Page 29 of The Roommate Problem
“August doesn’t know.” Agatha pointed a finger at her. “And he’s not going to, either.”
Her jaw dropped open. “Agatha!”
“My health is my business, young lady.”
“But he’s your grandson.”
“Yes, he is, and as such, it’s my job to take care of him. Not the other way around. I don’t want the boy worrying his fool head off over a simple surgery that won’t even keep me in the hospital for a day. And recovery is only a few weeks at most.”
But family was supposed to be there for you. Especially in times of sickness.
“How are you going to explain taking a few weeks off work while you recover?” Surely Agatha didn’t intend to keep this whole thing a secret forever?
“I’m going to let him know after I get out of surgery and am settled back home. No sense in worrying the boy unnecessarily.”
She might not know August that well, but she’d bet he’d be worried no matter what. She certainly was.
“Now,” Agatha said, shaking the spool of green ribbon at her, “I am only telling you this because you overheard. I expect you to keep my confidence and not mention anything about my health or this surgery to my grandson. He’d only use it as another excuse to sell the shop.”
Her heart sank, stomach twisting in knots. She hated keeping secrets. Her third brother’s thirtieth surprise birthday party had nearly been ruined because Mo almost let the cat out of the bag. The walls closed in on her, or maybe that was just a hint of claustrophobia from being in this tiny supply room. How could Agatha ask her to keep a secret this big? And from her roommate? The person she saw every day.
“When’s the surgery?”
“In six weeks.”
A month and a half. She’d never last.
“Please, Moira.” Agatha grasped her hands, gaze pleading. “I swear to you this isn’t anything serious, and I don’t want August to worry. That boy has had enough in his life to deal with. He doesn’t need to fret over his gran when I’ll be perfectly fine.”
“Okay.” She sighed. “I promise not to tell him.”
It was Agatha’s body, her medical issue. Mo had no right to go blabbing it to August if the older woman didn’t want him to know. But she absolutely hated this. Hated having to hold something back, even if it wasn’t life threatening. It still felt…wrong.
“Thank you, dear.”
Agatha gathered Mo into her arms. The spool pressed against her back, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was Agatha trusted her to keep her word, and Mo intended to do her best not to disappoint.
“Hey,” a deep voice sounded from the hallway. “What are you doing here?”
Mo pulled away from Agatha to see August standing in the doorway, a suspicious gleam in his eyes.
Uh oh. Busted.
…
August stared at the sight before him. Gran in the supply room wasn’t an odd sight, but Mo being there, hugging his grandmother, was. What was she up to? Whatever it was, he didn’t trust it. Or her. They’d fallen into an easy rhythm at home since the Botanic Gardens visit this past weekend, but he knew Mo was on the “keep the shop” train, and any private conversation she was having with his grandmother couldn’t be good.
“August, dear.” His grandmother released Mo. “Did the delivery go all right?”
“Went off without a hitch,” he said while keeping his focus on Mo. “And I grabbed you some lunch from Mod Market on my way back. It’s out front.”
“My favorite. Thank you, Auggie.”
“Hey,” Mo complained. “How come she gets to call you a cute nickname, but I don’t?”
“Because she’s my grandmother.”
“You have a nickname for him?” Grandma turned to Mo. “Do tell.”
