Mimi’s eyes widened. “Oh, babe,” she said sympathetically. “You have it bad.”
He’d come over to his sister’s four days ago to bring her Sarah’s goodbye note but he’d pocketed the dry cleaning ticket. Not sure exactly why he’d done that, except he couldn’t imagine that dress on anyone but her. Ever. His sister had read the note quietly, then kissed him softly on the cheek. He still didn’t know what was in the note, nor did he ever want to know. Whatever was in there was between Sarah and his sister.
Luke forced a smile at his nephew. “Hey, buddy, why don’t you show me that new video game of yours?”
Mimi let out a long sigh. “Just don’t play too long. Claire is going to cut her going-away cake in a little bit. And there’s going to be speeches and crying so, yeah, don’t get too wrapped up in X-Box.”
“We won’t,” Cameron said.
They made their way through the weave of people to Cameron’s bedroom where they played Halo Wars 2 until it was obvious that Luke pretty much sucked at this. “How’s it going, Little Man?” Luke asked while taking a break from the game.
“Good. School started this past week but the teachers don’t get serious until after Labor Day.”
“How’s the soccer team?”
Cameron stiffened. “We’ve won our last two games. Next weekend we’re going to Jacksonville. That should be a tough team.”
“Are you still thinking about quitting?”
Cameron didn’t say anything for a minute. “Yeah, but, I thought it over and I don’t think it would be fair for me to do that, you know? I made a commitment and, I mean, I beat out a bunch of guys who might have been picked over me, and to quit now would be like a slap in the face to them. So, I asked myself what you and dad would do, and I decided to stick it out for the rest of the year.”
Luke’s chest tightened with pride. “I think that’s a good decision, Little Man. Very responsible of you.”
Cameron grinned and Luke ruffled his nephew’s hair affectionately. “What about the high school basketball team?”
“Even though I won’t have time for the eighth grade team, I’m still gonna try out for basketball next year in high school.”
“You know, back in the day I was a pretty decent basketball player,” Luke said. “I could help you with some drills. Maybe on the weekends that you’re free and over next summer?”
“Would you?” Cameron asked eagerly. “That would be great! But how are we going to do that when you don’t live here?”
Good questio
n.
“We’ll figure something out,” Luke said. “I promise.”
And he meant it.
* * *
Luke had gone out to the garage to get a couple of bags of ice from the spare freezer when his mother followed him and closed the door leading back to the kitchen, essentially trapping them both inside. “You’ve been avoiding me all week, Luke. What’s going on?” she demanded.
“I’ve been busy, Mom, you know my company just got that big Alaskan contract.”
“And your father and I have already congratulated you. But you know that’s not what I want to talk about. How was the wedding? Was it glorious?” There was a sad kind of eagerness in her eyes that made Luke swear under his breath.
It was way past time he and his mother had a real conversation.
“The wedding was expensive and overdone but, yes, it was beautiful and exactly what Victoria wanted.”
“Did you have a nice time?”
“No, Mom, I didn’t.”
She blinked.
“Victoria isn’t a nice person, Mom. I guess I always knew that. I was never in love with her and I was never going to marry her, and I should have never let the relationship go on for three years. But what I’m most sorry about is if I misled you or Dad about it. I know you want me to get married and have kids, but that’s Mimi’s life. Not mine.”