The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating (The Introvert's Guide 2)

“No,” I said honestly, sitting opposite him. “But I’d like to be.”

“Oh.”

“Would that be okay?”

“Will you play lots of soccer with me?”

“Soccer. Mario. Even FIFA.”

His eyes lit up. “FIFA! Really? I don’t have FIFA. Momma said it would be too difficult for me.”

“Maybe, but I can teach you. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yeah!” He smiled for the first time since Seb had told him his great grandma was in the hospital. “Can you try and call Momma?”

“I can try, but she might still be in the hospital, okay?”

He nodded, and I reached for my phone and dialed London’s number.

It rang.

“Hello?” she said. “Ollie?”

“Hey,” I replied, giving Leo a thumb’s up. “Leo wanted me to call.”

“I’m so sorry.” The connection wasn’t very good. “They’re running some tests. Ivy had to get back for Tegan so I didn’t want to leave Aunt Jasmine and Holley since Ivy drove.”

“No, it’s fine. How is she?”

“She’s awake. We don’t really know much, but they found something with her heart, so they’re probably going to keep her overnight until they’re done. I think we’ll be back soon.”

Bloody hell. “Are you guys okay? Do you need anything?”

“Can I talk to her?” Leo whispered.

“No, we’re fine, we got some food here. Is everything okay there? Is Leo being good?”

“He’s been perfect. He wants to talk to you.”

“Pass him over.”

I handed Leo the phone with a smile.

“Momma!” he all but yelled. “Is Gamma okay?”

My heart panged at that nickname.

“Oh, okay. Is she going to die?”

God bless kids.

“That’s good, right? She’s not going to die? … Okay… I am listening. I’m being very good…”

I smiled. He really was.

“Momma, Ollie said he’d teach me FIFA. Can he do that?”

I was so in trouble.

“Oh, okay. I’ll go take a shower. Can I play Mario after? … Thanks, Momma. Love you.” He stretched his arm out. “I’m going to take a shower. Can you make the water for me?”

“Give me two seconds to say bye to your mum and I’ll be right there.”

He sped off.

“How do I make the water?” I whispered into the phone.

London laughed. “Just play with the dials. He can’t reach them. He can get himself in and out. There are towels in the bathroom and pajamas in the bottom drawer of his dresser. If you put them out he’ll get himself changed, okay?”

“I know this was an emergency, but you owe me dinner for this.”

“Done. Just be thankful he isn’t arguing with you.”

“Always am. Let me know when you’re on your way back, okay? What time is his bedtime?”

“Seven-thirty. I hope I’ll be back by then but it depends how long the tests take or when they send us home.”

“Nah, we’re fine. Don’t worry about us.”

“Ollie!” Leo shouted from upstairs.

“I’m being yelled at,” I said with a chuckle. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay. Ollie? Thank you so much for this.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“We’ll talk about FIFA la—”

I hung up.

Yeah. I was so in trouble for that.

“Ollie!” Leo yelled again. “Momma shouts if I don’t shower!”

Laughing, I put down my phone and headed for the stairs. “I’m coming!”

***

“Heartburn!” London shoved the fridge closed and put the wine bottle on the counter. She reached up to the top cupboard for a wine glass and pulled it down, then cracked open the bottle and poured a large glass. “Heartburn!”

I didn’t know what to say.

I didn’t know what was going on.

She’d only walked through the door thirty seconds ago.

“Heartburn!”

“I know you’re stressed, but I’m going to need a little bit more than just, ‘heartburn!’” I said slowly.

London glugged down half the glass and looked at me. “She had fucking heartburn.”

I frowned. “Didn’t that happen in—”

“Schitt’s Creek? Yeah!” She finished her glass and poured another. “She had us all panicking, me crying and breaking about fifty road laws, and all for heartburn. No more Netflix for her!”

I took the wine bottle from her before she caused any real damage. To what, I didn’t know.

The counter.

Herself.

Me.

“So they run all these tests, right? And we’re sitting on these goddamn fucking stupid metal chairs for hours after eating cardboard in the cafeteria and drinking coffee with the consistency of urine, and we know she’s dying. We just know she is because it’s taking forever so they must be running one million tests and she’s dying, they told us she’s okay but she’s definitely dying and—”

“Breathe.”

She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “The doctor comes out at eight-thirty and tells us they’ve administered a strong antacid and nausea meds because she had severe heartburn, but she apparently also has high blood pressure and an issue with her heart they need to monitor that they think is just something minor.”

“At least they found that out,” I said, looking on the bright side. “That’s good.”

“Is it? I’m going to kill her anyway.”

“No, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not, but I want to.”