Felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders

 "That brother of mine," she could hear him speak under his breath as he put down the backpack unzipped it, and started bringing out packaged cookies and muffins. There were sandwiches too.

"You'd think he never had any family, you know."

Boone said to no one. He wouldn't look at Tammy and she couldn't stop looking at him. She thought she might melt in a puddle.

"Oh, sorry."

Boone looked back at her and gritted.

"I'm..I'm afraid..I..I can't have any of that," she shook her head, no. She said she couldn't have bread. Too many carbs. Oh, she wanted it, all right. So many things she wanted. She guessed she might be wringing her hands. She sighed, choking up.

"I'll keep digging," and Boone did. He talked a bit more about Alfie and Zoey. How this should be their moment. Something they could navigate themselves. He said he could see how emotional Zoey was. "If only he could think of her first."

He festered a frown as if this was not a good idea to bring in everyone, but of course, Maddie went upstairs with them as if it might be a field trip of some sort. Maybe Boone and Maddie were thinking of having a baby.

It was a funny feeling to think how it might happen. Oh, one grandbaby would be great, but two? Tammy found herself smiling. She moved closer to Boone as if she could help. Only, that would be wrong. She took a step back, but Naoki was behind her and kept her from falling.

"Ma, you need to sit down, you didn't even have lunch."

Naoki moved her to the window seat in the main lobby area next to Boone's backpack of food. Naoki had a bottle of water handy and told her to drink something.

Tammy nodded.

"I think I've got a salad," Boone said, "but I don't have any dressing."

"That's OK." 

Her sad eyes looked at him and she began to weep. She took the container and looked at the browning apple slices on top. "I remember how happy I was when I was pregnant with Alfie."

She could barely catch her breath. "But with you, I cried the whole time." She shook her head, no. "It's amazing you turned out so well. I know I had nothing to do with it."

Boone reached for a napkin then and she blew her nose and asked for another.

"Is it really so awful to see me?" Boone looked her in the eye.

She said YES, but shook her head, no.

He took the container from her and handed her a big chocolate chip cookie that covered her entire hand. "I don't trust that salad. Maybe your blood sugars low."

"I doubt it," she pouted but took it anyway, and bit into it to savor. 

Boone handed Naoki a chicken salad sandwich. He didn't ask who he was. His phone dinged in the back pocket of his jeans and he went to look at the text. He sighed. Tammy wasn't sure what to expect.

"Well, we've got maybe six weeks until the baby gets here," he smiled as if he might laugh. "It's a boy. A very big boy, evidently."