She laughs. “You already had the key chain.”
“So, you bought me another one?” My eyes narrow.
“No, I took the one I already gave you,” she continues.
“So… you’re regifting it?”
“Flip it over.”
I pull it out of the box, feel something on the other side, and flip it over.
“Mom.” I pause, running my thumb over the cross on the back. “It’s your necklace.”
“You always loved it, but I know you don’t like wearing necklaces, so I thought—”
“This is yours. I can’t take this.”
“I want you to have it. I haven’t been able to wear it in nearly a year. The chain started irritating my skin, so I thought you’d get better use out of it. Rather than it just sitting in my drawer.”
My dad bought this necklace for my mom after I was born. Her name is on the bottom of the cross vertically, and my name is across it horizontally. The“E”in her name is the first“E”in mine.
It’s melded on the back of my keychain now.
“It’s perfect, Mom.” I squeeze the keychain in my hand. “Thank you so much.”
This time, when I lean forward to kiss her on the cheek, she lets me.
“I’m happy you like it.” I pull out my keys and put the keychain back on. I don’t know how I didn’t realize it was missing.
My phone buzzes, alerting me that our takeout is here.
“I’ll go get it,” Avalon says, standing up and squeezing my shoulder. “So, you guys can have another minute alone. I’ll be right back.”
“I know I already said this, but I like her, Zeke. She seems really good for you,” she says the second Avalon’s gone. “I haven’t seen you like this in a long time.”
“I’ll be even happier when your tests come back clear.”
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.” She takes a deep breath. “I’m going home.”
“What?!” I jump out of my chair, grabbing her hand. “You got your test results back already? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m telling you now.”
“You’re going home!” I exclaim. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for years.”
I feel like a little kid again, getting giddy on Christmas morning, excited to see what Santa brought me.
My mom’s going home.
She’s finally going home.
forty
Avalon
She hasn’t stopped talking about you all week,” Zeke says as we walk through the cereal aisle.
“I think you’re just trying to make me feel better.” I lean against the cart as he stops to grab a box of cereal off the shelf.