Chapter 25 — Calvin

Three days had passed since Calvin watched Jack walk out of his bedroom.

And even though they had talked on the phone almost a dozen times in those three days, it still felt like Jack had walked out of his life.

Again.

For the second time in his life, Calvin wondered why he had let himself fall so hard, so fast.

This time was supposed to be different, though.

“It was supposed to be different,” he said out loud to Darren as she walked around under his legs at the front counter.

He had started bringing her to work so he could keep an eye on her in case she went into labor, and so she had graduated from stray cat to house cat, then finally to shop cat.

She didn’t seem to mind his sad musings—a good thing, since that had been most of what she’d heard over the past seventy-two hours.

And even though Calvin knew that venting to his pregnant cat probably wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with his emotions, he had to talk to someone about Jack. And he wasn’t sure another person would understand.

So Darren was his de facto psychiatrist and best friend these days, whether she liked it or not.

The bell above the door jingled, pulling Calvin from his thoughts. He looked up just in time to school his features into a smile and stifle the groan that had almost escaped.

“Good morning, dear,” Bea Roberts returned his smile as she walked right up to the counter. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been better, honestly,” Calvin said before he could stop himself. “How about yourself?”

It was probably bad manners or bad business to let his customers in on how he was really feeling, but Calvin couldn’t really be bothered to care. Not today. Probably not for the rest of this week.

Besides, it wasn’t like she didn’t already have an idea of how he was doing.

“I know, sweetie,” she said, giving him a sympathetic look. “I miss him, too.”

Calvin tried to force another smile to make it seem like he wasn’t so sad, but couldn’t manage it. He was sad. He did miss Jack, with every fiber of his being, every minute of the day.

And while Bea might have good intentions with this visit, she was really only making him miss her son even more.

“He helped a lot of people while he was here,” Calvin said, struggling to find something to say that didn’t have to do with Jack—a total fail on that count—and that wasn’t completely depressing. At least that part had been less of a fail.

“I know,” she said, sighing. “He told me. But that’s how Jack is—as I’m sure you know. He gets his mind set on something and then won’t let anything stand in his way.” She paused and gave Calvin an appraising look. “Which is why I know that he will be back, dear. He will.”

Calvin nodded, then blinked hard as the tears began welling up in his eyes. He really, really didn’t want to cry in front of Jack’s mom, for God’s sake, but that was where this conversation was heading if he kept it up.

“I believe that,” Calvin said. “I believed it when he told me, and I believe it now that you’ve said it, too. But…” Calvin took a deep breath and willed himself not to cry. Not yet. “But it’s still hard, you know?”

She reached out and patted his hand. “I know that better than anyone, dear. Jack has always had to do things his way, but you know what I’ve found over the years?”

“What’s that?” Calvin blinked again and dashed at his cheeks as his vision blurred.

“He always comes back. And now that he’s got more of a reason than ever, I’d bet we’ll be seeing him sooner, rather than later.”

“I hope you’re right,” Calvin said, meaning it.

“I know I am, sweetheart.” She winked, then paused as she turned to go. “I’m always right. Just ask my husband.”

Calvin laughed for the first time in three days, a deep, hard, belly laugh. “Thanks, Mrs. Roberts.”

She gave a little wave as she walked out the door.

And then he started to cry.

Again.