Monroe
“Honey, I’m home.” I shoulder my way through the front door, only to come to a freezing halt when I look across the living room and see my dad and Sharon sitting at the kitchen table. Dad’s wheelchair is pressed as close to Sharon as it can get. Their joined hands rest on the table and—are they kissing?
It’s a soft kiss, the mere touch of her lips against his, but it’s still a kiss. I didn’t even know my dad could kiss. He can barely smile. Feeling like a third wheel in my home, and unsure what to do—because they clearly didn’t hear me come in—I kick the door shut with enough power to make a loud thud.
Sharon’s head pops up, but my father’s a little slower to react. Her eyes are wide as she slides away from the table, easing her hand out of my father’s.
“Hey, Monroe,” she stammers, wiping her hands down the front of her shirt.
“Y-you’re home early,” Dad says, backing his electric wheelchair away from the table. “It’s S-Saturday. I thought y-you had to b-b-bartend tonight.”
“I do.”
Sharon looks like she’s going to be sick, and my dad is acting as if nothing happened.
I set my purse down on the table. “I wanted to take a quick shower before my shift, but I can do that at Coop’s if I’m interrupting something.” I wave between the two lovebirds.
Clearing her throat, Sharon excuses herself. “I’m going to give you two some privacy.” Her fingers graze the top of my dad’s hand on her way out of the room, and I can’t help but smile.
Eyebrows raised, I turn to my dad, giving him a silent what’s up with that look.
“Rhett s-stayed the n-n-night the other night.”
“Oh no,” I laugh. “You are not turning this around on me. I haven’t been hiding Rhett from you. I’ve been open and honest about us getting back together. But this…what is this? Are you and Sharon…”
I leave my words hanging in the air because I don’t even know what to say to my father. Are you dating? Are you sleeping together?
Can he even have sex?
Shit. I shake the thoughts away before I give myself a heart attack.
“You know what? It’s none of my business. You are a grown man capable of making your own decisions.” With my hands raised in the air, I turn to go down the hall, only to stop when my dad says…
“I’m h-happy.”
With a resigned sigh, I turn around and walk back to the table, sitting down next to my father.
“She m-makes me h-h-happy,” he says, his voice cracking on the last word. “Haven’t h-had that in a l-l-long time.”
Well, shit, if that doesn’t make my heart smile, I don’t know what will. “When did you two…start dating? Is that what we’re calling it here? Because I’m a little confused. You’re gonna have to help a daughter out.”
Dad laughs, and I realize that’s a sound I haven’t heard in way too long. “We’re n-not dating.”
“Wow. Okay. Not gonna lie, this is a little awkward. So, you’re…sleeping together? Is this a physical thing?”
The words sound worse coming out of my mouth than they did in my head, and all I can think is Abort! Abort! “Forget I said that. If it’s a physical thing, I’d rather not know.” A little lost and a lot confused, I rub a hand over my face.
“No. N-not sleeping together. She just m-makes me happy.”
I stare at him, confused. “So, you’re not dating and you’re not…you know…sleeping together. What are you?”
“F-friends.”
“Friends don’t kiss.”
Dad’s brows furrow. I can tell he’s getting frustrated as he tries to explain.
“Maybe I can help,” Sharon says, walking back into the kitchen. She retakes the seat she vacated, rests her hand on my dad’s, and looks at me.
“Your mother has been gone for a long time, and so has my Jack. Life gets lonely sometimes, which is why I offered to take over as your father’s caregiver. It’s also why I don’t mind letting you go do extra things while I stay here with him. Your dad is a wonderful man, Mo, but I don’t have to tell you that.” She smiles at me and then looks at him. “I’ve spent the last six years taking care of him, every day. You don’t spend that much time with someone and not grow close to them.”
I guess I didn’t look at it like that. To me, Sharon is my best friend’s mom and a nurse who takes care of my dad. Sure, she’s always been special to me, but I guess I failed to consider her as a widowed woman who still wants to be cared for and loved.
“I don’t want to get married—Jack was the love of my life—but I’ve realized over the years that it’s okay for me to love another man. It’s okay for me to find comfort with another man’s touch, even if it’s just the touch of his hand.”
“Do you love my father?”
She answers without hesitation. “Very much.”
Dad squeezes Sharon’s hand, and she bends down so he can kiss her cheek. The move is so fluid I’d swear they’ve been doing it for years.
“How long has this been going on?”
Sharon shrugs. “I can’t answer that. It’s been organic over the last several years. Your father and I have shared many stories over many meals. We’ve laughed, cried, watched movies, done all the things a normal couple would do, and one day, it just happened.”
“Is this why you want to go into assisted living?” I ask, looking at Dad. “Because you want more privacy?” I’m not sure how much more privacy the two of them could get. I’m usually only home long enough to sleep.
Sharon frowns at Dad, clearly unaware of the talk he and I had the other day. “You’re not going into assisted living, not as long as I’m around,” she declares. “You might need help, but you’re too independent for a nursing home.”
“That’s exactly what I said. See? You’re out numbered, Dad.”
“No,” he says. “I want t-to give y-you more priv—acy. You and R-rhett or whomever y-you might date.”
“Dad.” I close my eyes, hating that he feels this way.
“Move in with me,” Sharon tells him, a little too eagerly for my liking.
“No.” I shake my head.
“Why not?” she challenges. “I’m with him all the time anyway. This way you’ll save some money. You can stop paying me to come over, and I can enjoy my retirement with your father and take care of him at the same time. It’s a win-win.”
“It’s a full-time job,” I remind her.
“Mo, sweetheart, taking care of your father isn’t a job or a chore. I enjoy it the same way I enjoyed taking care of Jack. Sure, it’s a little more work, but I don’t have kids running around anymore or a job to take up my time.”
Dad is watching me, but I can’t decipher his expression.
“Is this what you want?” I ask.
“I want t-to be h-h-happy and enjoy the l-life I have l-left.”
“Jesus, Dad, you make it sound like you’re ancient and dying—which you’re not, by the way. You’re still young and have a lot of years ahead of you.”
“I k-know, and I want t-to enjoy them.”
My mind is spinning right now. For so long, it’s just been the two of us. What will happen if he leaves? He’s been my motivation for the last six years—the reason I get up every morning and work my ass off. What will I do when I don’t have that anymore?
You’ll do all the things you’ve dreamed about.
“You’re not happy here?” I hate to ask the question, but I need to know. “Did I do something wrong? Did I upset you? I know I’m gone all the time but—” I choke on the words, and Dad raises his hand from Sharon’s to place it on mine.
Time and life and stress show on his aged skin, his hands not as thick and powerful as they once were. But they’re still the hands that took care of me, the hands that gave me a good life. Bending down, I kiss his knuckles.
“You did n-nothing wrong, Mo. I couldn’t h-have asked f-for a b-b-better daughter. Now it’s y-your turn t-to be happy and l-l-live your life. I want to g-give you your l-life back.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, but I’m unable to stop the tears from forming. Squeezing my eyes shut, I feel them on my cheeks as he continues.
“I want you t-to be able t-t-to go out to d-dinner with Rhett without w-worrying about who is g-going to stay with me. I-I want you to go b-back to school, if that’s something you w-want to do. I want you to b-be young, Monroe. Young and h-happy.”
Swiping at the tears, I lower my head to Dad’s shoulder. “We’ll talk about it, okay? If this is what you want, we’ll talk about it. Me, you, and Sharon. We’ll find time to sit down and work things out. But I want you to be sure.” I give Sharon a firm look. “He’s my life, and I need to know you’re ready for this.”
She nods, tears in her eyes, and I can tell from the look on her face that I have my answer. Somewhere along the way, they fell in love, and who am I to judge that or stop it from blossoming?
“Okay.” I kiss both of them on the cheek and stand up. “I’m gonna leave you two alone. I’ll grab my clothes and take a shower at Coop’s. I told Rhett I’d stop by before my shift anyway.”
I walk to my room and collect my uniform and brush, and when I get to the front door, Sharon is waiting on me. As soon as I’m within reach, she pulls me into a hug.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
Pressing my face against her hair, I breathe in her familiar scent and relax, knowing my dad couldn’t be in a better set of hands.
“For what?” The way I see it, I should be thanking her for making my father happy in a way I can’t.
“For sharing him with me.”