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“But you’ll see him at school. When will I see him?”
“I’ll visit once a week for Ragu night. I’ll bring Daniel every other week, so you’ll get some time with me alone, too.”
“All right,” Mom agreed. “Any night but Fridays. I get my best work done on Friday evenings.”
I agreed. I didn’t tell her that between my job, getting naked with Daniel, and hanging out with our friends at Tilt-a-Whirl, our Friday nights would be booked. “I could do it on Wednesday,” I suggested. “A midweek meal at home.”
That seemed to satisfy her. She gathered up her remaining string cheese, threw it in the trash, and said, “On that note, I have a castaway to reunite with an heiress.” She kissed my cheek, touched my chin, and gazed into my eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She nodded. “Will he keep you safe?”
I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat. “Always.”
“He’ll take care of you?”
“And I’ll take care of him, too.”
She seemed to ponder that, and then she said, “Will you bring that envelope with the photos of George for your first dinner alone with us?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good. I’m ready to see them now, I think.” She smiled. “You do look so much like him.”
I nodded. If she was ready to go through the photos in the envelope, maybe soon she’d be ready to know about Harold andRobin.
“But you’ll be happy, Peter. Won’t you?”
“That’s my plan.”
Another kiss on the cheek, and off she went to help her characters fall in love.
“Speaking of someone coming home,” Dad said. “I waved down Mo today. I saw him driving toward his house while I was out front taking the Christmas lights off the bushes.”
My throat tightened.
“He’d been to visit Adam at his friend Sean’s place.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Do you think he’ll be all right, son? In the end?”
Strange for Dad to be seeking my reassurance, but in another way, it was gratifying. He trusted me and saw me as a man whose opinion was valuable.
“I don’t know. I hope so,” I said. “He’s not a bad person. He just wasn’t the right person for me.”
Dad patted my hand. “I’m proud of you.”
“For what?”
“For knowing when to walk away.”
“I should have broken up with him a lot sooner.”
Dad sighed. “That’s part of life, Petey. Woulda, coulda, shouldas crowd the room sometimes. That’s part of the reason your mom hasn’t warmed to Daniel, you know. She sees he’s the real deal, and if he’s it for you, then our job as parents is almost wrapped up. She missed out on a lot, and she sees that now. There’s no going back, but she projects her disappointment in herself onto Daniel.”
I lifted a brow. “Moonlighting as a Psychology professor these days? Hanging out with my TA Donnie Huggins?”
