This Thing Called Love: A Novella ✔️

Eleven - Leo

Over the next week, I stop by Molly's on my days off to check in on Sonny and take him outside, and on the days I work, Molly's neighbor insists she's capable enough of filling in.

Meeting Willa Mae was like taking a breath of fresh air. I run into lots of older folks on the job, but it's a rarity to come across someone as sassy and vibrant as Molly's neighbor. Not only is her love for Molly apparent, but she's funny too—sharing stories from her younger years, and cracking jokes that would make some of the guys at the station turn red.

But the best thing about Willa Mae is that she loves to feed people. Every time she catches me hanging out with Sonny, she offers us something to eat. And believe me, I'm not complaining.

"Did you lose weight since yesterday?" she asks the moment she spots us in the backyard. "Young man such as yourself needs plenty of protein. I made fried catfish and homemade rolls, if you're interested."

"Well, you know I'm not gonna turn down a meal made by the infamous Willa Mae: best cook this side of Miami!"

She gives me a mischievous grin and waves the compliment away, but I know she loves every second of it. "I'll set up the patio," she says. "You come on over whenever you're ready, and bring that good boy with you. I made him some homemade dog treats."

I reach down and give Sonny a scratch behind the ears. "Did you hear that? Willa Mae made you a snack."

Opening the gate, I let Sonny out first and he dances around until I join him. When we climb the patio stairs, Willa Mae already has two overfilled plates sitting at the outdoor table along with mugs of fresh ice tea. Leaves from the palm trees overhead are just enough to keep the afternoon sun at bay.

"You seen Molly much this week?" she asks after taking a sip of tea. Ice cubes clink together as she swirls her glass.

A wave of guilt slams into me. "Nah. I've been busy."

It's not a lie, but not the entire truth. Ever since we went to the beach and I saw her with Val in the hospital, us hanging out together has been eating away at me. It's not that I don't want to see her. The problem is, I want to a little too much.

Willa Mae gives me a slow nod and hands a peanut butter dog cookie to Sonny who's lying at her feet. "From the way Molly talks, it sounds like you two hit it off. She's enjoying your friendship."

"I'm enjoying hers, too. She'll be a nice addition to our family."

She takes another sip of tea and eyes me over the rim of the glass. "Family sure is important. I'm not sure if you know this, but I have four sisters and two female cousins spread out all over the country, and after all these years, we're still thick as thieves. Every Sunday evening we get together to play games on Zoom."

"I didn't know that," I say, spreading a knife full of honey over my roll.

Willa Mae sets down her mug, cuts off a piece of catfish, and pops it into her mouth. "When we were young girls, we sure could fight—and fight dirty if need be! But in the end, we were still family, and all those disagreements and misunderstandings meant nothing in the grand scheme of things."

I laugh and lick a dab of honey off my finger. "I fought with mine, too. Now that we're adults, we get along just fine—when we see each other, anyway. Which is a lot since our family runs with any excuse to throw a party."

A smile spreads across her thin lips. "Families are resilient that way. What it all boils down to is that no matter how much we may disagree, we just want everyone to be happy."

She just unknowingly proved my point. I want Val to be happy, and that's why I can't allow myself to get closer to Molly. I already offered to pick her up for the twins' birthday tomorrow, and even if I no longer think it's the best idea, I won't back out on our plans. Maybe Jabari and DeAngelo will want to come along? Having them there will take some of the pressure off of me, and the twins would die of happiness if they showed up—like a present they didn't even think to ask for. Then after that, Molly will strictly be Val's fiancé and nothing more.

Willa Mae studies me as she repositions herself in the chair. "Now that I'm older, I'm able to look back on my life and see things more clearly. Things that, for some crazy reason, I couldn't see back then—even if they were staring me in the face," she continues. "When you're in the middle of living it, it's not always easy to make choices or choose paths. That's because we don't trust ourselves enough, or we're too worried about what others might think. And oh, there are so many things I'd do differently! Sometimes, I wish I could go back and get it right. It's awful knowing an opportunity has passed you by and all you're left with are regrets."

"Do you have regrets?" I ask, after swallowing a sticky bite of soft dough.

Willa Mae's raspy laugh fills the space between us. "I never did get married—and believe me when I say I'm okay with that. Not everyone is meant to. But once upon a time, there was a special boy. Every so often, I think of him and wonder what could have been."

My eyebrows arch in her direction. "So that boy is your regret?"

Willa Mae shrugs. "I looked him up on Facebook a few years ago, and let me just say, time has not been kind to that man, no siree. But that's beside the point," she says with an animated cringe. "I've lived a full and satisfying life, and I'm at peace with the decisions I've made. But every once in a while, a what if sneaks up and needles at me. If things had worked out between us, would I have wanted to get married? Would I have wanted a family of my own? Those are answers I'll never have, and I've learned to be okay with that. But not everyone would be."

I'm not really sure what she's getting at.

She gives me a knowing look as if she's reading my mind. And with Willa Mae, I wouldn't be surprised if she could. "What I'm trying to say is that life is short, and sometimes our biggest regrets are the chances we don't take."

I fork a bite of catfish into my mouth and think over what she said, but I still can't get over the peculiar timing. "Any reason in particular I'm getting this pep talk today?"

"Just some wise words from an old lady." Willa Mae gives me a wink. "They may come in handy one day. Don't you dare let 'em go to waste."

Approx. 16,667 words to date.