Page 64 of Our Final Encore

I expect her to ask who the father is, but maybe she doesn’t even care. Considering she raised my mom all by herself, and then helped her raise me, she doesn’t have the highest opinion of men in general.

She’s not the only one.

“Are you planning to keep living here?”

“Of course, where else would I go?” I shrug.

Moving out hadn’t even occurred to me. I sure as heck don’t make enough money to rent an apartment by myself, and plus I have a responsibility to be here for Mamaw. Her insurance only covers a part-time caregiver, which would mean she’d be alone pretty often if I weren’t here.

“Well, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. I just had to ask.” She sweeps her gaze over me. “Is the baby’s daddy gonna be involved?”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod.

“I’d like to meet him.”

“You already have,” I say as I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Well now I know that I’m old, but I don’t recall you bringing a boyfriend home.”

I stare at the floor under my feet, too embarrassed to look her in the eyes. “It’s Alex.”

She lets out a low whistle. “Y’all sure didn’t waste any time.”

My face blushes. “Mamaw…”

“Now don’t you get embarrassed about it. I know what it’s like to be young and in love.”

I try to ignore the fact that she wrongly assumes we’re in love. “You do?”

“Mmhm. Before your granddaddy and I got together, and then he decided to up and leave, there was another boy in high school that really swept me off my feet.”

I’m so confused. “But…what happened?”

“Oh well, you know. He went off to the war, I met your granddaddy and had your mama. After that situation I had to focus on her. It wasn’t about me anymore.”

The statement settles over me.It isn’t about me anymore either.

“But you, sweet girl.” She reaches over to place her hand on my knee. “You and Alex have something special. I saw it way back when y’all were kids. You were always attached at the hip.”

I huff a laugh. “Yeah, that was a long time ago. Things are different now.”

“It don’t matter how long ago it was. Love like that doesn’t ever fade, you two were best friends. You were young and your lives went in different directions, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give it another shot.”

Taking a deep breath, I smile at her. I don’t want to disappoint her, but I also don’t want to give her false hope that Alex and I are getting back together. “We’re going to co-parent.”

She shakes her head a bit and closes her book, placing it on the table next to her. “Do you still love him?”

She looks serious, unlike her usual sarcastic manner. I blink at her a few times, trying to gather my thoughts properly. I don’t like that the first word that pops into my mind isyes.“It’s complicated. I don’t want the baby to feel…confused. I’d rather keep it as simple as possible.”

She nods. “You should do whatever feels right. I support you no matter what, I hope you know that.”

“I do,” I smile and cross the short distance between us to give her a quick hug.

“That Alex is a handsome young man, though. I’d snatch him up myself if I were fifty years younger.”

I roll my eyes, fighting back the smile on my lips. “I’m sure you would, Mamaw.”

FORTY-TWO

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