Page 15

Lizzie—

After we return to work, and I’ve been working a while, I step out to the drink machine to grab a cola. I pop the top, and Darko walks in with Eli. It’s his custom to pick his son up at school each afternoon. If he can’t do it, he always seems to find someone from the club.

Eli drops his backpack and says hello to Rob, then heads my way to grab his favorite—Orange Crush.

“How’s it going, Eli?” I ask.

He pops the top on his can. “Good.”

I watch him guzzle half. “How’s school going?”

“Fine.”

I grin at his one-word answers. “I heard you made the basketball team. Do I get to come to a game?”

His eyes widen. “You’d come? Really?”

“Of course.”

His glance cuts to where his father is unpacking some parts. “I thought you and dad were fighting.”

“Not fighting. We talked this morning. We’re cool.”

“That’s good. It’s been weird this week.”

I grin. “Guess so. I’ve been writing in my journal every night. I think it’s really helping.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah. I’ve fallen into the habit of writing something every night before I go to bed. I think it’s helping me sleep better. I used to lie awake, thinking about everything. Now it’s like I put my thoughts out into the universe, and I don’t have to worry about them all night.”

“I guess.”

“I once heard someone say that if you have worries, you can pretend to write them on a paper, wad it up in an imaginary ball, and throw it as far as you can. I feel like this journal is like that.”

“Maybe.”

“Just a thought. And don’t forget I’m here.”

“Okay, thanks.”

I touch his shoulder, then walk away.

“Hey, Lizzie?”

I turn around and look at him.

“Maybe it’d be okay if we talk sometime.”

I smile. “Any time you want. My office door is always open.”

He smirks. “No, it’s not. Not this week, anyway.”

“Right,” I blush. “I’ll try to do better.” I give him a wink and walk away.

About an hour later, he comes to my office and taps on my open door.

“Hey, Eli.”

“You mind if maybe I did my homework in here?”

I slide my ledger to the side. “Sure. Pull up that chair, and you can use that side of the desk.”

The chair scrapes across the floor, and he takes a seat, unzipping his backpack and pulling out a tablet.

We both work quietly for a few minutes, and then he asks for some scrap paper and a pencil. I pass them over, and he works out a problem, then goes back to his tablet.

After about fifteen minutes, he sets his tablet aside. “Lizzie, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Do you ever feel guilty when something makes you happy?”

I know exactly what he means. “All the time. I’m trying to be better about that. I try to remind myself I still have a life to live, and Matt would want me to be happy. It’s not always easy, but it’s getting better.” I tilt my head. “Is that how you feel?”

He nods.

“You know your mother wants you to be happy. Someday the pain won’t be as sharp, and when you think of her, it’ll be the good memories, not the illness.”

“Maybe.” He sounds doubtful, but I know he wants it to be true.

“How is school going? Have you made any friends?”

“There are a couple of kids on my basketball team. The three of us have started hanging out a little.”

“That’s great.” I smile. “Any cute girls at your school?”

“Tons.”

“Any special ones?”

He blushes. “There’s this one cheerleader. Her name is Ginny.”

“A cheerleader, huh?”

He grins. “Yeah.”

“Is she there to cheer your games?”

He nods.

“Awesome. Maybe you should ask her to go to the movies or snowboarding or something.”

“I’ve never been snowboarding. Is that a big thing here?”

“You’re in Colorado, so, yeah.”

“Do you snowboard?”

“I used to snowboard all the time with my bestie, Kate.”

“You mean Kate from the club?”

“Yep.”

He looks over at his father. “Do you think my dad snowboards?”

“You should ask him. But in the meantime, I’d ask Ginny to see a movie with you.”

“Maybe.”

“I bet she says yes.”

“You think so?”

“You’ve got your father’s good looks, and you’re a sweet guy. So, yeah, definitely.”

“I guess I will, then.”

“Will you be here for Christmas? Or are you going to Nebraska for winter break?”

“My aunt is flying in to pick me up. I’ll be there for it.”

“Are you excited?”

He shrugs. “Kind of, I guess. I miss my old friends, but…”

“But there’s this girl named Ginny, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’ll cross my fingers for you.”

He grins. “So, um, my next game is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Maybe you can come.”

“Sounds great. I’d like that.”

“Cool.”

Darko wanders over. “What are you two over here talking about?”

“Eli invited me to his next game,” I reply.

“That’s fantastic. I’ll have someone to sit with.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I tried to get Lizzie to join us for Thanksgiving dinner at the clubhouse, but she turned me down.”

I give him a look, my shoulders slumping. It’s a dirty trick to use his son to tip the scales.

Darko only grins.

“That would be cool if you came, Lizzie.”

I blow out a breath. “I’ll think about it.”