Monroe
I stand outside of Animal Haven for a long time after Rhett’s taillights fade away. I know what he’s doing—he’s giving me the space to choose. He wants me to decide for myself. If he’d let me talk, he’d know I’ve already chosen him. But evidently that’s not enough. He wants actions, not just words.
I understand that, and I want to give him what he wants. I just have to take care of something else first.
I finally turn to lock up Animal Haven and climb back into my truck. I should take care of my own life before I insert myself into someone else’s.
I type out a quick text to Tess and Claire.
Can you meet me at Dirty Dicks in an hour?
Claire replies back almost instantly.
Did you think I would say no? ☺
Tess’s reply is simple.
Yes.
The drive home is too quick, barely allowing me a chance to think about what I’m going to say, but that’s okay because my future is all I thought about on the drive home from Houston. When I step into my house, I know what I want; I just have to have the courage to ask for it.
“Hey, Daddy.” I bend down to kiss my dad on the cheek.
From the corner of my eye, I can see Sharon gathering her things.
“Would you mind staying a while longer?” I ask her. “There are a few things I want to talk to Dad about, and I’d like for you to be here.”
Sharon looks between me and Dad for a moment and then puts her purse back on the hook behind the door. She comes to sit on the tattered La-Z-Boy. Dad’s wheelchair is pulled up next to her, and I sit opposite them on the couch.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what we talked about, Dad, and I think you should do it,” I begin.
“D-do what?” he asks.
“I think you should move in with Sharon.”
He smiles.
So does Sharon.
Tears fill my eyes. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Six years of taking care of my father every day, and things are finally going to change. I can barely comprehend what that means. As excited as I am for my future, I’m also sad.
“I want you to be happy, Daddy, and if Sharon makes you happy, I don’t want to hold you back and keep you from living your life.”
“Mo.” Dad moves his wheelchair closer to me and reaches out with his good hand. I wrap my fingers around his and smile. “You are th-the best daughter a m-m-man could ever ask for. You have n-never held me b-b-back. It’s me who h-has held you b-back.”
Pushing up from the couch, I wrap my arms around him. “I’m going to miss you.”
He buries his face in my hair, and when I pull back, his eyes are filled with tears. “Y-you’ll still see m-me plenty. This is a g-good thing, M-mo.”
“I know.” I nod, smiling tremulously at him. “I know it’s a good thing, but it’s a big change, and change is scary.”
“Life is s-scary, but you have t-to live it. You can’t l-let your life p-pass you by, Mo, or one d-day you’ll look back and h-have a mountain of r-r-regrets.”
“I know.”
Sharon reaches for Dad’s hand, and I can’t help but smile. I want that. I want to grow old with Rhett and be his rock. I want him to be the person I turn to when I have a problem or need to smile. I want him with me every single day, and I’m ready to take the steps I need to to get that.
“I want to go back to school,” I declare.
Dad’s smile wobbles. “I was h-hoping you w-would say that.”
“But not to be a veterinarian,” I add. “I want to take some business classes, work toward a degree. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to keep Animal Haven and grow the business.” That might be a pipe dream. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to afford to expand, but that’s what this conversation is about—dreams—and this time I’m not letting mine get away.
“Animal H-haven is yours, Mo. It h-has been f-for the last s-six years.”
I shake my head. “I’m not sure what the value is on a business like Animal Haven, but I want to do this the right way. I don’t expect you to just give it to me.”
“I w-want to. Let me d-do this, M-mo.”
Sharon kisses my dad on the cheek and turns to me. “Let him do this, Monroe. He’s talked about signing it over to you for a long time now. He’s just been waiting for you to want it. He didn’t want to push it on you.”
Smiling, I laugh. “Okay, Dad. Thank you. And I promise I’ll do great things with it.”
“I know y-you w-will.” His smile is bright. He watches me for a second and then asks, “What a-about the house?”
“Well…” I look around at my childhood home. “I don’t know. What would you like to do with it?”
“Y-you live here until y-you get through s-school and get s-settled, and then we’ll s-sell it. Unless you w-want it?”
“You want to sell it?” I don’t know why his answer surprises me. This house holds a lot of good memories, but even more bad.
“It’s j-just a house, M-mo. It’s been m-more like a prison to b-both of us over th-the years, and I’d l-like for that t-to change. But if y-you want it, y-you can k-keep it.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I think your plan is good. Once I get on my feet and can afford a place of my own, we’ll sell it.”
Sharon pats Dad’s hand and stands up. “You two are making so many big decisions tonight. I feel like this deserves a celebration, and I’ve got a fresh plate of brownies.”
“My favorite.”
Sharon smiles back at me. “I know.” She winks and slips out of the room.
“I’m happy for you, Daddy. I’m glad you were able to find someone who makes you smile the way she does.”
“Th-thank you. She’s s-special.”
“I know she is. You deserve someone special.”
“I’ve been trying to tell him that for years,” Sharon says, laughing.
She hands me a napkin with a giant brownie on it. Pulling a tray from the corner of the room, she clips it on Dad’s wheelchair and sets his brownie there.
I eat my brownie silently, watching Dad feed himself. Sharon doesn’t fuss over him or hover, but when a chunk of brownie lands on the side of his lip, she wipes it off and smiles warmly. That’s when I know for sure I’ve made the right decision.
One of many right decisions to come.
She’ll care for him with a gentle, loving hand, and I can’t ask for more than that.
“If you two are good here, I’ve got a few more errands to run.”
Dad looks up as though he just remembered I was in the room, and Sharon answers. “Sure, sweetie. We’re good. Take your time.”
I wad my napkin up and toss it in the trash before returning to give Dad and Sharon each a kiss. On my way to the door, Dad stops me.
“What a-about Rhett?” he asks.
My heart skips a beat as I turn around. “What about him?”
“What does h-he think about y-you going b-back to school?”
“I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet,” I say. Then I walk out the door, shutting it softly behind me.
On my drive to Dirty Dicks, I make a mental note of all the things I need to do. Not only will I have to get Dad’s things packed, I’ll have to contact the medical equipment company and transfer everything to Sharon’s. I’ll also need to call the local community college and make an appointment with an academic advisor to find out where to start.
So many things to do, and I welcome the chaos with open arms.
When I pull up to Dirty Dicks, I see Tess’s car in the lot, as well as Claire’s. I climb out of the truck and walk in, waving to some of my regular customers along the way.
Claire and Tess are sitting in a booth along the back wall. They smile when I walk up.
“I ordered you a beer,” Claire says, handing me the brown bottle.
“Thank you.” I slide in the booth next to Tess, who’s looking at me funny. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because I don’t think you’ve ever initiated a girl’s night out.”
“She’s right,” Claire says. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I smile. “Maybe I just wanted to hang out with my friends.”
They look at each other and then at me. “Sorry,” Claire says. “Try again.”
“Fine.” I roll my eyes. “My dad is moving in with your mom. He’s giving me Animal Haven, and I’m going back to college.”
Tess throws her arm in the air, signaling the waitress. “We’re going to need more alcohol for this.”
Claire’s eyes are wide. “What do you mean your dad and my mom are moving in together? Are they…you know…sleeping together?”
“See, I told you we’d need more alcohol,” Tess pipes in.
“No.” I shake my head. “They aren’t sleeping together.”
Sean drops off another round of beers. Claire grabs one, takes a giant swig, and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Okay,” she sighs. “Start from the beginning, and don’t leave a damn thing out.”
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got all night.”