Chapter Twenty-One
Evie
The next morning, I was getting Carter ready for the ball game with Colton. I texted Veronica last night that Carter wouldn’t make it for the movie. She was disappointed, but her mood seemed to brighten a bit when I offered to meet her for coffee this afternoon.
At around noon, Colton arrived to pick up Carter. My son’s eyes bugged out of his head when he saw the black town car waiting for him at our doorstep.
“You’re like famous aren’t you, Colton?” my son asked.
Colton shrugged. “I guess that’s one way of looking at it.”
Carter waved him off. “Don’t worry; I won’t hold it against you.”
I felt a little embarrassed by my son’s words, but Colton thought he was hysterical as he broke into a full out laugh. I also couldn’t keep my eyes off him in the blue jeans that hugged his behind or the plain T-shirt that showed off his very muscular arms. I was kicking myself for not going. I was missing out on an afternoon of Colton Mathis eye candy.
“You have fun,” I said, hoping they could hear me as they entered the Town Car. They both turned to wave at me. Colton said he was taking Carter for lunch before the game. He said it was a perfect place for a foodie. I guess I’d hear all about it when my son came home later on.
With the house all to myself, I took some time to tidy up and change the bed sheets. By one o’clock I was ready to leave the house to meet Veronica. I had a lot of questions for her and this time I promised myself I wouldn’t hold back. Growing up I had lots of questions for Grandpa Jack about my father who I barely knew and about my mother too. My father was an engineering student when he met my mother. They dated for a while, and she got pregnant. My father was all about doing the right thing, so he married her. I came along, and things were tense between them. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be a mom, and my dad convinced her not to have an abortion. My dad got sick and died, and my mom was left with a kid she never really wanted. I think my deafness just made her role all the more difficult. I sometimes wondered if Grandpa Jack wasn’t a little biased against my mother because he didn’t think highly of her.
Those are answers I’ll never have. Maybe that’s why I’m digging for information for Jake. He should know the truth about his parents and his past. I received a message from Jake last night expressing his displeasure with me allowing Carter to go to the ball game with Colton. He’s worried about Carter getting too attached to Colton when things aren’t serious between us. When I told him things were serious, that we were in a committed relationship, he backed off, although I still sensed his displeasure.
I step out of the Uber along the curb at one of the posh coffee places in The Loop. Veronica is already here waiting for me outside.
She waves to me. I walk up to her and embrace her in a hug. When we pull away from each other, she signs how happy she is to see me.
“I’m glad you’re here too. I’m sorry about today, but Carter was so excited about the baseball game.”
“Not a big deal at all. I know how much he loves baseball. Although I thought baseball was something he did with Jake,” she says, and it feels a little like a dig. Her unease about Colton saddens me. I wonder if this is her way of staking a territorial claim for her son. Baseball has always been something Jake and Carter have bonded with over the years.
“It’s just one game. It doesn’t mean he won’t want to go to baseball games with Jake,” I retort as we walk into the coffee shop. The smell of fresh pastries assaults my senses and my stomach grumbles. There’s a long line of course. There usually is here. I guess it’s worth the wait for one of their biscotti or maybe I should have a warm croissant.
“Yes, but Jake doesn’t go on a field to pitch a ball or get front row seats. How can my son compete with that?” she says and it throws me off. I’ve never seen this side of Veronica. I mean I know she’s protective over Jake but never with me. I’m not a threat.
“Carter loves spending time with his dad. I don’t think he cares where he sits. This is just a different experience for him. A good experience. He’ll have a nice day. It shouldn’t bother you,” I say while eyeing her. Something seems off with her.
I watch her take a long breath. “I guess.” Her lips twist with displeasure.
“What are you having?” I ask looking back at her.
“Oh no I invited you for coffee today, it’s my treat,” she smiles. I place my order of a café au lait with a chocolate almond biscotti and Veronica orders an extra-large double macchiato.
With our coffees in hand, we take a seat by the window sitting across from each other.
“It’s so nice to have you here.” I smile at her wanting to ease the tension between us.
“I’m glad to be back. It’s been so long.” Her eyes seem tired and set with worry. “I missed you guys when I was out in California. I guess I just needed a change, or maybe a break. I don’t know.” She shrugs her shoulders. “My life isn’t interesting. Tell me what’s going on with you.” She takes a sip of her coffee and waits for my answer.
“Not much, everything’s the same. The school year will end soon. Getting the classes ready to write exams. I have a class first period this semester, so I feel like I’m always rushing to school.” I mutter matter of factly. Even though I sense that’s not what she wants to know.
“And you are in a new relationship.” She seems to want to pull the words out of me. Problem is I sense her disapproval which makes me want to shut down. It’s crazy though because this isn’t the first conversation I’ve had with Veronica about a guy. I remember back in high school when she gave me the talk about the birds and the bees. She said she couldn’t picture Grandpa Jack getting into specifics with me and she was right, Grandpa’s only words were ‘don’t date. Let’s just make life easy. Relationships are complicated. And with those last words, he went on to watch the six o’clock news. Veronica, on the other hand, knew about my first kiss, when I was dating someone and when we broke up. When Jake and I told her I was pregnant with his baby she cried and said she always hoped deep down that we would get together. She was disappointed when she realized we wouldn’t be getting together but she didn’t show it. She was supportive through my pregnancy and was a huge help when Carter was born. I wouldn’t have gotten through those first months without her. Especially since she babysat a lot which allowed me to finish my classes, do my homework, and get my degree. She loved living in LA, but she moved across the country to help out. Once we settled in, she moved back to LA.
“There’s that too,” I say about dating Colton while trying to keep the dreamy look I get out of my eyes.
“You don’t need to hide your feelings, Evie. I don’t want to make you feel that you have too. I’m just watching out for you,” she signs.
“And you know I appreciate you so much. I want to be able to share things with you,” I say meaning it. This woman is the only mother I know.
“I want that too, honey.” She squeezes my hand, and I feel the love in her gaze.
“I need to ask you something,” I wince and sign at the same time. She watches me expectantly. I hate to put her on the spot, but it’s been bothering me. “The scar Jake has on his right shoulder. He said he got it from a bike accident, but it looks like a scar more from a burn.”
Her eyes widen, and she gets a deer-in-the-headlights look before they turn back down to size, and she just looks at me like I’ve lost it. “What on earth do you mean, Evie?” she asks. And I hate to say that I’m not buying into her act. Problem is I need to know now more than ever why she’s lied about it.
“Veronica, I’m no medical expert. I know Jake has never questioned where that scar came from, but I think he has the right to know.” I’m pressing, and she could tell me to mind my own business but I can’t back off, not now.
“Why is it that girls pay so much more attention to detail than boys?” she asks. Then she heaves a long breath. “I guess I knew this story would come out someday. I just figured it would be a conversation I would have with my son, not my daughter,” she says, and it isn’t the first time she’s referred to me as her daughter. She started doing that when Carter was born, and it only strengthened our connection. “When I was younger I was in a bad relationship…” she begins.
“With Jake’s father?” I ask.
“Yes, with Jake’s father. Things had been in a bad state for a long time. His name is James Mathis…” she says, and as the name registers I can’t digest what she just said, and my coffee comes flying out of my mouth as I practically jolt from my seat.
“Here,” she passes me a napkin “Now you know how I felt the other night when you said you were dating the Governor of Illinois,” she says, her hands shaking her eyes red and swelling with tears and I can now imagine how she felt.
My eyes widen, my breath hitches in my chest. My world tilts sideways as I allow her words to register. “Are you saying…what I think you’re saying?” My mind feels like mush. I can barely formulate a sentence let alone put two and two together.
“That’s right, honey.” She nods, worry painted over her entire face like a dark mask. “The man you’re dating…he’s my son.”