The Girl in the Love Song (Lost Boys 1)

I carried the cup of steaming tea into Nancy Whitmore’s bedroom. Spring was fast approaching, bringing warmer weather with it. A beam of brilliant afternoon sunlight fell over her, and I beamed with it.

She’s getting better.

Somehow, against all medical odds, Nancy’s stage IV cancer was on a pause. Not in remission, but her tumor had shrunk and the cocktail of medications she took every day was holding it at bay. Giving her time.

Dazia, her best friend, was in town again, and her smile matched mine.

“Ah yes, she looks radiant, doesn’t she?” she said in her faint accent. Over the last few months, I’d learned that Dazia was from Croatia and that she and Nancy had been roommates at Washington University. Friends for life, like Shiloh and me.

“You do look radiant,” I said to Nancy and sat on the other side of the bed. “I’m sad that my time as your PCV is ending. But it seems you won’t be needing me anyway.”

Nancy smiled. Her skin was no longer sallow, and she’d gained a few pounds. “You’re sweet to stay with me so long. I’ll miss you.”

“Me too,” I said, my throat thick.

Over the last few months, I’d come to look forward to being with her. Her calm tone and gentle wisdom felt so maternal, especially since my own mom was caught up in her own turmoil with Dad.

“Would you mind giving us a minute, Daz? I’d like to have a word with Violet.”

“Uh oh.” Dazia grinned. “I feel a Nancy Talk coming on.” She pinched my cheek on the way out. “She’s a wonderful schoolteacher but missed her calling as a therapist.”

“Agree,” I said with a smile, though it faded fast. I suspected I knew what Nancy wanted to talk about.

“It’s not about River,” she said as soon as the door clicked shut behind Dazia.

I laughed. “Am I that transparent?”

“You wear your emotions all over your sweet face.” She took my hand in hers. “I know you haven’t forgiven him for standing you up at Homecoming. I can imagine that must’ve been very humiliating.”

“A bit. But I have forgiven him. I’ve told him a hundred times I’ve forgiven him. I don’t understand why he keeps asking to see me.”

Nancy pursed her lips. “You’ll have to discuss that with him. He knows I’m disappointed in him for what he did to you, but I don’t want to pry into his business beyond that. I’d prefer he come to me about personal things when he’s ready. But what I wanted to talk to you about was you.”

“Me?”

“You seem so sad lately, and I know it’s not because of my son.” She cocked her scarf-wrapped head. “You know that same policy I have for him extends to you. No pressure to share anything with me. I just want you to know that my door is open.”

My fingers plucked the coverlet. “My parents are not happy. They fight a lot and…there’s some other stuff going on with them that I don’t want to bore you with.”

As much as I loved Nancy, there was no way I was going to air my family’s suspected financial issues with her.

“Anything else?” Nancy asked gently, in a way that said, I know there’s something else.

“Yes.” I sighed. “But as much as I’d love your advice, I’m not sure it’s appropriate to talk to you about another boy.”

Nancy patted my hand. “Because I’m River’s mom. I get it. How about you tell me what’s bothering you and leave out the details? Not the who, what, and where. Just how you feel. But only if you want to.”

“I do want to. Desperately. The last time my mom and I had ‘girl talk’ it consisted of her making an appointment for me to see a gynecologist.”

Nancy’s lips made a thin line, then she smiled. “I’m here.”

I met her clear blue eyes and tears filled mine. “I screwed it up.”

“Okay.”

“I was so afraid of losing him or having our beautiful friendship fall apart, that I pushed him away. I pushed him to someone else, and our friendship is hanging by a thread anyway. Everything I was afraid of happening, happened, but not how I feared it would.”

Nancy offered me a tissue from her box. “Reminds me of that old proverb, A person often meets her destiny on the road she takes to avoid it.”