The Will

“Yes, I’m excellent. Thank you for asking.”

She moved her weight from foot to foot and looked to the shelves beyond me. Alas, what she did not do was bid me to have a good day and move away.

“Is there something you need?” I asked and her eyes came to me. “I don’t wish to be rude but Jake and the children are expecting me,” I prompted.

“I just…” she started, trailed off and began again. “I’m just wondering about Con and Amber. I heard some things about Con and I’m concerned.”

“Have you phoned Co

“Well, yes. He said everything’s cool,” she told me.

I said nothing.

She spoke again.

“But, what I heard was that some girl told folks she was pregnant with his kid, she wasn’t, she’s getting massive shit from everyone for pulling that, but his girl still broke up with him.”

This was true, as with some delight boy Taylor shared with me just days before that young Mia was getting “massive shit” from everyone.

Co

As per boy Taylor, Mia was now a pariah, not only in the boy department but also in the girl.

Fair punishment, according to me.

I told Do

Instead, I simply confirmed, “This did happen.”

“I, well…thought he liked that girl who broke it off with him. Um…Ellie.”

“He did.”

She stared at me a moment before asking, “So is he really okay?”

“No,” I answered.

“Shit,” she whispered, becoming unfocused for several seconds before she again focused on me. “Is Amber good?”

“Amber’s fine,” I told her.

“She isn’t, well…this is strange, talking to you about this, but she isn’t picking up my calls.”

I couldn’t have agreed more that this was strange and decided to tell her as much.

“It is indeed strange you talking to me about this for I barely know you and we’re discussing something colossally important, that being your daughter,” I declared. “I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t be making some attempt to communicate directly to her, even if she isn’t picking up her phone. I would assume you know where she attends school as well as lives so these are not mysteries you need to cipher before you make a co

Her mouth had dropped open making her look rather comically dull but I was far from done.

“Further, if Amber isn’t answering your calls, you know her father and you can discuss the daughter you share directly with him. Why you would approach me in a gourmet food store aisle I ca

I stopped talking and she had no reply for long moments before she stated, “Boy, you don’t beat around the bush.”

“Not normally, no. But when it comes to Jake, Co

Something changed in her face and her voice was quite strange when she remarked, “It’s cool they have that from you.”

“It would be cooler if they had something, anything from you,” I retorted.

Her expression again changed. She flinched.

But she said not a word.

So I did.

“Listen, I’ve explained to you that I’m quite busy but I’ll take this moment to say more. It appears you care that you’ve lost your co

I stopped talking and she remained silent so I went on.

“Also, as I never really had one, I can only assume that a son and daughter would welcome their mother in their life. But as you’ve blundered quite horribly with your two children, although I urge you to rectify that and do it very soon, I would also urge you to speak with Jake about it so as you do it you don’t cause undo upheaval that will be difficult for him and those kids to handle.”

“You want me talking to Jake?” she asked, sounding incredulous, and I felt my brows draw together.

“You’re the mother of two of his children,” I answered.

“But I’m also his ex. I mean, we were married and we have history,” she told me.

“Indeed. Though your last word is quite crucial. History,” I replied.

She again flinched.

I studied her closely.

Surely this woman wasn’t that oblivious. Years had passed.

“Do

Another flinch.

Good God.

She was that oblivious.

“Okay, this is weirding me out,” she declared. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you about this.”

“Indeed, you shouldn’t have. But you did. And I’d encourage you to take on board what I said.” I hesitated to underline my final point. “All of it.”

She held my eyes and replied, “I don’t mean to be fu

She was absolutely that oblivious.

I couldn’t believe it, but as it was right there in front of me, I found it very sad.

Therefore, I gentled my tone when I told her, “If you believe that, I’m very sorry. Jake and you are not complicated because there is no Jake and you. It appears you’ve been working under the misconception that that’s the case, but I advise you to cease doing so for your own sake.”

“Again, not to be fu

“He also left you, and since then married two other women and then met me,” I volleyed.

She shook her head, clearly my words weren’t penetrating and this was proved when she started, “I don’t mean to be mean but you should—”

“You aren’t being mean, Do

“God,” she whispered, her eyes widening. “You totally don’t have any problems with me talking to Jake.”

“Not a one,” I replied. “Now, again, not to be rude but I really must be getting on.”

“I…” Another shake of her head. “Okay.”

“Phone Jake,” I urged.

“I…” She shook her head yet again but said, “I will.”

“Good day to you, Do

“Um…good day to you too, Josie.”

I wanted to roll my eyes at her calling me Josie again. It was true that I was getting that from practically everyone these days but from her I didn’t like it all that much.

However, I found our conversation more than mildly exasperating and I wanted it to end so I didn’t say a word. Nodding my head to her once, I turned back to my cart and my attention back to my list.

It was much later, indeed well after the children and the Taylors gave their exuberant stamp of approval not only to my truffle risotto but to the variety of bruschettas that I’d made as an appetizer, that I was alone with Jake in the kitchen making hot fudge sundaes.

It was then I told him of my conversation with Do

As he was stronger, he was scooping out the hard frozen ice cream. With curiosity, I was “nuking” the jars of hot fudge (three of them), a phenomenon I had not yet tasted but was very much looking forward to as Jake also had cans of whipped cream, nuts, sprinkles and cherries.