Page 17 of Second Chance Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings #5)

Remove foot from mouth, Taylor told herself. This was what happened when you’ve been isolated and not able to communicate; you forget how. It’s a use-it-or-lose-it sort of situation. Martin had alienated her from everyone. The only people she conversed with were Owen’s doctors.

“So is he doing better now or…” Audrey was clearly attempting to ask about the change in circumstances in the most delicate and respectful way.

“He has multiple chronic issues, so he has good days and bad days. But…” Taylor hadn’t thought for a second she’d be having an interview this morning.

If she had, she’d have practiced what she would say.

“Our circumstances have changed, and it’s just him and me now.

I’m the sole provider, so I need to work. ”

“Oh, right.” Audrey nodded, clearly understanding as she looked back down at the iPad.

The simplicity of her response carried a depth of empathy, as if to say she completely understood without needing the details.

When she lifted her head and looked in Taylor’s eyes again, there was something in them, something tangible, that made her feel seen.

“I noticed that you didn’t agree to a background check.

Was that intentional, or did you just miss it? ”

“It was intentional. My ex is not a good person.” That was the first time Taylor had spoken about Martin to anyone but Owen since she moved there. Even just mentioning him made her feel…uneasy. Like he was Beetlejuice and was going to appear if she said his name.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Taylor could see that Audrey wasn’t just saying that; it wasn’t a platitude. She meant it.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Taylor quickly dismissed.

At this point, Taylor figured it was time to go all in. What did she have to lose? Well, other than a good job.

She squared her shoulders and sat up straight and decided to put everything on the table.

"I know that I may not be the best candidate on paper.” Her voice was filled with determination.

"I know I don't have a lot of experience, but I am a very hard worker. I promise you that when I’m here, I will be the best employee I can possibly be. I am a fast learner. I never make the same mistake twice.” That was something she’d learned about herself being married to Martin.

“And, it might not seem like it from this, but I am actually really good with people. I can multitask and thrive in high-pressure working conditions.” Those were the positives, but she felt she needed to have full transparency; to lay it all out on the table.

“But I should tell you, my son, Owen, will always be my priority. There might be, actually, I can almost guarantee, there will be days when Owen will have a medical emergency and I have to leave with little to no notice, or I won’t be able to come in. ”

Taylor’s heart was pounding in her throat, where it had lodged itself while she held her breath. What had she just done? Why hadn’t she gotten the job before she’d told Audrey that she had a psycho ex and sick child?

She was holding her breath, wondering if she’d just blown her chance, when Audrey tilted her head to the side and a wrinkle appeared between her brows. “Did you say Owen?”

“Yes, Owen. That’s my son.”

Audrey’s entire face brightened. “The Owen who calls bingo at Golden Years?”

“Oh, yeah.” Taylor nodded. “He does. Every Tuesday.”

A wide smile split Audrey’s face. “I’ve heard so much about him.”

“You have?”

It was still strange for her to live in a small town.

As an extremely private person, it was definitely going to take some getting used to.

Not that she even knew if she actually was private or if she’d just become that way out of survival because of her toxic relationship.

She’d been so isolated for so long, so controlled, that she felt she had a degree of arrested development, and she was just now getting to know herself.

“Yes, Nonna, or um, Leonora, loves Owen. She is my husband Josh’s grandmother, and she hasn’t stopped talking about him.”

“Oh, Nonna, yes.” Nonna was one of the more lively residents. She couldn’t be more than ninety pounds soaking wet, but she was a force to be reckoned with. “She’s…” Taylor wasn’t quite sure what to say about her.

“Yep.” A knowing smile tilted on Audrey’s lips as she nodded. “That’s her.”

“She’s great,” Taylor said, not wanting Audrey to mistake her loss for words as a negative. “And she taught Owen how to pop wheelies down the hall in her wheelchair. And she’s always trying to bribe him to break her out, which he thinks is funny because she can leave anytime she wants.”

Taylor suspected that the “bribes” were Nonna’s creative way of giving Owen some spending money.

“That does not surprise me.” Audrey shook her head, obviously amused.

“Owen’s diabetic, right?” As soon as she asked the question, it was clear from her expression she wished she could take it back.

She immediately apologized. “Sorry, it’s none of my business; I just.. .Viv, my sister, mentioned it.”

“No, it’s fine,” Taylor assured her.

“Viv and Nonna are very close, and my sister visits her several times a week,” Audrey continued. “Viv met him a few months ago, she was impressed by him. I think she used the term ‘old soul.’”

Taylor grinned. It wasn’t the first time Owen had been called that.

“Oh!” Audrey became even more animated as she relayed, “And one time when she was visiting Nonna and they were in the community room, Owen was playing chess with Mr. Santino.”

Before Audrey continued, Taylor knew exactly where this story was headed.

Owen had been the talk of the retirement home for weeks.

They treated him like a hero, but he told everyone he wasn’t a hero; he just knew what medicine to give him.

To Owen it really wasn’t a big deal; he never knew life without medication.

“While Owen and Mr. Santino were playing, Viv said she saw beads of sweat forming on his forehead, and then he started shaking and passed out in, like, under sixty seconds. They sounded the alarm for the nurse to come. Viv was nine months pregnant and was freaking out. The rest of the residents were either panicking or seemed to have no interest at all as Mr. Santino was slumped over in his chair. Viv said Owen got up, as calm and confident as any man she’d ever known—which, if you knew my sister is, saying a lot —walked over, checked a little thing that looked like a pager on his hip then got some sort of nasal spray out of Mr. Santino’s jacket pocket, took the cap off, and shot it up his nose.

“She said Owen didn’t panic at all. When Mr. Santino came around, Owen told him what happened; he said his blood sugar had dropped below forty, and he had given him the nasal spray, and he kept him talking until the medic, who had been dealing with another emergency arrived.

Viv said she was freaked out, but Owen acted so nonchalant, like it was just another Tuesday for him. ”

That’s because it was just another Tuesday for him.

Taylor never discussed Owen’s health to protect his privacy and also because most people she knew didn’t actually care.

Even though she’d given Audrey the broad strokes, it would be better if she knew the specifics so she could make an informed decision on whether or not she wanted to hire her with her extenuating circumstances.

“It didn’t freak him out, because he has type 1 diabetes, too. ”

“Oh, right.”

“We moved to town eight months ago, but I’ve had to homeschool him until today because he’s been too sick to attend. He was born ten weeks premature, and he’s dealt with chronic conditions his whole life. Within the first six months, he was diagnosed with asthma, epilepsy, and cardiomyopathy.”

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry.” Audrey shook her head. “I can’t begin to imagine how hard that must be.”

“He’s a tough kid.” Taylor could never begin to express how proud she was of him.

“Oh, yeah, that goes without…I’m sure he is.” She nodded. “But I was actually thinking about you.” Audrey reached out and touched her hand. “That must be…just…torture for you.”

“Oh, no, it’s…” Taylor shook her head no and started to say it’s fine, it’s not about her, it didn’t matter what she went through, but she couldn’t speak over the golf-ball-sized lump of emotion clogging her throat.

Besides her neighbor Alice, a handful of nurses over the past decade, and Manny, no one ever saw her.

They didn’t see the sleepless nights, the endless worry, the trips to the E.R.

, the hundreds of decisions that have to be made, the constant balance of giving your child a “normal” life but also protecting them, the sacrifice, and the toll it takes.

Not that she was complaining. She wasn’t. She was so thankful and grateful, honored and blessed that she had Owen and he had her. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t exhausted and burned out.

Huge tears were filling Taylor’s lower lids. She did her best to blink them away. It was a failed attempt as large drops slid down her cheek.

She pasted on a smile as she sniffed and brushed both off her face with the back of her hand. “Sorry.”

“No. Don’t be. Okay, I think I have everything I need.”

Taylor nodded, stood, and forced herself to continue smiling even though she was fairly certain ending the interview crying was not the best way to show that she would be a stable employee.

This interview was clearly blown, but at least now she knew the pitfalls that she’d avoid during the next one.

“Thank you so much for your time.”

“No, thank you. I’m so glad you came in. Is tomorrow too early to start?”

“Tomorrow?” she repeated in disbelief.

Audrey nodded. “Does eight to four work?”

“I’m hired?”

“Are you kidding me? Do you know how many cool points I’m going to get with Viv for hiring Owen’s mom?

” Audrey teased. “Seriously, though, we had a single mom, and after she passed, our older sister Grace stepped in and raised us. Family always comes first, so you never have to worry about that with us. And Owen is always welcome here. I know we’re not as cool as Mr. Santino or Nonna, but we do have really good lemonade. ”

“I’ll let him know.” Taylor felt tears welling up again, this time from joy and relief. “Thank you so much. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She turned to leave when Audrey stopped her. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

Taylor turned back. “What?”

“Have you seen the show Vikings?”

“No.” Taylor shook her head. “But a lot of people tell me that I look like one of the characters on that show. I think her name is Agatha.”

“I think it’s Lagertha,” Audrey said with a smile that Taylor couldn’t quite put her finger on. “See you tomorrow.”