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16
Jackson
Dad is already in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee when I walk in. He glances up at me and looks a little surprised. “When did you get back?”
“I caught the red eye last night. I got here at around two this morning. Clearly, I didn’t wake you.” I smile, walking over to the cupboard and reaching for a mug.
“Didn’t hear a thing, son,” he replies, shaking his head. “How was New York?”
I shrug as I pour the coffee. “Same old, same old. Just business. I won’t bore you with the details.”
“I wouldn’t understand what you say anyway,” Dad quips back. “I don’t understand half the terminology you use when you’re talking to me about your work.”
I turn and lean against the counter, and grin at him. “And here’s me thinking you’re an educated man.”
Dad rolls his eyes. “Ask me about the French Revolution, the Great War, the history of the Apache’s, and I can tell you all you want to know. But these zeros and ones,” he waves a dismissive hand, “I haven’t a clue.”
I didn’t actually deal with zeros and ones. I’m not a website designer or a coder. But there was no point telling Dad that. Clearly, he had heard the expression somewhere and threw it in there to make a point.
“You heading out onto the porch again today?” I ask.
Dad shakes his head. “No, John’s coming over. We’re going down to the river to do some fishing.”
“Oh, cool.”
Mr. Shilliday’s store is closed today, since it is a Sunday, and it’s good to hear Dad talking about getting out of the house again. Sitting on the porch day after day has surely lost its appeal by now. Dad loves his reading, but he loves being outside even more.
“What about you?” There was a glint in his eye, and I knew what he was asking.
“Do you mean to ask me if I have any plans of going and visiting your favorite housekeeper?” I smirk.
Dad chuckles. “Yes. Something like that.”
“Then, yes. I’ve had some time to think these last few days, and nothing’s changed since the last we spoke of it. You were right, as usual. I need to move on, and I think Bree is someone I would like to try that with. If it doesn’t work out…” I shrug.
“You won’t know until you try. At least you’re going to give it a chance,” Dad says. “That’s a start, son.”
“I know.”
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you things will be peachy. I can’t know the future. I couldn’t have known, when I married your mother, when her time might be up. Granted, we knew it was coming, but we didn’t live looking at the clock. Every day was a gift and we used it as such. Lizzy, well,” Dad shrugs, “that was a completely different situation.”
“You haven’t had it easy,” I say.
“Who does?”
“I know, but Dad, you’ve seen more hardship than most.”
“I’ve also had more opportunities than most, son. More opportunities to love, to live, to experience what life has to offer. If I had let your mother’s death stop me, I wouldn’t have the memories me and Lizzy made before she got ill. Even more important, you wouldn’t have had a younger brother.”
“Yes, well,” I say, pretending that it wouldn’t have been such a bad thing, but I quickly add a smirk. He knows I’m only jesting.
“All I’ve ever wanted is for you and Daniel to be happy. I’m no fool, Jackson. I’ve been around the block a few times. Life is good, then it’s bad, then it’s beautiful, then it’s hard. It’s all part of the journey.”
“Did you ever consider getting into motivational speaking?” I ask, still smirking.
Dad chuckles then. “I’m not sure I’d be much use. I’ve been trying to motivate you to get a life for the last three years, and look how that’s turned out.”
“I’m going over to see Bree, aren’t I?”
