“Uncle Jake! We’re making you a smoothie so you can get big and strong!” She exclaimed proudly.
“You guys are the best.” He sat across from them at the breakfast nook, watching as his mother desperately tried not to run to him to assist. He laughed to himself, knowing it was eating her up alive. “I’m feeling good mom, go back to smoothing it up or whatever you call it.”
“Do you want to rinse the strawberries, Ava?” Deb asked as she dried her hands on a dishtowel.
“Sure.” She looked at Jake. “Don’t worry Uncle Jake, I’ll make sure I clean them good so you don’t get any germs.”
“Ava? You know what would make me feel better?”
“What?” She asked wide-eyed.
“A kiss, from my favorite niece.” He said and pushed back his stool. It took a lot of his energy but he managed to bend down and when she ran to him, he gripped the counter so he wouldn’t topple over and scare her. She pressed her lips to his cheek, emphasizing it with a smacking sound.
“Do you feel better?” She asked hopefully, her arms still wrapped around his neck.
“So much better,” Jake said before tousling her hair. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and she ran back to the sink. Jake made his way back into his seat and watched his mother set Ava up at the sink with the strawberries. When Ava was settled his mother turned to face him.
“How are you feeling?”
“Not so bad.” He lied. It had taken him twenty minutes to climb the stairs. He couldn’t sit in that room another second though. There was only so much daytime television a man could watch. Thankfully Nick had given him a journal, he passed most of his time writing and sketching when he felt strong enough to hold his head up.
“My son the warrior,” She said lovingly as she reached out and stroked his cheek. He flashed his mother a smile and tipped his hat to her. Today it was a Yankee hat. He had a nice size collection he had to admit. It actually didn’t bother him anymore that his hair was completely gone. He was a little sad that he had lost some of the hair on his eyebrows. He loved to wiggle them, but not so much anymore.
“So I crawled up the stairs to ask for your help with something.” He watched his mother’s eyes widen in fright. He chuckled, “Sorry mom, I was kidding. I climbed I swear.”
Deb clutched her chest as if her heart had jumped out of her body. “Jake, don’t joke like that!” She scolded halfheartedly.
“Okay, okay.” He repositioned his hat before splaying his hands across the counter. “Brace yourself mother.” He said jokingly, although it probably wasn’t a bad idea considering what he was about to say.
“Oh just tell me already, I’m getting grayer by the minute here.” She looked at him expectantly.
Jake shrugged his shoulders, here goes. “I want to ask Cara to marry me.” The words left his lips and he couldn’t help but smile at the sound of them.
Deb did indeed brace herself, as she gripped the counter and stared at him. Instantaneously her eyes filled, just as Jake assumed they would. He was used to the emotions that ran wild in this family. In fact he gathered would have the same reaction as their mother, genetics and all.
“You want to ask Cara to marry you?” She asked.
Jake eyed Ava over his shoulder, he didn’t want her to spill the beans, but she was too busy splashing water all over herself to pay any attention. He looked back at his mother and leaned forward. “You heard me. I’m going to ask Cara to marry me.” He smiled confidently.
His mother shrieked happily at his declaration and hurried around the counter to hug him. “Oh my God!” She sobbed causing him to chuckle. The typical Deb reaction he was expecting. “When?” She said when she pulled back and wiped at her cheeks.
“After my last dose of chemo.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know mom, but I’ve got this feeling like I’m going to be alright, like I kicked the shit out of this disease.” He smiled and it was true, he believed with his whole being that when they ran those tests, he’d be in remission or damn well close to it. He wouldn’t ask her to marry him if he thought he was going to die. He made that decision a while ago. Jake knew Cara would run to the altar if he was dying and he wasn’t about to leave her a widow at twenty-nine. He wouldn’t subject her to that.
Deb smiled brightly through her tears and nodded. “That’s my boy.” She laughed and choked out a sob at the same time. “I’m so proud of you. You have no idea.”
He smiled and took her hand. “Thank you.”
“I believe you kicked the cancer’s ass too.” She said and then pulled up a stool beside him. “Does Cara have any idea?”
“No not at all.” Jake said. They’d barely discussed marriage, especially these days. “I want her to be surprised. That’s where you come in.”