Safe and Sound(53)

Lola wanted to ask him what he’d meant by his earlier words. He had to know what he meant to her. Didn’t he? What did Jack think this was between them? She had to tell him. Lola inhaled slowly, gathered her courage.

“Jack, I—“

“What are you doing this weekend?

She closed her mouth. Why did he keep interrupting her? “No plans. Why?”

“Curious. Thought maybe you’d be hanging out with Rachel or Sebastian.”

“No. Maybe. Not that I know of.” Lola sighed. “Did you ask for a reason?”

“Nope,” was his curt response.

The silence was strained and Lola wondered why. It frightened her.

“Okay. Well. I guess…I’ll see you later.” Lola turned to go, glancing back at Jack. He had his head turned away.

What is going on? Lola fumbled with the door handle, unease making her fingers clumsy. She looked up, wanting to run to Jack and throw her arms around him. But his back was to her.

Lola drove off, feeling like she was losing a part of herself and she didn’t understand why. What had changed between them?





14



The day was overcast and dreary; a lot like Lola’s thoughts. It had been a few days since she’d seen Jack. Much too long. Lola missed him so much it was scary.

Countless times she’d picked up the phone, intending to call him, and instead she hung it back up. She didn’t know what to say. You didn’t just blurt out over the phone for the first time you loved someone. It had to be done with tact, in person. Hard to do when he appeared to be avoiding her.

She sat at the kitchen table, staring out the windows to the gray skies beyond.

“This is for you.” A brown photo album was placed on the table before Lola. “I thought you would like to see these.”

Lola set her mug of hot chocolate down and stared at the book. “Are they…?”

“Yes. Your father. Lots of pictures of your father. Your mother. And you.”

Lola’s eyes dampened. “Thank you,” she told her aunt with feeling.

She’d only seen a handful of pictures of her dad and only then because she’d found them in a box. When Lola had approached her mom with them, she’d cried, so Lola had put them back and never looked at them again in front of her mother.

There were times, though, when Lana had opened up about her husband. Fleeting and far too sporadic, but each memory she’d shared with Lola had been a gift.

Lola shook herself back to the present. “What did you say?”

Blair, clad in pink and blue pajamas and hair upswept in a messy ponytail, smiled and ruffled up Lola’s hair. “I said, you’re very welcome. I’ll be in my office working on an article if you need or want anything.”

Lola absently righted her hair, eyes intent on her aunt. “Do you have to? I mean, would you look at them with me?”

Her face softened. “You bet I will. I didn’t know if you’d want company or not.” She pulled out a chair and sat down beside Lola, sipping her tea.

“Go ahead,” she urged when Lola continued to stare at the book.

On the first page was a photo of a gangly teenager with brown hair and brown eyes. He hadn’t grown into his nose or chin yet. He was tall, thin, and posed like a ninja. Lola laughed, wiping at her wet eyes.

“He was quite the character, let me tell you.”

Lola turned the page and saw a similar photograph. She waited for her aunt to elaborate.

“Ben was a goof. He had an infectious laugh. People liked him. He was funny, popular in school, handsome, athletic. There didn’t seem to be anything he couldn’t do.

“I wanted to be like him. Which is what made me pick up a camera. He was a great photographer. Ben knew how to capture a person’s essence, you know? I have some of his work framed on the walls in my office. I’ll show you sometime. Let you pick one out to keep.”

Lola took a deep breath. “I’d like that.”

“I’m not saying my brother was perfect. He wasn’t. Ben had a quick temper and could be overbearingly stubborn at times, but he felt strongly about things and stood for what he thought was right.”

Blair smiled, lost in memories.

“He was a good brother. Usually older siblings are mean and pick on the younger brother or sister, but not Ben. He always looked out for me, helped me. He stood up for me at school when other kids were bullying me.” Blair’s voice cracked and she cleared her throat.

“Ben said he fell in love with your mom the instant he saw her. Did she ever tell you how they met?”

Lola shook her head, fascinated by the treasure being bestowed upon her. She didn’t want to speak for fear of getting her aunt off track and missing something she would have told her had Lola not interrupted.