Zeke, Elizabeth Lennox [readnow .txt] 📗

Joanne’s arms tightened around Abby’s waist and she smiled. “You’re going to be okay, sweetie.”

Abby pulled away and forced her lips to smile, but she didn’t believe her mother. “How can I help with dinner?”

Joanne pointed to the bag. “You can open that bottle of wine and pour us each a glass. Then you can sit on that stool and tell me what’s going on.” She started grating cheese, but paused to look directly into Abby’s eyes. “And you’re going to explain to me why you didn’t call and tell me that something was wrong, young lady!”

Abby laughed as she got down two wine glasses. “I didn’t want to bother you.”

Her mother snorted. “Abby, when you’re upset about something, you call me! Understand?”

Abby smiled for the first time since she’d broken up with Zeke. “Understood.”

Her mother humphed a bit, then turned back to working. “Okay, so start talking. What’s going on?”

Abby poured the wine, then sat down on the stool with a heavy sigh. “I’ve been seeing a guy, Mom. He’s wonderful. He’s big, strong, and patient and,” she grinned as she looked at her mother stirring the flour and butter in the pot, “he bakes! He loves to bake things. When he’s stressed about something, he’ll pull out flour and sugar or whatever and bake cookies or bread or anything that comes to mind. Plus he cooks me dinner whenever he comes over. He loves to cook. He’s just amazing!”

Joanne laughed, nodding. “Okay, he’s handsome, he’s strong, he’s patient, and he’s well trained. So, what’s the problem?”

Abby’s smile disappeared and she took a long sip of her wine. Setting it carefully back on the counter, she said, “He’s a member of the Army’s Delta Force team, Mom. He’s Special Forces.” She sniffed. “He’s just like Dad. He goes into danger zones and…he’s…”

Her mother paused and looked at Abby. “I still don’t see the problem, sweetie.”

Abby shrugged. “Dad died.”

“Yes,” she agreed, stirring in the milk now. “We’re all going to die at some point.”

“Mom, Dad died in some foreign country and we still don’t know where or how or even why.”

She nodded again. “Yes, that’s true. But Abby,” she added in a handful of grated cheese, “he died doing something he believed in. He died doing something heroic, something that made this world a better place.”

Abby thought about that and nodded slowly. “Okay, fine. He died doing something he believed in. But he left you and me behind.”

Joanne nodded and sighing heavily. “Yeah. That was awful. I was devastated when I got the news.”

“Mom,” Abby groaned, “you’ve never gotten over him.”

Joanne laughed. “I’ve moved on with my life.”

Abby stared at her mother for a long moment, shaking her head slightly. “But you’ve never remarried.”

Her mother shrugged. “That’s true. But not because I haven’t tried. I just…I loved your Dad, Abby. I loved him so much and no other man has made me feel what I had with him.” She shrugged and peered into the pot, as if evaluating the cheese mixture. “Why settle for second best?”

Abby thought about how Zeke made her feel. Every time she saw him, her heart thudded with excitement. Every time he touched her, even non-sexually, she felt something stir inside of her. “That’s how Zeke makes me feel,” she whispered.

Joanne turned to look at Abby. “So, what’s the problem?”

“I don’t want to be hurt again,” Abby admitted.

Joanne snorted. “Oh, sweetie! You’re going to be hurt again! That’s just life. Pain in life is inevitable.” She stirred in more cheese. “It’s how we live our lives during the fun times that counts. If we go through life trying to avoid pain, well, then we’ll miss out on a whole lot of wonderful, beautiful moments as well.” She looked at her daughter’s stunned expression. “You love him, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Abby admitted.

“But you’re afraid?”

Abby nodded. “I don’t want him to die, Mom.”

Joanne turned off the heat under the pot. “Abby,” she said, covering her daughter’s hands with her own, “he is going to die eventually. He might die next week or he might die when he’s eighty-five. He could die in a car accident or some bastard in a foreign country might shoot him. But yes, he’s going to die.” She squeezed Abby’s hands. “The question you need to ask yourself is what you might be missing out on before that happens.”

Joanne walked back to the stove and poured the pasta into the boiling water. She didn’t say anything else, just continued stirring and adding various ingredients into the cheese sauce while Abby contemplated her mother’s words.

She was right, Abby thought. She was so right! What in the world was she doing? Why was she here when Zeke was vital, wonderful, and still alive?! Why was she wasting time alone when she could be with Zeke?!

“I have to go, Mom!” Abby said, jumping off of the stool and rushing over to hug her mother one more time. “I’m sorry, but I need to fix something!”

She grabbed her purse and her keys, running out the door. Her tires squealed as she pulled out of her parking space and Abby forced herself to slow down. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if she got into an accident on the way to Zeke’s apartment.

Ten minutes later, she stared at the empty parking space where his truck was usually parked. He wasn’t here? Abby looked around, trying to figure out what to do. She needed to see him, but where was he?

She texted him, then waited a few minutes, willing him to respond. But there