Page 87 of Scoring Chances

I was so busy with entertaining Joshua’s parents that I missed the call from Eddie that day. Lillian did not. And I don’t have the heart to tell her. Instead, I just deleted his number and have been following the saga of Lillian and her English beau.

“He’s so different. And fun. And just pays attention to things, you know? I don’t think I’ve ever been with someone who just cares about the little things.”

“Aww, Lillian.”

“There’s just one problem,” she says.

“Uh-oh.”

“He’s moving to Singapore, Sid! Freakin’ Singapore.”

Singapore is way farther than Georgia. That's for sure.

“Maybe you guys can make it work long-distance. If that’s what you want.”

She scrunches her nose. “I like him. A lot. But long-distance just seems like a huge commitment.”

I hear the front door open and shut followed by the sound of boots.

“Hold on,” I tell her.

It’s him. He sees me leaning on the kitchen counter and stops. In his eyes, I see something different. Something's wrong. He’s hurt.

“Lillian, I’m going to call you back, later, ok?”

“Uh-oh! Is bossman there—” I hang up.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

He swallows hard and scratches the back of his head. “She knew… my Mom. She knew about James. About the kids.”

“What do you mean she knew?”

He walks in and pulls one of the barstools from the kitchen island and sits in it. His hair is mussed like he’s been running his fingers through it over and over. “James, a month before he passed, went to U-M. To the hospital where my mother works. He had been diagnosed with a heart condition. She’s the best heart surgeon in the country. So he went to her.”

“And what happened?”

“She wouldn’t treat him.”

“Your mother?” I can't believe that. “She just denied him care?”

“She said she couldn’t do it. Referred him to a colleague. She could’ve helped him and she didn’t, Cassidy.”

“I-I’m so sorry, Joshua. That’s just–”

“Evil,” Cole’s voice says from the entrance of the kitchen.

“Cole,” I gasp.

“She could’ve saved him? She could’ve saved my dad and instead… she let him die.” Cole shakes his head in disgust.

“Cole, I had no idea,” Joshua says, standing up.

“She let him die!” Cole yells out.

“Who?” Maddie is coming down the stairs. "Who died?"

I panic running to her. “Nobody, honey–”