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My stomach growled in approval, and Mom laughed.
“Stuffed pork chops.” Each step toward the kitchen was slow.
I wrapped my arm around her waist to help, but she swatted my hand away.
“I’m fine, Kyl. Stop hovering.”
“Mrs. Wilder, can I do anything? Set the table?”
“Call me Evalyn. And everything’s set, except for pulling the pork chops out of the oven and getting the rolls from the toaster. I had all day to get ready for you two to visit. Kyl, why don’t you shut the TV off, and Gia and I can put the food on the table?”
I left them alone for as long as it took to do as Mom had asked. The living room appeared as if she’d vacuumed.Maybe?It was hard to tell, since the carpet didn’t fluff up anymore. Everything else was in its original place. Only her blanket sat askew on the recliner, with her tea on the end table. The place was still depressing. Anger for how Mom lived rolled through me, and I had to take a second to breathe. She would notice and chastise me about how she liked her place. Her friends were there. I’d heard it all before, and it wasn’t the best time to rehash it.
I paused at the entry to the kitchen, watching the two women interact.
Gia leaned forward and inhaled while carrying the dish. “Did you use apple in your stuffing?”
Mom beamed as Gia set the heavy dish on the small kitchen table. “Yes. It adds nice flavor and helps the pork chops stay moist. Not many people know that.”
As I slipped into the kitchen, I caught the renewed interest in Mom’s expression as she eyed Gia.
“Sit.” Mom waved us to our seats. “I wanted to do something special, since it’s our first evening together, and this used to be one of Kyl’s favorite meals.”
“Anything you cook is my favorite.” I kissed her on the cheek before pulling out her chair. I rubbed a hand over my chest, massaging the slight ache from watching Gia be kind to Mom.
Mom smoothed her napkin over her lap with trembling fingers. Before she tried to lift anything, I served her then passed the food to Gia. She’d overextended herself, and I was annoyed that I hadn’t insisted on bringing takeout. Seeing her so fragile and tired scared the hell out of me. Mom was my rock, and I didn’t know what I would do without her. First Grandad had passed, then Dad had changed and eventually divorced Mom, and after I started college, she’d been diagnosed with cancer. I was fucking terrified of losing her. It’d been us against the world for so long.
“Tell me about yourself.” Mom didn’t bother eating as she focused her attention on Gia.
“I’m not that interesting.” Gia set her fork on her plate and smiled. “I moved here not too long ago from California, where I was living with Uncle Jimmy. After he died, I realized I needed a change of scenery. And here I am.”
California?I should have been asking her questions instead of prepping her for dinner. I leaned back in my chair, chewing slowly.But would it have made a difference?With me, she was tight-lipped. One conversation with my mom, and she willingly opened up.Or was her story a lie?I wouldn’t put it past her.
“And here you are.” Mom beamed, erasing the lines of tension that’d bracketed her mouth for so many months. “I’m sorry to hear about your uncle. Do you have relatives living nearby?”
“No.” Gia tucked her hair behind her ear again. “It was always me and Mom. My dad was never in the picture. She caught an antibiotic-resistant pneumonia when I was just going into middle school and passed away suddenly. My uncle, her brother, took me in.”
“I’m so sorry.” Mom reached across the table and covered Gia’s hand, which she gave a light squeeze before letting go. “Such a hard time too.”
I found myself drawn into Gia’s orbit, barely resisting the urge to put my arm around her shoulders and pull her close. But a gesture like that so early in our newfound alliance would make her uncomfortable, and I didn’t want Mom to witness her pulling away from me.
“Yeah.” Gia shrugged, a rueful grin curving her pink lips. “I wasn’t that easy to get along with at first. That’s when Uncle Jimmy introduced me to football and cooking. Once we established a routine, living without Mom slowly became bearable, and I came to love staying with my uncle.”
“Well, I can see how your love of football makes things easier for Kylian. It takes up a lot of his time, and if he goes into the NFL like he plans, it’ll be even more demanding.”
“We’ll make it work.” Gia’s smile was sweet and sincere.
“Though”—Mom shot me a piercing glance—“NFL careers aren’t always long. Just make sure you two are in this relationship for the right reasons.”
Nice, that was a not-so-subtle warning to make sure Gia wasn’t after me for money.
Laughter spilled from Gia, lightening the mood and easing the tension in Mom’s shoulders. “Oh, trust me, we are. I didn’t even know who your son was the first time we met. He made a big impression, an impossible one to walk away from.”
I choked on my water, the way we met a clear visual in my mind. “This is amazing, Mom.” I changed the subject. “But you didn’t have to go to all this trouble. Gia and I want to come over again in a few days, and we’ll bring food. Whatever you want.”
“Nonsense.” She picked up her fork, cut a few pieces of pork chop, and moved food around her plate. “You need a good home-cooked meal.”
“I love to cook.” Gia took a sip of water. “My uncle was a Michelin chef. He taught me everything I know, and I would be happy to come over and either help or make dinner for you.”
