Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Jessica’s POV

I stood at the edge of the bleachers.

59

59 vouchere

The elementary school basketball game was in full swing, and the air was thick with the scent of popcorn from the concession stand and the faint, rubbery smell of the court.

Kids in oversized jerseys darted back and forth, their faces flushed with effort and excitement.

Parents and teachers lined the sidelines, some clapping politely, others shouting encouragement.

But me? I was yelling at the top of my lungs.

“Go, Adrian! You’ve got this, buddy! Drive to the hoop!”

My voice echoed through the gymnasium. I jumped up and down, waving my arms wildly, not caring that a few heads turned my way with amused glances.

This was my son out there, weaving through defenders with a determined grin on his face.

His team was up by five points in the final quarter, and every basket he made felt like a personal victory for both of us.

Back when I was with Aaron, I’d sit in the stands during his games, my cheers barely above a whisper.

I was so shy then, terrified that someone might notice my massive crush on him. I’d bite my lip, clap softly, and pray no one saw the way my eyes followed him across the field.

But with Adrian? None of that mattered. He was my world, and I’d scream until I was hoarse if it meant showing him how much I believed in him.

Who cared who was watching? Motherhood had stripped away that layer of self-consciousness, leaving only fierce. unapologetic love.

As I watched him through the screen, my heart did that familiar, painful thud/Though Aaron had hurt me beyond words, I wasn’t inhumane enough to want to erase him from Adrian’s history forever.

In due time, when the wounds weren’t so raw and the world felt steady, I planned to let them meet. That was why I recorded everything: the first steps, the lost teeth, his birthdays, his award ceremony, his games and many others.

I curated a library of milestones to show a father who didn’t even know he had a son.

I snapped out of the bittersweet trance just as the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game.

His team had won, 32-28. Kids high-fived each other, coaches patted backs, and the crowd erupted in applause.

Adrian spotted me from the court and waved, his gap-toothed smile lighting up the room.

I waved back, my chest swelling with pride, before slipping out through the school gates.

The late afternoon sun was dipping low, casting a golden hue over the parking lot, and a gentle breeze carried the distant

hum of traffic.

I figured Adrian deserved a treat after that performance-popsicles for the win, and a cold bottle of water to quench his

thirst.

The nearby supermarket was just a short walk away, a small corner store with fluorescent lights buzzing overhead and

(59

55 Vouchers

13:20 Mon, Jan 12

Chapter 63

shelves stocked with everyday essentials.

I grabbed a couple of cherry popsicles from the freezer aisle-his favorite-and a chilled water from the fridge.

At the checkout, the cashier, an older woman with a kind smile, rang me up.

“Looks like someone’s celebrating,” she said, eyeing the treats.

“Yeah, my son’s team just won their game,” I replied with a grin, handing over a few bills.

“Lucky kid. Have a good one!”

She passed me the bag, and I thanked her, pushing open the glass door with my shoulder.

The bell jingled behind me as I stepped out into the cooling air. That’s when my phone buzzed in my pocket, vibrating insistently against my thigh.

I furrowed my brow, and pulled it out to see Zoe blaring on the screen.

Zoe was my neighbor, a sweet woman who usually only called if I’d left my porch light on or if a package had been delivered to the wrong door.

“Hey, Zoe, is everything okay?” I asked, pushing out into the sunlight.

“Jess… oh God, Jess. It’s Lydia.” Zoe’s voice was ragged, bordering on a sob. “She isn’t breathing. She collapsed.”

The world tilted. The bag of popsicles felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.

Panic, cold and sharp, shot through my veins, making my feet move instinctively back toward the school.

“Why? What happened? Zoe, talk to me!”

“I heard a crash from across the hall,” Zoe explained breathlessly. “I went to check.. the door was ajar. She was on the floor, Jess. Unconscious. I called out to her but she wouldn’t wake up.”

Tears brimmed in my eyes, blurring the sidewalk.

“Please, Zoe, call the ambulance. Take her to the nearest hospital. I’m coming now. Just text me the location.”

“I’m on it, dear. Just hurry.”

I hung up and started to run. Lydia wasn’t just my housemate; she was my lifeline.

She was my mother’s sister, the woman I had accidentally bumped into at a restaurant years ago in Florida when Aaron took me out to celebrate his final victory as a coach.

It turned out she had stared at me so strangely that night because I was the spitting image of the sister she had lost.

She originally lived in Pittsburgh and had only been in Florida foy a business meeting.

What a twist of fate. If we hadn’t crossed paths, life would’ve been even harder.

My deadbeat family back home? They never lifted a finger to find me after I left-I’m sure of that.

Lydia offered me shelter, a real home, but unlike with Aaron, who let me crash without strings, I insisted on paying my share of the bills and rent.

She was family, yes, but it was time I took responsibility. No more being a charity case. I’d grown up.

13:20 Mon, Jan 125

Chapter 63

I burst through the school gates, my eyes scanning the dispersing crowd wildly for Adrian.

Kids were milling about, parents chatting, but he was nowhere in sight.

59

65 vouchers

With a thudding heart, I dashed toward the locker rooms, nearly colliding with a teacher in a whistle and clipboard.

“Excuse me,” I said, my voice trembling. “Have you seen Adrian? From the swish quad team?”

The teacher nodded calmly, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

“He’s still in the arena, celebrating with his teammates.”

“Thank you,” I muttered, spinning on my heel and racing back inside.

The gym was emptying out, but there he was-my boy, in the center of a huddle of classmates, laughing and fist-bumping like he’d just won the NBA finals.

“Adrian!” I called, waving him over.

His head snapped up, and his eyes lit up like stars.

“Momma!” He excused himself from the group and ran toward me, his sneakers squeaking on the floor.

I dropped to my knees and enveloped him in a tight hug, breathing in the sweaty, boyish scent of him.

“Momma, did you see my game? We won!” He gushed, pulling back with that infectious excitement, his cheeks rosy from the exertion.

I forced a weak smile, my mind still reeling from Zoe’s call.

“You did amazing, honey. I’m so proud of you. I caught it all on camera.”

He smiled so widely I was worried his remaining baby teeth might actually pop out.

“Thank you for showing up, momma.” He wrapped his arms around my neck, squeezing tight.

I stood there, smiling down at him, but tears welled up unbidden. He was so happy, so pure in this moment.

How could I shatter that? How do I tell him we’re heading to the hospital because his great-aunt Lydia-whom he adored, with her endless stories and homemade cookies-might be in serious trouble?

I didn’t want to see that light in his eyes dim, didn’t want him worried or hurt.

I swallowed hard, pushing the thoughts aside.

“We have to go somewhere important, baby. I promise we’ll celebrate tomorrow-or next weekend. Ice cream, movies, the works.”

His big brown eyes met mine with that easy understanding only kids have.

“Okay, Momma.”

“You must be thirsty after all that running.” He nodded eagerly, and I managed a real smile this time, handing him the cold water bottle from the bag.

We hurried out to the curb, where I hailed a cab. Zoe’s text had come through with the hospital address.

As we sped through the streets, the city lights blurring past, I prayed silently Please, let Aunt Lydia be okay. Please.

13:20 Mon, Jan 12.

Chapter 63

59

65 vinterk

We arrived in record time. I shoved a handful of bills at the driver and practically pulled Adrian out of the car, holding his hand so tightly it must have hurt, but he didn’t complain.

The hospital smelled of antiseptic and lemon cleaner. I rushed to the reception desk, my voice coming out in a breathless burst.

“Lydia Vance. She was just brought in.”

The nurse glanced at her screen, then back at me.

“She’s in the ER, room 5. Down the hall to the left.”

“Thank you,” I said, already moving, Adrian’s small hand tight in mine.

We reached the emergency room doors, and there was Zoe, pacing back and forth like a caged animal, her face etched with worry.

“Zoe!” I called, and she turned, relief flooding her eyes. We hugged fiercely, and Immediately tears rolled down my cheeks.

I pulled away, my eyes darting to the closed doors where doctors were rushing back and forth.

“What happened to her? Is she…?”

“They haven’t said anything yet,” Zoe replied, her voice cracking. “The paramedics got here quick, but she’s still in there.”

“Oh my…” I whimpered, raking my fingers through my hair.

My mind spun with worst-case scenarios. What if it was a heart attack? A stroke? I didn’t have health insurance that covered long-term care for her-not with rent, Adrian’s school fees, and everything else.

What would happen if she couldn’t work? What would happen if I lost the only person who had my back?

“Relax, Jess,” Zoe said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “She’s a fighter. Everything will be alright.”

But how could she know that? In my experience, the people you love have a habit of leaving when you need them most.

After several minutes of frantic pacing, my legs finally gave out. I sank onto the hard plastic waiting bench, pulling Adrian onto my lap.

He fidgeted a bit, so I dug out a popsicle from the bag-still cold, miraculously.

“Here, baby,” I whispered, opening one for him. “Eat your popsicle.”

He unwrapped it happily, the red stain soon appearing on his lips, oblivious to the tension.

I held him against my side, stroking his hair, my eyes fixed on those ER doors. Minutes ticked by like hours, each one heavy with dread.

Aunt Lydia has to pull through, she just has to

For Adrian, for me, for the family we’d pieced together from the scraps of our pasts

I whispered another prayer under my breath, willing the doctors to bring good news.