Page 16 of Rematch
Tatianna glanced at the worried frown on my lips. As if she’d read my mind, she set down the handful of seasonings she was holding and made a beeline for the refrigerator. Pulling out a water bottle, she said, “Benny, drink some of this before we get started.”
Benny opened his mouth to protest, but Tatianna shot him her signature look - the one that told even the tallest of giants not to fuck with her.
With Tatianna’s petite frame and warm voice, it was easy to forget she was married to one of the most dangerous men in thecrime world. She never hesitated to remind us. Tatianna could go from sweet and dainty to furious and violent with a snap of her fingers. And all of us knew better than to summon the other side of her.
Nodding, he grabbed the bottle out of her hands and took a long sip.
Tatianna’s gaze locked with mine again, and I thanked her with a smile.
She returned to her task of shifting through the contents of the cabinet. “Oh, no,” she murmured after a few moments. “I think you’re out of flour.”
“Really?” Benny asked. He walked over to peek over her head. “Damn, I thought we had some.”
“That’s alright.” She turned to me. “Audrey, can you and Max run to the store to pick up some?”
I had half a mind to question why I had to go with him, but the sharp arch of her brow told me not to.
Sighing, I turned on my heel and headed into the living room.
Max was on the couch with his back against the cushions, legs spread in front of him and remote in his hands. He was flicking through the channel guide, searching for a show to hold his attention.
“Don’t get comfortable,” I told him. “We’re going to the store.”
His lips tugged into a small smile as he pulled himself off the couch. He followed close behind me as I led him out the door. “Are we walking or driving?” He asked.
“Walking,” I replied as I glanced up at the sky. The sun was starting to fall, casting an orange glow above us, but enough light illuminated the road ahead of us. Besides, I’d been sitting most of the day. I needed to stretch my muscles before they got stiff.
We walked in a strange silence as we headed up the street. It’s been a while since we’ve came this way together. Once upona time, we ran up this sidewalk all the time. To catch the ice cream truck. To go to the park at the end of the block. To meet up with Jordan who lived around the corner.
I couldn’t help but stare at the empty, barren playground as we passed. Time had worn the bright, fresh paint away and replaced it with rust. Some of the monkey bars were broken and the tunnel connecting the separate sections of the jungle gym had a hole in it. I wondered if any kids had given it some love before it died. I didn’t like the idea that we were the last ones to enjoy it.
Looking past the park, I could see Jordan’s old house. His mom’s silver minivan we used to pile in was in the driveway, and wind chimes hung around the small porch. Frozen in time, it painted the perfect picture of when we were young. Looking at it, I could almost hear our laughter blowing in the breeze.
“Is Benny okay?” Max asked, ripping me out of memory lane and dropping me back into the present.
I’d hoped he didn’t catch the exchange of glances on the porch when Tatianna vaguely brought up his treatment session today. I thought with their teasing about our reunion, he’d overlooked it. Clearly, I was wrong.
I opened my mouth to lie. To tell him Dad was fine. But, I didn’t have the energy to beat around the truth. I’d have to suck it up and endure the pain of saying the hard part aloud. “No,” I murmured. “He’s sick. Pancreatic cancer.”
Max’s brows creased together in confusion. “What? But, Benny’s one of the healthiest people I know. He doesn’t smoke, barely drinks, and he eats right.”
“That’s what I said too. Papa said Dad was having stomach problems for a while. At first, the doctors couldn’t figure out where the pain was coming from. Cancer wasn’t their first assumption because of how well he took care of himself. But, after some tests, they found it.”
“How bad is it?”
“He’s at stage two for now,” I explained. “He’s been doing chemotherapy to treat it.”
“Is it working?”
I shrugged. “He has another CT scan and follow-up appointment with his oncologist soon. I guess we’ll know then.”
“I’m sorry, Audrey.”
“No, no, don’t apologize. None of us could’ve expected this. There’s nothing we could’ve done differently. All we can do now is deal with it.”
“And how areyoudealing with it?”
“I’m fine.”
