Running Game(45)

“Are you okay, honey?” I asked. “Do you need your inhaler?”

“Maybe,” she said. “I’ll go get it. I love that car, mama!” she yelled over her shoulder as she ran to her room.

I turned back to Eddie to see him studying my face intently.

“You got laid.”

“Oh, my God, Eddie! We are not talking about this right now!”

“Girl, I know that look, that glow. Don’t try to lie to Uncle Eddie, because I can always tell. Mmm, mmmm - roses, money and sex - girl, what kind of fancy treasure have you found?”

“Shut up!” I said, hushing him. I’d be mortified if Maddy heard him. I turned to go to her room when the doorbell rang.

“God, what now?” I asked, opening the door.

An old lady, with her white hair perched on top of her head in a huge bun, stood there holding a tiny white kitten in her arms.

“Yes?” I asked. “Can I help you?”

“Delivery for Maisey Jayne,” she replied, as she pushed the kitten into my arms. My mouth dropped in surprise.

“No, I can’t —,” I began, pushing the kitten back towards her.

“All the food, bedding, toys and everything else is right here,” she gestured to a pile of things she’d left on the porch and turned abruptly and walked away, leaving me standing there completely dumbfounded with the cutest kitten I’d ever seen purring in my arms. She brushed up against my cheek, staring up at me with huge, blinking blue eyes.

Maddy bounded around the corner and shrieked in pleasure.

“A kitten!” she cried. I sighed, handing her the kitten, and walking back into my flower filled house.

“What have I gotten myself into?” I wondered out loud.

“I don’t know, but does he have a lonely brother?” Eddie asked.





29





JESSE





My phone rang as I was doing the exercises Maisey left and insisted I do three times a day. My knee was getting much better, instead of worse like I thought it might be after the work out I’d given it last night.

“Hey beautiful,” I answered with a smile.

“Jesse, you are too much!”

“I take it you got my delivery?”

“Delivery? More like you sent an entire florist’s shop to my house!”

“Four of them… Actually… Do you like the flowers?” I asked.

“Like them? Well, of course, they’re flowers, what’s not to like? But it’s too much! It fills up my entire house!”

“Good, that was my intention.”

“And what was your intention with the kitten?”

“Oh, good Susie showed up, too? I love that little lady. She fosters cats and always has someone ready to be adopted. Did she bring you the white one?”

“Yes, but —,” she protested.

“That’s for your daughter,” I interjected. “Did she name her yet?”

“Yes - Snowflake - but Jesse, we can’t keep all this!”

“Of course you can. Why can’t you?”

“Because it’s too much, for one. Secondly, I can barely walk in my house. I’m not sure how big you think my house is, but this is ridiculous. And how in the hell did you find out my address, by the way?”

“Does it matter? Listen, Maisey,” I said. “This is more for me than it is for you. Did it make you smile?”

“Well, of course.”

“Then my mission is accomplished. I want to make you happy, babe,” I said, my heart swelling as I said it out loud. “I care about you, Maise.”

Her sigh on the other end of the phone ripped through me.

“I don’t mean to be ungrateful, Jesse,” she said. “I just don’t know if this is a good idea.”

“Tell you what,” I said. “Let’s talk about it tomorrow. Just enjoy yourself today, go for a ride somewhere nice with your daughter and I’ll see you in the morning, okay? It’s not the end of the world, Maisey. If it helps you feel any better, my team owner paid a disgusting amount of money to get me through rehabilitation. Your boss is hanging onto all of it without giving you so much as a pay raise. You’re riding around in a cab trying to make ends meet. You deserve better. Consider the car a work bonus that you damn well deserve for all the time and energy you’ve given that place. If you still don’t think you earned it by the time my knee is working, I’ll take it back no questions asked…”

“You’re very generous,” she said.

“Sometimes, I am,” I said. “You bring out the best in me.”

I could hear her smile in her voice.

“So… Tomorrow then?” I asked.

“Okay. Tomorrow,” she replied. “See you then.”