MAVERICK
“Hey, Nana.” I kissed her on the cheek even if she wasn’t too excited to see me. “Did you take your medicine?”
She went back to the kitchen, continued working on her pecan pie, and slid it into the oven.
“Are you okay?” I dropped the grocery bags on the floor and grabbed a clean towel as she removed dirty utensils and brought them to the sink. I cleaned the table, waiting for her reply. “Nana, what’s going on?”
“You lied to me,” she said sharply, her hand on her hip. Her face hardened, eyes filling with anger.
“About what, exactly? You know I never lied to you.” My stomach lurched instantly.
“Do you think I’m stupid? I raised you, Ricky. I know you very well when you hide something from me. I taught you better than that. You disappoint me, young lady.”
“Nana, please. What are you talking about?”
She gave me her back and went on cleaning the sink. “Go home.”
“Nana, just tell me, please?” It broke my heart, hurting her.
She was more than just my grandmother. She became my mother when my own mother could not be one. She’d been there for me, tended to me when I got sick, taught me everything on my first ride on the bicycle, never gave up on me, even how many times I fell, and always held out her hand to help me.
Her eyes narrowed at me. “I thought you were better than this. What have gotten into you?”
“Just tell me already.” I blinked when tears filled my eyes.
“That ring you’re wearing.” Oh, God. She knew. My heart dropped my stomach. “I asked you about it, and you lied to my face, Augustine Maverick. You lied to me. Get out of my house. I don’t want to see your face again!”
“No. I’m not going anywhere. You and I are stuck together for life. You never gave up on me when my own mother did, and I won’t give up on you. Never. I know I lied to you, and I’m so sorry,” I started sobbing. I could barely see her through my blurry eyes.
“I don’t want to hear more lies, Ricky.”
“I know I disappointed you, and I’m sorry. I was so angry, and my life was falling apart. I am so ashamed to come back here and ask for help because I know you would do everything in a heartbeat to give me what I needed. I couldn’t let you do that.”
“How could you? Did you sell your body for money? Do you think you are better right now because you wear expensive clothes and carry an expensive bag? You disgust me, Maverick!”
“I know. I’m sorry.” I took a step to reach out for her hand, but she jerked back. “I did that for money. Yes, because I’d been crashing on Rocco’s couch for weeks. I tried to save money for an apartment, but it wasn’t enough. I had to pay for school supplies, and my car constantly broke down. One time, it was in the middle of the night. I was glad there was a good Samaritan who helped me with a jump start. But I deserve every penny I have right now, Nana. Sometimes, we need to sacrifice our happiness to live.”
“Spare me your crap, young woman. I could have helped you. I may not have a job right now, but I still have insurance from your grandpa. What would he have said to you right now?”
“You’re having your treatments. You have to see a doctor every few months. You know the medical insurance is not enough-”
“Stop defending yourself. Admit it!”
“Yes, I married Lake for money, Nana! You can hate me, but I also have pride, and I’m an adult who doesn’t want to depend everything on you. I’m better than that.”
“You’re better than that? Look at you?” She gestured her hands at me. I knew Nana was an old-fashioned woman. She had family values and always taught me that I should get married before having a child. “You are not better than you think you are. I wouldn’t have known if I had not seen your picture and that man on the internet. It would humiliate me if my neighbor had shown me your picture with that man. How much he gave you?”
I looked away and wiped my tears. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
“I was going to tell you, but I didn’t know how. I know I’m not better than anyone, but I did that to save money and have a better life.” When I thought sharing the truth with her would ease the pain, I was wrong.
“I saw how you reacted to women choosing older men, and look at you now, getting you a taste of your own medicine. So judgmental of you.”
“I’m so sorry.” I wiped my tears and looked at her. “I’m a disappointment. I know. When I finish college, I will return his money and everything he gave me. I just wanted to finish college, Nana, because I wanted you to be proud of me. I had to stop for two years to take care of you, and I won’t stop taking care of you. I thought you should know that.”
She drew a deep breath, slapping her chest as she took a seat.
“Don’t come and see me again as long as you do what you do.” Those words slammed right into my chest like a knife hitting my heart. It was excruciatingly painful.
“Nana, please?”
“How could you not include me in your decision? How could you not let me know that you were getting married?” She breathed out, each word filled with pain, and I couldn’t watch it anymore.
“I hope one day you can forgive me. I’m going for now, but I’ll be back soon.” I turned around. Before I could walk out of the kitchen, I paused. “And Nana, I love you very much. Always.”
With my heart heavy in my chest, I got into my car and drove off. I cried the whole time as I couldn’t ignore her disappointment. I’d never seen that look before, and it broke my heart, and I broke her heart, too. I should have told her sooner, but how?
I was nothing. I was just like my mother.
“Damn it!” I hit the steering wheel when I couldn’t handle the pain anymore. I parked the car somewhere and cried, but the pain was still there, set deep inside my chest.
I yelped in shock. Someone had just knocked on my window. Had I parked the car in a no-parking zone?
I wiped my face and looked outside the window. What the hell? I rolled my window as I recognized that face-the good Samaritan.
“Hey. Is everything okay?” The man’s brown eyes looked sincerely concerned, and I didn’t know why. We’d met twice now, and if I were too paranoid, I would have thought he was stalking me, but when he helped me jump-start my car, it was three months ago.
“Yeah.” I sniffled, grabbed facial tissue from my bag, and wiped my face and nose.
“You don’t look okay,” he said softly. He didn’t look older than Linden. He was also tall and seemingly worked out a lot. He looked handsome- like dark and dangerously handsome, but something was off, like hidden darkness in those eyes. I didn’t know how to explain it, but I could feel it.
“Just having some issues. What are you doing here? You don’t just appear to help someone in need like a damsel, right?”
“Come.” He gestured. “It would feel a lot better if you talk it out, let it out of your chest.”
Interestingly, I followed him. I got out of my car and realized I had parked just right outside a coffee shop.
“I’m Maverick. I didn’t even catch your name. I only thanked you the last time you helped me, and you were gone.”
“Terzo. Terzo Manuele.”