Page 25 of The Disasters of Dating (Love Connections #6)

POPPY

With the moon and Mercury clashing, you’ll want to table heavy decisions for a few days, Pisces. Instead, focus on those aspects of your personality that make you unique. Spend some time meditating or seek counsel from only those you hold close. Be prepared to learn much over the next few weeks!

I sit on the couch in the family room and flip on the TV. I’m not going to lie, I was kind of hoping that my mom’s plans would fall through and she would actually stay home so we could have movie night tonight. But that didn’t happen. Where is she? I can’t keep track of her social calendar anymore.

Paisleigh invited me over to watch a movie after her niece and nephew went to bed, but I took a pass. I have to be way too quiet if the kids are asleep.

And I may have been hoping to hear from Keaton again. Which is ridiculous. I don’t wait with bated breath for Paisleigh to call? So why am I doing that with Keaton?

I turn the TV off and hop to my feet. I need to do something.

Maybe I’ll run to the store and grab some groceries.

I noticed we are running seriously low on milk, eggs, ice cream, and chocolate.

My mom must be too busy with her food drive to get to the grocery store.

But I’m an adult with a driver’s license. I can do the shopping this week.

I go into the kitchen and grab the grocery list off the magnetic pad on the fridge.

Opening the top drawer next to the stove, I grab three twenties from the envelope my mom keeps there for incidentals.

It should be enough to get what’s on the list. I can cover any extra costs for the certain binge shopping I do once I get there.

I grab my keys and head to the garage.

I crank the eighties music station and belt out the lyrics to Mike and the Mechanics’ “All I Need is a Miracle.” Man, this song is like my daily mantra right now.

I pull into the parking lot of the grocery store and grab a cart from the cart stall on my way past. It’s my way of feeling like I’m helping out the cart people.

I mean, yes, they still have to collect this cart after I’m done with it.

But they aren’t having to collect this cart and the cart I use.

I’m probably not being helpful, but it makes me feel better nonetheless.

I stroll through the cereal aisle and grab a box of Corn Chex and then a bag of Marshmallow Maties. I scrunch up my nose at the box of Fiber One as I put it in the cart. I hope my mom is using it to make bran muffins.

As I walk down the candy aisle looking for chocolate with toffee bits, my cart smacks into another one.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.

” I look up and see Mrs. Conway. Wow. That is so weird.

I haven’t seen her in, like, twelve years.

And then both my mom and I see her in the space of a week and a half.

What are the odds? “Hey, Mrs. Conway. How are you doing?”

She smiles, but looks as if she is trying to place me. “Hello, dear.”

I lift my brows. “It’s me, Poppy Ashcombe.”

Her eyes widen. “Poppy Ashcombe? Look at you, all grown up! I don’t think I’ve seen you since you were, what ten or eleven?”

I smile. “I was nine.”

Her head shakes. “Nine. That’s right…” Her voice trails off. “How have you been? What are you up to these days?”

I shrug. “I’m in school and I work out at the airport.”

Her mouth opens. “Are you a stewardess?”

They prefer to be called flight attendants now, but I don’t bother to correct her. I’m pretty confident the name change wouldn’t stick with her anyhow. “No, I work in one of the newsstand shops.”

Her smile falls a little. I know, it’s a way less cool job. I don’t see any exotic or even unexotic locations. But I will. Someday.

“I was so surprised when my mom mentioned running into you the other day. She is super excited to work with you on the food drive.” I think it’s best if we move off my unexciting job.

“Food drive? What food drive?” Mrs. Conway’s brow crinkles.

“Your mother said she saw me the other day? Where? I don’t think I’ve seen her since we moved from the neighborhood.

I meant to stay in touch, but—” Her voice trails off in an all too familiar way.

It’s the ‘I don’t want to mention your father’s death’ trail-off.

I lift a brow. “Here at the store, I believe.” My words come out slower and slightly louder.

She looks down at the floor. “I can’t believe I don’t remember seeing her.” There is a concerned note in her voice. Is something wrong with her? She looks too young to have Alzheimer’s or dementia. But that’s how she’s acting. My great Aunt Kate had Alzheimer’s. It’s not pleasant.

I swallow but then brush her words away with my hand.

“I probably misunderstood her. I was doing dishes and will admit I wasn’t paying that close of attention.

Maybe she said she saw you but was doing the food drive with someone else.

” That is totally not how it happened. But I don’t want poor Mrs. Conway to worry herself over it.

I’m beginning to think that maybe the error is on my mom’s part rather than Mrs. Conway’s.

Mrs. Conway picks up my hand in hers, patting the back of it with her other hand. “Well, I would love to see your mother. Will you ask her to call me? I’d like to help her with the food drive.”

“Sure thing. I know she’ll be grateful for more help.

” Honestly, I do not know what she’ll be grateful for these days because I have no idea what is going on with her.

I’m starting to worry. Maybe I’ll see if Brody and Sadie have noticed anything.

Although I’m not sure if Sadie is noticing anything but Max these days.

Brody might be the better one to ask. Or at least have the best information to give.

I throw the rest of the groceries into my cart like I’m on some grocery shopping game where speed is essential and hurry to the self-checkout.

I scan my stuff in record time, but the register takes forever to give me back my change.

Finally, the change counter whirls, and I grab it, throwing the bags back in the cart.

I wince as I remember the eggs. I’m sure they’re fine.

I nearly run to my car and toss all but one bag in the back seat. I gingerly open the eggs and scold myself when I see one is cracked. Well, dang it all to heck!

I gently place the bag on the backseat and run my cart back to the stall before jumping behind the wheel. I pause as I stare at the group chat between Brody, Sadie, and me. Should I involve them in this? Or is this something that’s between my mom and me?

I shake my head. No. If there’s something wrong with her, we should all be aware of it.

Hey guys, have you noticed Mom acting weird? I’m starting to worry about her.

Brody

Define weird…

Well, first of all, she has blown off our last two hangout nights.

And then she keeps blaming it on book club.

Like, how many book clubs does she attend in a given month?

Because she has used that excuse at least twice this month.

When I confronted her about it, she said I must have misunderstood.

But I have the text messages to prove I didn’t.

Then there’s the matter of Margo Conway…

Brody

Margo Conway? What does she have to do with anything? I don’t think Mom has talked to her since they moved.

I know. But Mom told me on Monday that she couldn’t go bowling with me because she had run into Margo Conway at the grocery store and Mrs. Conway had asked Mom to help with a food drive.

But I ran into Mrs. Conway today (weird, I know.) and she had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the food drive.

And she also claims she hasn’t seen Mom since they moved…

Brody

Have you ever considered that Mom didn’t want to go bowling???

Shut it, Brod. If you can’t be helpful, stay off the chat!

Shadie

Yes, she has been acting strange. When I call her, she rushes off the phone, which is not like her at all. She told me she couldn’t come to brunch last week because she was getting a massage. Mom hates strangers touching her. What have you noticed?

Brody

I have no idea what you’re talking about. Mom has seemed fine to me.

Brodie, see directions above.

Brody

Hahaha.

Either Margo Conway has early-onset Alzheimer’s or something is up with Mom.

Shadie

I trust Mom over Margo any day! How do we figure out what it is? Is it time for us to become detectives?

Normally, I would trust Mom, too. But she’s being super sus!

Shadie

Next time she blows one of us off, we need to follow her. What does her horoscope say?

I haven’t looked yet. Maybe Mercury is messing with her, too.

Brody

Who else is Mercury messing with?

Ugh, ME…

Brody

Oh. Okay. If you find out anything new with mom—I don’t care about Mercury—let me know.

I roll my eyes. He’s never understood my interest in astrology. Not that he’s tried. But whatever. I still love him. Besides, I’m sure he has enough on his plate right now with Daphne about ready to pop out baby number two.

Okay. If anyone discovers anything, please let the rest of us know so that we can stop worrying.

Brody sends a thumbs-up emoji.

Sadie hearts my last message. Apparently, they are both busy doing other things and don’t have the time to worry about OUR mom. But that’s fine. That’s why I still live at home, right? To help my mom out and to be there when she needs support. I can be her support in whatever is going on with her.

I turn on the car and pull out of the parking lot .

My phone chimes, and I glance over, expecting to see a message from Sadie. But it’s from Keaton instead.

Yes, please.

My stomach does this flippy-floppy thing that I can’t quite explain. This is not a reaction one gets when hearing from a friend.

Keaton

Hey, what’s up?

I use voice-to-text.

“Not much. I was just leaving the grocery store.”

The mechanical voice reads it back to me. “Do you want to send it?”

“Yes,” I reply.