13. Remi

"The smallest bone in your body is in your ear." ~ Tim Rhodes

As we passedthe Welcome to Wishing Well sign, I could sense Taylor's relief that this drive was almost over, and no one had revisited the subject of how I knew which suitcase was hers or any other incriminating evidence that we did, in fact, know one another.

The conversation on the way home had been primarily about the wedding, Ruby's new job at an afterschool program, Harper's upcoming fifth birthday, which was happening a week after the wedding, the happy couple's mini-moon in Mexico, and Kane's recovery from being shot in the line of duty a few months back.

Every time there was a break in the conversation, even for a second, Taylor asked another question about one of those subjects, expertly diverting any possible attention from us.

For the past hour and a half, I'd done my best to respect the silent boundaries Taylor had put in place. Our outer thighs were the only places our bodies touched. My arm was draped across the back seat, but since Taylor was clinging to Harper's booster chair like a koala bear, our upper bodies were not in contact.

As we drove through town, I was struck by how little had changed since the last time I'd been home, which was five years earlier. After Misty and I got engaged, we spent Thanksgiving with my mom. Since then, I hadn't been back.

Everything didn't look exactly the same, though. A few of the local businesses had gotten a refresh. I noticed that The Best Little Hairhouse in Texas had gotten a facelift. The fire-engine-red brick had been whitewashed, and a new sign was hung. Beside it sat The Flower Pot, which used to be a faded blue color but was now a bright yellow, and there was a white and black striped awning over the door.

The town square looked identical to what it had always been. Two acres of perfectly manicured green grass with the town's crown jewel, the wishing well, dead in the center. The area was bustling with people. There were kids throwing footballs, people having picnics, and a father and son flying a kite. All my life, I'd imagined bringing my kids to that park, and now that dream seemed farther away than ever.

When The Greasy Spoon diner, where my mom worked as a server, came into view, I noticed it was rocking a fresh coat of white paint, and the trim, which used to be green, had been changed to red.

As we passed the retro ten-foot-tall sign of the fifties-style waitress holding a spoon and turned into the parking lot, I couldn't help but be disappointed that the drive was over because that meant I might not be this close to Taylor again, at least if she had her way. Unable to waste my short window of opportunity, I let the tips of my fingers brush along the nape of Taylor's neck. My thumb traced the outline of her ear, which I learned was a very sensitive area. She sucked in a shaky breath at the contact, but I didn't stop. I kept rubbing the spot that I'd found last night.

Even out of my peripheral vision, I could see the wheels turning in her pretty head as she tried to calculate the best way to make me stop touching her. If she flinched or moved away, she might draw attention to the back seat, causing Kane to look in the rearview mirror. I knew she would avoid attention being drawn to us at all costs, and I admit, I was exploiting that fact. If I thought it was actually bothering her, I wouldn't do it. This was just my way of reminding her of what we'd shared, in case she was planning on attempting to erase it from her memory.

Her breath was silent, but I could tell it was growing shallow. I'd never been so acutely aware of another human being in my life. Even though I, unfortunately, couldn't read her mind, I could read other things, like the way her pupils dilated when she saw me. The way her hands trembled when I was near her. The way her entire body was vibrating right now.

The truck pulled into a parking space, and before it stopped, Harper bounced in her seat. "I gotta go potty,"

"Perfect timing! We're here!" Ruby enthused as she glanced back.

When her head was turning, I quickly removed my arm and lowered it down beside me. Kane quickly hopped out and tilted his seat so Harper could get out. Taylor followed behind, climbing over her daughter's seat to go out Kane's side without sparing me a glance.

I couldn't help but smile as I wondered what this lunch was going to be like. If I had to guess, Taylor would continue to ignore me. And I would continue to try and get her attention. I grabbed my duffle bag from the back because my mom was working, and I figured I would hang out with her until her shift was over, then head back to her trailer, where I was staying for the next week. By the time I got it out, Kane, Harper, and Taylor had walked inside to deal with the bathroom emergency.

As I shut the truck bed cover, Ruby asked, "Hey, is everything okay with you and Taylor?"

As much as I'd love to tell my sister what was going on, I knew I couldn't say anything until I spoke to ‘Ana.'

I shrugged. "I think so. Why?"

"I don't know…" Her brows knitted together, causing a wrinkle to appear above her nose. "There's a weird vibe between you two."

"Is there?" I questioned, as if I had no clue what she was talking about.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as her head tilted, which meant she had follow-up questions, but before she could continue her inquisition, we were interrupted.

"What are you two whispering about?"

When I turned my head, I saw my mom standing in the doorway. Thankfully, Ruby had warned me that she was thin and looking more tired than usual, so I was able to hide the shock at seeing how frail she appeared. It wasn't just her weight that had changed; there were dark circles beneath her vibrant blue eyes, and her normally peach-tone skin appeared gray.

For as long as I could remember, people always commented on how beautiful my mom was. Her long blonde hair, huge blue eyes, and perfect skin were striking and, I'd always thought gave her an angelic appearance. In her teens, she was a beauty queen. In her twenties, no one ever believed she was old enough to have kids. Even now, in her early fifties, she could easily pass for someone in their thirties. A very tired person in their thirties.

"Hey, Mama." I walked up and wrapped her in my arms. As soon as I did, she exhaled into me, leaning into our embrace. She didn't just look like she'd lost weight. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel how slight her frame was. If a strong wind picked up, she'd blow away.

The past year had been a roller coaster for her. She'd started dating a man younger than my sister. He moved in. They got married in a drive-through chapel in Vegas and divorced a few months later.

At first, when Ruby told me about her decline, I assumed it was depression, just like she'd suffered when my dad died and after Ruby was born. But the more time my sister spent with her over the past couple of months, the more she was sure it was more than that. Especially since our mom didn't seem to be suffering from any of the other symptoms that she'd had before. She was social. She wasn't staying in bed all day. And Ruby said the trailer was cleaner than it had ever been.

Ruby and I had both questioned our mom about her health, but she'd maintained that nothing was wrong. Her story was that she hadn't been sleeping or eating well. Now that I was back, I planned on making sure she did both.

"Look at you! You're here!" My mom placed her hands on my cheeks as she beamed up at me. "I thought you weren't coming in until tomorrow."

"I caught an early flight."

"Where's Misty?" She tilted her head to look around me and Ruby.

"She's not here," I explained. "She's not coming."

"What? Why not?"

"We broke up."

My mom's jaw dropped slightly, but she quickly recovered back to neutral. "When? When did you break up?"

"Last night."

"Oh…" She stared at me for a few beats before remarking, "Don't worry. I'm sure you two will work it out."

"No, we won't," I insisted. "But that's okay. I'm okay."

"Celeste, order up!" Stan's voice echoed from inside the restaurant. He'd been the cook at the restaurant since I was born.

I didn't miss the way my mom's eyes closed, for just a brief second, before she opened them and forced a smile as she held the door open for us. "You two, go and sit. I'll be over to take your order in a minute."

Ruby and I exchanged looks as we walked through the diner, silently communicating that, yes, there was definitely something going on with our mom. On the way to the back booth, I inhaled the distinct scent of coffee and fried foods. I was home. I'd always loved The Greasy Spoon. Before my dad died, he'd always take my mom and me here every Sunday after church for lunch and pie. And after Friday night football games, we'd all come and get malts and french fries.

Like the town, the diner hadn't really changed since my childhood. It had a 50's diner vibe. The counter at the front of the restaurant had round, swiveling stools; there were checkerboard floors; red vinyl booths with white stripes; and tables with stainless steel accents.

"She looks unwell, right?" Ruby whispered when our mom walked to grab the plates at the pickup window, giving a voice to our shared glance.

"Yeah," I confirmed as we approached the large round booth in the corner where Taylor, Harper, and Kane were already seated. Taylor had secured a spot between her daughter and Kane, ensuring I would not be sitting next to her, which, again, made me grin. Ruby slid in beside her soon-to-be husband, and I took my seat next to Harper.

"Can we get a banana split?" Harper asked.

"Yes, but let's get some real food first," Taylor replied.

My mom came over, and we all put in our orders. Harper kept us all entertained as she talked about her friends at school, her ballet classes, the upcoming wedding, her birthday, and what she wanted to be for Halloween. I was grateful for our seating positions because every time I looked over at Harper while she spoke, I could look at Taylor.

It was so strange seeing her in this environment. Seeing her being a mom. Seeing her with Kane. It was like she was totally the same person I'd met yesterday, and yet a completely different person at the same time.

As we waited for our meals, Ruby clapped her hands together. "Okay, Bubbas, tell us about this woman you met."

There were so many ways I could answer that. My mind was spinning with possibilities. I decided to stick with the truth without revealing too much. "She's… amazing. I've never met anyone like her. She's perfect. So perfect, I wondered if she was real or if I'd made her up in my mind."

My sister smiled widely. "What's her name?"

"Um, I don't know," I lied.

Ruby's brow furrowed. "You didn't talk to her?"

"No; I talked to her. We even shared a hotel room."

"You shared a hotel room?" Ruby emphasized shared. At the same time, someone kicked me under the table. I was pretty sure I knew whose foot had just landed on my shin.

"By the time I tried to check in, the rooms were all booked, so she offered to let me stay with her," I explained.

"You had a sleepover?" Harper asked.

I glanced beside me to Harper and saw that Taylor's cheeks were flushed. She was either blushing from embarrassment, or the crimson shade on her face was caused by anger; I wasn't sure which one.

"Yep," I confirmed. "We had a sleepover."

"And you didn't find out her name?" Ruby questioned again.

I shook my head. "No, I didn't."

The food came, and the talk once again turned to the wedding and the birthday party, which was apparently going to have live mermaids. That piece of information gave me some context about Ana/Taylor's suitcase. I'd thought it was out of place, but clearly, Harper had picked it out. The lunch went by far too fast for my liking, and before I knew it, Kane was insisting on picking up the check.

As we headed to the front of the diner, Ruby, Kane, and even Harper gave me a hug before heading out. Taylor did not. She barely acknowledged me.

"It was nice finally meeting you, Taylor," I called out just before she walked out the door.

Her shoulders tensed, and I could tell she thought she was going to have a clean break.

She inhaled slowly before glancing over her shoulder, "You, too."

Then she was out the door. I couldn't help but smile as I watched the four of them climb back into Kane's truck.

Last night, I'd wondered if this was fate or destiny, if it was luck or karma. Now, I had a definitive answer. It was all those things, and watching her try to fight those forces and resist me was going to be fun.