldn’t even if I wanted to because of Bobby. I only told her I couldn’t because of my mother’s declining health. “Ashton didn’t make it to the League after all.”
My torso lurched forward and I felt sick. “He didn’t?”
“Do you watch television when you’re working at the diner?”
“How do you know I work at the diner?”
“I know a lot. Like I know the Kings couldn’t use him after his shoulder got busted and legs damaged. His legs are doing much better now with intense physical therapy. However, he’s had quite a few surgeries to repair his shoulder to normal function.”
Ashton needed his shoulders—and legs—as a quarterback. If I were still pregnant, I was sure I would have cried. I wanted to ask how he’s been, but didn’t think NormaJean was the appropriate person to ask. She hated me like Aivery did.
“Anyway.” She sighed. “So much has happened, like a domino fall, since I let my temper get the best of me last May in Ashton’s apartment.”
“Yeah. You told Aivery.”
She nodded, eyes sinking away again. “Yeah, I did. And it’s something I wish I could do over. I’ve lost my best friend…” Her head bobbed and eyes rimmed with tears. “and my health.” NormaJean’s eyes returned to me when she realized I was speechless. I had nothing to give. “My breast cancer has returned—not sure if he told you anything about it. But it’s in recurrence for the third time, and this time it’s metastasized. So, I’m back on chemo, which I fucking hate.”
I had no idea what that meant, but understood it to be bad.
“Can I see him?” she asked so softly, but with a sliver of vulnerability I didn’t think a bombshell like her was capable of.
I took my time considering it. I even