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He laughs heartily before touching his sandwich to hers. The laughter turns into coughing, and Dean grows concerned, patting his father on the back.
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Sal says, waving him away. “Just happens sometimes.”
“I’m sorry,” Abby murmurs.
“It’s not your fault,” Dean says, squeezing her shoulder.
Across the room, my gaze connects with Caleb’s, and we just stare at each other for a moment. I wonder if he’s thinking what I’m thinking.
After we’re done eating, Sal says he’d like to take us for a tour of the center. He wants to walk, but Dean insists they take a wheelchair. As soon as Sal sits in it, Abby asks if she can sit in his lap.
“Of course you can!” he replies, helping her up.
As we walk past the exercise room, the library, and the game room, Dean pushes and tells his father about everything he’s been up to. He tells him about the museum I took him to and the swim races with Abby—of course, she brags about how she beat him that one time. Then he tells him about the charity gala.
“My son knew them,” Sal says. “The Goode family.”
“What?” Dean asks.
“They seemed like a nice family, and I wanted him to have that, you know? A mom and a dad and brothers.”
Dean freezes. “Dad, what are you talking about? That was me.”
Sal turns and looks up at Dean as if he’s shocked to see him standing there. Then, he starts to fidget, seemingly upset by his mistake. “Yeah, that’s what I meant. I was talking about you.”
I glance over at Caleb, but his expression stays tight and guarded. His eyes don’t leave Dean.
Then Caleb approaches him, placing an arm around Dean and squeezing him comfortingly.
Dean resumes pushing with Caleb by his side, but I can see the way he swallows and blinks away his tears. “You don’t have to say that, Dad. I had a nice family. You and I were a family, remember?”
Sal clears his throat. “Yeah.”
I have to look away to hide my tears.
As we walk a bit farther, Sal’s mood begins to brighten back up as Abby tells him all about how Dean let her play his video games, watchFriends, and made her spicy ramen. He laughs at her stories and holds a hand affectionately on her back.
It’s a beautiful day so we venture for a walk out back in the garden. When Sal sees someone he knows, he waves, and the elderly woman comes walking over.
“Oh my, Sal!” she says with excitement. “Is this your granddaughter?”
“Yes, it is,” he replies. “This is my granddaughter, Abby.”
When I notice Dean lean in to correct him, I grab his arm. He turns toward me with bloodshot eyes and an expression of confusion. I quickly shake my head.
“Let him,” I whisper.
I watch as his jaw tightens, and he swallows down the urge to cry.
Sal is beaming as he introduces Abby to the woman and the few others who gather around to meet her. She smiles excitedly on his lap as she tells them that she’s six and a half and about to go into first grade.
They fawn over her, and Sal sits proudly in his wheelchair. He introduces them to his son, and Dean shakes their hands using such good manners they practically faint over how perfect they are.
Sal’s perfect son and his perfect granddaughter.
As Caleb and I step away to allow them to have their moment, I feel his lips against my head.
“We can’t let him be alone, Caleb,” I whisper. Sadness bubbles to the surface as the words leave my lips.
