“Uh huh.” Mom piles a couple of pieces of French toast onto a plate, adds a few slices of bacon and deposits the plate directly in front of me, then pushes the maple syrup my way. “Any of this have to do with Ash not being around this morning?”
I pause, the bacon hovering in front of my parted lips. She’s got her back to me once more as she prepares a couple more pieces of French toast, I’m assuming for herself. My brain scrambles, trying to come up with an answer.
“I guess his mother reached out to him last night, wanting to meet with him this morning, and so he asked your dad and your brother to go with him,” Mom explains, her back still to me as she stands in front of the stove.
I drop the bacon on my plate, my appetite leaving me just like that. “What do you mean, he’s meeting with his mother?”
“I mean exactly what I say.” Mom places two pieces of French toast on her plate, switches off the stove burner, and then turns to face me. “They’re meeting for breakfast at Pop’s.”
“All four of them?” I can only imagine Jake sitting there watching it unfold, bored out of his mind. Dad I can definitely see wanting to help, maybe even acting as a mediator, but my brother? That’s a big ol’ nope.
“Your father and brother planned on sitting at another table nearby. They discussed it beforehand and decided Ash wouldn’t mention to his mother that they were there, just so he had backup. He was supposed to meet with her alone, but that made him nervous. He thought she might bring Don, so your dad and Jake offered to go,” Mom says, sounding perfectly logical.
But what she just said sounds perfectly terrible. I can’t believe Ash agreed to meet with his mom. Worse, I can’t believe he didn’t tell me. I’m sort of hurt. Not even a text to let me know where he’s at? I’m not his keeper or anything, but after everything we’ve shared this week, I at least deserve a message, right?
Or maybe I’m just being unreasonable.
“Jake went for a free breakfast,” I mumble as I start munching on my bacon. It turns out I’m starving, and this is the most delicious bacon I’ve had in a long time. And Mom’s French toast is to die for.
“I’m sure he did. He loves Pop’s.” They’re a local place known for their homecooked breakfasts, which everyone loves, both locals and tourists. “But don’t complain. You’re getting your favorite breakfast since they’re not here.” She smiles at me as she settles onto the stool next to mine, and I can’t help but smile in return.
We talk about last night’s game. Ava admits she wishes she tried out for cheer and I gave her a told you so look, but keep my mouth shut. It’s Mom who hits her with the I told you so.
“I’m gonna play football like Jakey and Daddy,” Beck announces, pounding the quartz counter with his fist. If Jake heard Beck call him Jakey he’d probably threaten bodily harm.
“You already do,” Ava points out, but Beck shakes his head.
“Not peewee stuff. I wanna play high school. And college. Then one day, the pros!” he yells.
“I’m sure you will,” Mom says in agreement as we all start cleaning up the kitchen, even Beck, who’s tossing all the napkins in the trash. “You’re a tank on the field.”
Beck will never be a quarterback like Dad and Jake. When he gets on the field, he just wants to mow down everyone in his path. He’s the perfect lineman.
I’m a ball of nervous energy as I help Mom wash the pans. I wish Ash were back already. I don’t like thinking of him alone with his mother, even though I know Dad and Jake are both there. Nothing bad will happen, but what if she did something terrible like…call the police?
What if they come to the restaurant and arrest him? What if they haul him off to jail? It’s Saturday, so he’d probably have to stay there the entire weekend. He’s so young. He’s only seventeen, but I bet they wouldn’t put him in juvenile hall. Nope, they’d put him in actual jail with the real criminals and he’d probably freak out and—
“Autumn, are you all right?” Mom rests a hand on my back, and I realize I’m just staring at the soapy water in the sink, my hands gripping the edge, not doing really anything.
“I’m fine.” I reach deeper into the sink and undo the plug, watching as the water slowly drains out. “Just still a little tired, I guess.”
Mom rubs my back soothingly, and I lean into her a little bit, needing the reassurance. I appreciate that she’s not making a big deal over what she said earlier, about me being grumpy because Ash isn’t around. I figured she’d start questioning me, but she hasn’t really said much of anything. “You don’t think she’ll pull something on him, do you? Like call the cops?”
“Who? Ash’s mother? She’s a terrible human, but I don’t think she’s that terrible,” Mom says. “Plus, I’m sure she has her own secrets to hide.”
Curiosity fills me. “What do you mean by that?”
“That’s not my story to tell.”
Ooh, I hate it when she says stuff like that.
“I’ve noticed you two have gotten closer,” Mom continues.
Uh oh, I thought too soon. Here come the comments and questions.
My cheeks grow warm and I hate how I blush so easily. I give all my feelings away, I swear. “We—have.”
Mom slips her arm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze. “I’m surprised it took you two this long.”
“Why would you say that?” I duck away from her arm and grab a damp rag, then start wiping the counter.
“You two were awfully cozy during homecoming week your sophomore year. I thought for sure something would happen then, but it didn’t.” Mom smiles. “And by the way, Ava already cleaned the kitchen counters.”
“Oh.” I toss the rag back into the sink and cross my arms, feeling dumb. I also feel like I’m about to burst with my feelings for Ash. I can’t tell her everything since I don’t want to freak her out with all the sex stuff, but I can share a few things. “I really like him.”
“I think he really likes you too.” She tilts her head, studying me. “I just hope he treats you with respect.”
“He does,” I tell her, standing up straighter. “He’s a little rough around the edges, but that doesn’t bother me.”
“I’m the one who used to be a little rough around the edges,” Mom says with a faint smile. “He reminds me of myself when I was that age. With the terrible parents and the bleak outlook on life. The devil-may-care attitude and the self-destructive behavior. He could graduate, get out of here and do something with his life if he continues to focus and made the right choices.”
He so could. Not that I want him to leave me, but I plan on leaving this town too. Maybe we could go somewhere together. A college not too far away, but just far enough, where he could play football and I could watch him and we could eventually move in together…
Whoops. I’m moving way too fast.
“Just—Autumn.” I turn to look at her, noting the serious tone of her voice, her equally serious expression. “Be careful with Ash. I know you’re a smart girl and you’ve always made good choices, but…I know how young love is. Don’t do anything reckless.”
Too late, I want to tell her, but I don’t. Instead, I smile and go to her, wrapping her up in a big hug. “I’m always careful, Mom,” I say, but deep down, I know that’s a lie.
When it comes to Ash, I am reckless. And if I don’t watch it…
I might get burned.
I’m in my room sorting my laundry, my least favorite chore in the entire world, when I finally hear my dad, Jake and Ash enter the house through the kitchen. I practically run out of my room and sprint down the stairs, slowing down as I approach the living room where all three of them are, along with Mom.
“…so it went all right?” Mom asks.
“As well as can be expected,” Ash answers, annoyance bleeding into his voice. “She wants me to come home. She wanted to take me back with her from the restaurant, but I told her I had to think about it first.”
“Oh dear.” Mom sounds like a total…mom right now. “Do you want to go home?”
I stand just on the other side of the wall, waiting for his answer.