Until Friday Night (The Field Party #1)(30)

His smile was the kind of smile that was so rare, you wanted to keep it. It made you sit around and think of things to do just to get that smile flashed at you. When his eyes were genuinely in it and he truly meant it, there was nothing that compared to West Ashby’s smile.

That’s My Boy

CHAPTER 20

WEST

I pulled into my driveway and looked over at Maggie. She had agreed to come so easily. I wasn’t sure I would have been brave enough to do that. We had walked out to my truck, and she’d texted her aunt to let her know she was leaving school with me and going to meet my parents.

I couldn’t imagine bringing anyone else here right now. Not even Brady. Especially not Raleigh. This wasn’t easy to see. But Maggie was sitting over there looking calm and strong. Always so strong.

“When I say my dad looks bad . . . he really does. He’s so thin, his bones break easily now. And he’s pale white. His skin almost seems translucent. It’s tough to see. If you don’t think you can handle it, I will understand.” Maggie turned to look at me, and her big green eyes were full of understanding. “I want to meet the man you adore. He’s got to be special.”

A jolt shot through my chest as I sat there and stared at her. Was she even real? How did she say the exact things I always needed to hear? I was beginning to think she was my guardian angel. If there were such a thing. God sure had let us down, but maybe he’d sent Maggie to me to give me the strength and comfort I was missing.

“Let’s go on in, then. I texted Momma and told her we were coming.” I hadn’t told Momma about Maggie. We didn’t talk much about anything except Dad. So when I texted her, I let her know Maggie was Brady’s cousin and we’d become good friends.

Momma had said to bring her, that they would love to meet her. Dad was awake and talking some today. I hoped he’d be awake to see Maggie.

When we got to the front door, Maggie’s fingers brushed my hand in that silent way of hers, reassuring me she was there and she wasn’t leaving me. I loved it when she did that. She always seemed to know when I needed it most.

I opened the door and stepped back and motioned for Maggie to go inside. The entryway was empty, but I could smell cookies in the oven. Momma had gone and fixed us a snack. “Smells like Momma is in the kitchen,” I told Maggie, then placed my hand on her lower back to lead her to meet my mother.

When we stepped inside the kitchen, Momma’s back was turned, and she was getting down glasses for us. Her hair had been brushed and pulled into a ponytail, and she was wearing a nice shirt and jeans. She didn’t spend much time getting fixed up anymore because she was afraid to leave Dad for too long. This was the most I’d seen her do to herself in a few weeks.

“Hey, Momma,” I said quietly, not wanting to startle her.

She spun around, and her gaze went straight to Maggie. She was curious. I never brought girls here. Momma had only seen Raleigh a few times at my football games, and we’d been together a whole year.

“Hello, you must be Maggie,” Momma said, walking over to greet us.

Maggie nodded. I had forgotten to tell my momma she didn’t talk. My momma wasn’t in on the town gossip, so she didn’t know anything about Maggie’s past. I opened my mouth to explain, when Maggie took a step toward her and held out her hand. “Yes, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you.”

I closed my mouth and stared at Maggie. I’d never heard her talk to anyone else. Not even her family. Yet she’d not hesitated to speak to my mother. One more thing about her that made her so incredibly special. After all she’d faced and all she’d been through, she still had compassion. She still sacrificed for others. I wasn’t sure I could have done the same in her situation.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too. Please call me Olivia. West doesn’t bring friends home much anymore. I’m glad he felt like he could bring you,” Momma said with a light in her eyes I hadn’t seen in a while.

Maggie blushed and looked up at me.

“Maggie’s special,” I told Momma as I brushed my fingers over Maggie’s hand the way she so often did mine.

“I can see that,” Momma said, smiling. Her face was tired and weary, but my bringing Maggie here was making her happy. I realized Momma must feel so isolated with just us and no other life in the house. No distractions to help her cope with what we were facing.

“I think we both needed a friend who could understand us,” Maggie said, surprising me yet again by speaking.

Mom turned her smile to me. She liked Maggie. But who wouldn’t? “Your dad is awake. He needs to take his medicine soon. So you can bring her in there to meet him while he’s not napping.” Momma nodded toward the hallway.

He was in pain, was what that translated to. “If he needs to go ahead and take his medicine now, I can introduce her to him another time.”

She started shaking her head. “Oh no, he knows you’re coming and bringing a friend already. I told him. He wants to meet her.”

I glanced down at Maggie. “You ready?” I asked, wanting to give her one last chance to change her mind.

She nodded, and all the encouragement I needed was in her eyes.

I didn’t care that my mother would see me; I needed to hold Maggie’s hand right now. Slipping my hand over hers, I held it tightly. Then we walked down the hall to my parents’ bedroom.