by Annie Rains
“Don’t worry. We will all be signing up,” Edna told Emma, gazing over the group with a stern motherly look that told those around her they better agree. She was just as tough as her police chief grandson.
“I appreciate it.” Emma offered a smile to her friends, hoping the subject would turn to someone else because she didn’t necessarily like being the center of attention.
“So,” Edna said, loud enough to gain everyone’s attention, “tell us about your new beau, Emma.”
Emma squirmed as everyone faced her once more. So much for not being the center of attention tonight.
“It’s not what you think, everyone,” Sophie told them before Emma could figure out what to say.
Emma felt her heart stop. She spun around to look at Sophie behind her, hoping to catch Sophie’s eye and stop her from spilling what was supposed to be a secret. Sophie wasn’t looking at her though.
“It’s all pretend,” Sophie told the ladies. “Jack is caring for his nephew this summer. He’s worried about his sister, so Emma and Jack let Amanda believe that they were dating for some reason. I don’t really get it, but it’s just pretend.”
Emma let her face fall into her hands. “Sophie,” she said, “I told you not to tell anyone.”
Sophie looked over. “You did? I thought you were only keeping it a secret from Sam so he wouldn’t tell Amanda, who doesn’t even live here.”
Emma shook her head. “No, but Jack and Amanda’s mom does. And his aunts and uncles. And word travels at light speed around here.”
Edna put a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Oh, I was so thrilled when I heard that you and Jack were the town’s newest item. I’m sad to hear it isn’t true.”
“I’m sorry, Edna. But this secret stays in this room.” Emma looked around. She could trust Kaitlyn and Josie to keep her secret. Brenna too. It was mainly Dawanda, Edna, and Janice that worried her. Between the three of them, they’d told her many a secret that she wasn’t supposed to know.
“Jack has always been overprotective of his sister,” Dawanda told the group. “He’s such a sweetie. Handsome too. If I were you, I’d milk this pretend relationship for all it’s worth,” she told Emma. Then she pretended to zip her lips. “Don’t worry about me. I won’t tell a soul. I promise.”
Emma exhaled. “Thank you. It’s just a few weeks, and neither of us are interested in dating anyone or having a real relationship anyway. It’s kind of fun having someone I can call to do things like Music in the Park with.”
“That is the nice part of being half of a couple. You’re never alone. That’s also the downside,” Kaitlyn said. “Especially when you own a bed and breakfast.”
Everyone laughed.
Then Dawanda stood and got everyone’s attention. “Notice the table set up in the back? I’m doing cappuccino readings tonight,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “And since we’re all focused on Emma’s personal life right now, I suggest she come to the cup first.”
Emma’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, I don’t know, Dawanda.” But Dawanda grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the table, as all the women started insisting.
Emma followed Dawanda to the back of the room, searching for a way out of this. When she couldn’t find one, she told herself that this was all in fun. No big deal. Relax.
She sat down at the table and watched Dawanda and Kaitlyn hurry around, gathering the needed supplies. A mug with a handle. Coffee. Steaming milk.
“I don’t suggest you actually drink that,” Janice said, standing near the table. “You’ll never get to sleep tonight.”
“She doesn’t have to drink it,” Dawanda offered. “But this is caffeine-free so she can if she wants to.”
“Sounds like you thought of everything.” Emma inhaled deeply, her nerves suddenly on edge. She didn’t want to know what her future held. The future was a scary thing. What if hers was destined to be short and incomplete like her mom’s and grandma’s?
Dawanda slid the cup in front of Emma, turning the handle to point directly at Emma’s chest, and then ceremoniously poured the steaming milk into the beverage’s center. The crowd closed in to watch. The fudge shop owner leaned in over the cup, her blue eyes pinned to the white froth that moved slowly, forming shapeless blobs. At least they were shapeless if you asked Emma.
“Hmm,” Dawanda hummed.
“What? What is it?” Emma asked, even though she really didn’t want to know.
Dawanda concentrated, unblinking, her breaths shallow as she studied the foam. “I see a rose.” She pointed at one of the circular blobs that did kind of look like a rose with a thin jagged line traveling down the cup. “A rose blooms in the spring and summer, but the petals fall away in the winter months. It’s as beautiful as it is painful. You can look, but be careful grabbing that kind of flower.”
Emma shook her head. What was that supposed to mean?
As if hearing her thoughts, Edna said, “What the heck does that mean, Dawanda?”
Dawanda straightened and blinked as if she were exiting a trance. Her gaze fell on Emma, the look in her eyes making Emma feel a knot of dread in the center of her chest. “Emma is blooming this summer, and it’s going to be beautiful,” she finally said.
But there was more that Dawanda wasn’t saying. It would be short-lived, and winter was sure to come.
“What happens after summer?” Emma asked.
Dawanda reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “We all have seasons. The thing about roses is that they’re resilient. They come back year after year, stronger and more vibrant every time.”
“Can’t get rid of them even if you wanted to,” Janice agreed from the group, making a few women laugh.
Emma didn’t feel like laughing though. Instead, something about her reading left her feeling unsettled.
* * *
Jack needed to go home and shower after a long, hot summer day in the park. He was overdue to visit his mom though. He hadn’t seen her since he’d stopped by to get the box of Jenny St. James’s things to give to Emma on her birthday last week.
Jack pulled into his mother’s driveway and cut the engine. Since divorcing his father almost a decade ago, his mom had lived alone. She worked part-time as a dental assistant and spent the rest of her time tending to her garden. Sam would’ve gone stir-crazy staying with his grandmother this summer, even more so than he was with Jack.
“Mom?” Jack called, opening her front door and stepping inside. “It’s Jack.”
“In the kitchen,” she answered back.
Jack headed in that direction, finding her sitting on a stool at the kitchen island. She set down the book she was reading and pulled off her reading glasses.
“I didn’t know you were stopping by this afternoon.”
Jack shrugged as he dipped to hug her. “Just checking on you.”
She tsked. “No need. I’m fine, but it’s always nice to see you. Where’s Sam?”
“With friends. I’ll have him stop in to say hello tomorrow.”
His mom nodded. “Good. I’ll bake him some cookies.” She lifted a brow. “Yes, I know he’s not a kid anymore, but I remember how much teenagers eat.”
Jack chuckled and then noticed that his mom was wearing a nice pair of pants and new top. “You look like you’re going somewhere. Hot date?” he asked, teasing, but he also wouldn’t mind seeing his mom get back out there. She didn’t need to be alone forever.
“Yes, in fact. I’m leaving in ten minutes. There’s an AA group tonight.”
Jack ran a hand through his hair. It’d been years since the divorce. He’d understood why she attended those meetings when she was still married to his father, but his mom had never stopped attending. She was as loyal to attending the AA meetings as she was her weekly Bible study. “I see.”
“No, I don’t think you do,” she said, standing and walking to the cabinet. She pulled out a glass and carried it to the counter. “Sweet tea?” she asked.
“You know me. Can’t turn down liqui
d sugar.”
This made her laugh. “Sometimes I can help someone at the group with my story. Sometimes the group still helps me.” She poured Jack a glass of tea and handed it over. “I spoke to Amanda today, by the way.”
“So did I.” He took a sip of his tea.
“She sounds good. I’m glad.”
“Me too,” Jack said.
“And you look good,” his mother said.
“I feel as good as I look.” He winked at his mom, making her laugh again. After all she’d been through in life, she still loved and laughed easily.
“Come with me to the meeting tonight,” she said, her expression turning serious.
Jack started backing up. If he’d known it was her AA meeting night, he wouldn’t have stopped by. This wasn’t the first time she’d asked him to go. He’d gone with her before. When he’d first stopped drinking, he’d also attended a group outside of town. “I don’t think so, Mom. I’m tired and sweaty,” he said.
“It’s only an hour. And it’ll be good right now. Amanda is seeking treatment, and whether you realize it or not, that could bring up issues for you. Or memories of your dad. I know it does for me.” His mom’s gaze dropped, her happy demeanor turning crestfallen for a moment.
Ah, geez. He couldn’t say no now. “Okay, Mom. I’ll go with you.”
She looked up and smiled. “Oh, I’m so happy.” Then she patted his chest. “You are a good son. But you really are sweaty. You have spare clothes in the guest room. Go change into those,” she said, making Jack laugh.
He took another sip of his tea and then set his glass down. “Fine. I’ll be right back,” he told her, heading toward the back bedroom. He changed, splashed some cold water on his face, and then headed back into the kitchen. “I’ll drive.”
* * *
For the next hour and a half, Jack listened to people of various backgrounds share their stories, some of which sounded similar to his own. He could relate to everyone in the room. He’d been the son, the brother, and the alcoholic himself. He didn’t say a word as he sat with his mom. He just listened. When it was over, he stood and walked out to the parking lot.
“Sometimes it’s good to know that you’re not alone,” his mother said on the ride back.
Jack glanced over. “You have me, Mom. You’re not alone.”
She patted his shoulder. “I know that. But I was talking about you not being alone,” she said. “You were always that kid who took care of himself. And who took care of everyone around him. It’s good for you to know that you’re not alone.”
Jack stared at the road ahead. Her words sucker punched him in the gut. She was right. He was the guy who carried his own burdens. Why shouldn’t he? “Okay,” he finally said.
“I’ll cook dinner before we go next time. Would that be nice?” his mom asked.
Jack shook his head. “Is that your not-so-subtle way of asking me to attend another AA meeting with you?”
She laughed easily. “I guess it is.”
Jack pulled up to a stop sign and turned onto her road. “Have you ever known me to turn down one of your home-cooked meals?”
“No, I haven’t,” she said.
He nodded. “I’m not going to start now. I’ll be there.”
* * *
Early the next week, Emma scrolled over the website she’d designed for the first annual event. One hundred fourteen people had already signed up for Jenny’s Wellness Walk for Women. Given that the website had just gone up and was already doing this well, she was thrilled. That meant she’d already raised over a thousand dollars for the WWC minus costs.
She admired the site a little more. It was simple with a mission statement on the home page, a picture of her mom, and a paragraph detailing her mom’s story. Then there was a sign-up page and a link to donate to the cause without signing up. If she could get at least a couple of hundred people to sign up, that would be a great first year.
Her cell phone buzzed on the nightstand. Emma eyed Barnaby sound asleep in his bed before glancing at the clock. Almost midnight. Who would be texting her at this hour?
She picked up the phone to check the screen, and her body received a little jolt when she saw Jack’s name. They’d been a pretend couple for just under two weeks now, which so far had amounted to Jack coming into the café every morning, offering her a Hershey Kiss, and winking at her on his way out. It was likely all show for his nephew, but sometimes Jack did those things when Sam wasn’t even around. There was also that very real kiss on the Fourth of July.
Emma tapped her phone’s screen and opened a text from Jack.
Is Sam with you?
Emma found the text concerning. No. Why would Sam be with me?
She waited anxiously, watching the dots bounce along her screen as Jack texted back.
He’s not here, and it’s an hour past his curfew.
Emma sat up in bed, clutching her phone and watching more dots bounce.
He’s not answering my calls either.
Where was he tonight? Emma texted back.
With friends. That’s all I know, which makes me an awful caregiver.
I know a couple of his friends. They’ve been to the café to see him, she texted. But it’s late.
She waited for her phone to buzz with another incoming text, but instead her phone began to ring.
“What do I do?” Jack asked as soon as she connected the call. “Do I go look for him? Wait here for when he comes home? I can’t call everyone I know and wake them up. Can I?”
Emma wasn’t sure what to tell him. “Sam is probably fine. And if he wasn’t, someone would contact you and let you know.”
“If he’s fine, he won’t be once he gets home,” Jack threatened.
Emma knew he wasn’t serious. She’d never known Jack to be aggressive in any way. He was just scared and with good reason.
“So this is what it feels like to be a parent, huh?” he muttered. “Absolutely terrifying. Remind me to never do it for real.”
She and Jack were pretend so his future and hers weren’t intertwined. Not that she allowed herself to envision a future with a family of her own either. “I’ll call Sam. He’s not answering for you, but he might for me.”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea. Okay,” Jack agreed.
“I’ll do it now. Talk to you in a minute.” Emma said goodbye and then pulled up Sam’s contact. She tapped the number, praying that Sam would answer.
“Hello,” Sam’s voice answered on the fifth ring.
“Sam.” Relief poured through her. “Where are you? Your uncle is worried sick.”
There was a hesitation on the other end of the line.
“Sam?”
“I don’t like being lied to,” Sam said. “You guys have been lying to me all along.”
Emma’s heart flew into her throat. “What?”
“You and Uncle Jack aren’t telling me the truth,” Sam reiterated. “And I don’t want anything to do with liars.”
Chapter Thirteen
Emma blinked, her hand aching from clutching the cell phone so tightly. “Wait a minute. What do you mean we’re liars?”
Emma never should have told anyone that her relationship with Jack was a farce. Telling one person was like telling the entire town, and now Sam was upset.
“You and Uncle Jack aren’t telling me the whole story. Or any of the story. My mom isn’t on vacation this summer with her boyfriend.”
Her phone buzzed with a second caller, probably Jack, wanting to know if she’d been able to reach Sam. “Your mom?” she repeated, processing what Sam was talking about.
“I went on her Facebook page and her Instagram. If she was on vacation, why wouldn’t she be posting pictures? My mom loves to post pictures. She’s always on her phone.”
Emma shook her head. This kid was too smart for his own good. “Maybe she’s just busy. Or having a screen-free summer.”
“Yeah, right. Like every adult, she pays more attention to her screen than she does to t
he people around her.”
“That’s not true. Your uncle Jack isn’t that way. Neither am I.” And from her point of view, it was teenagers who couldn’t be separated from their electronic devices. When they came into the café, that’s mostly what the younger generation did. Instead of pulling out a book or engaging with a person nearby, they stared at their screens.
“Where’s my mom for real? I went to Reginald’s social media, and he’s posting all kinds of pictures, but none of them are with her. In fact, he’s with some other lady. Not my mom. What’s going on?” Sam demanded. “Why am I being lied to?”
Emma didn’t know how to answer. “This is something you need to discuss with Jack, not me. I know he’s been trying to call you, and he’s worried about you right now. Call him and ask him these questions. Or better yet, go back to his place and do it in person.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line. “I want you to be there,” Sam said.
“Me? Why do you want me there?” Emma asked.
“I don’t know. He’ll get mad because I didn’t make curfew and…I just need someone to make him listen to me. In case he doesn’t.”
“He will. Of course he will.”
Sam grunted. “I’m not going back unless you agree to be there.”
Emma didn’t really have a choice. “Okay. I’ll pick you up. How about that? Where are you?”
“I’m at the parking lot behind your café. It’s good skateboarding turf.”
Emma stood and started looking for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt to pull on. “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Don’t leave.”
She disconnected the call and dialed Jack.
“Hi,” she said as she dressed. “I just spoke to Sam. I’m going to pick him up and take him home.”
“I can do that,” Jack said.
Emma grabbed a brush with her other hand. “He asked me to. He wants me to be there to moderate your conversation tonight.”
