Page 75 of Nothing But It All
What?I look at Jack.
“What’s going on, buddy?” Jack asks.
“When will I see Ava?”
I try to remain serious, considering my son’s apparent midteenage crisis. But he’s too adorable to keep from grinning.
“It’s not funny, Mom.”
“No, I know it’s not. I’m not making light of the situation, Michael.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he says. “We go home, and she goes home, and—what? I never see her again?”
Jack leans forward. “She lives thirty minutes away from us. You can see her on the weekends.”
“On the weekends?” Michael’s jaw drops. “What if I have a tournament? Or if she has a recital or a ... horse show or whatever horse people do. I don’t know.”
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Jack says. “You’ll work it out.”
Michael pushes away from the table. “This sucks, you know that?” He heads for the stairs. “I can’t decide if it was better to meet her or if I would’ve been better off to not ever know her.”
Jack chuckles. “Welcome to falling in love, Michael.”
“Fuck love,” he says.
“Hey, watch your mouth,” I say.
He stops at the staircase. “Sorry. I’m just ... frustrated. The older I get, the more frustrating things become. Putting together shelves. Getting a job. Not living close to Ava.”
“You’ll make it,” Jack says.
Michael stomps up the stairs, punctuating his displeasure with life every step of the way.
“I don’t think I can deal with Michael and Maddie in relationships at the same time,” I say, reaching for my wineglass.
“Let’s just focus on ours and let them fend for themselves.”
“Jack,”I say, laughing.
He shrugs, peering over my shoulder.
“What are you looking at?” I ask.
“Dad’s light came on.”
I follow his gaze. Sure enough, Harvey’s bedroom light glows from behind his curtains.
“Should you go check on him?” I ask.
Jack hesitates but gives in. “Probably.”
“Go. I’ll clean this mess up and then reheat the leftovers.”
He stands and kisses me on the head as he walks by. “Leave the mess. But please reheat the lasagna.”
I laugh, my stomach fluttering.
The door shuts, and I heave a sigh of relief. Of contentment.Of happiness.
