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“Maybe a little, well... too old. For that.” He lifts his beer in the general direction of my black eye. “Doesn’t it hurt?”
“Like a motherfucker.”
Joe sips his beer. “Take some Advil when you get home.”
“All right. You said you wanted to talk? Everything okay?”
“Well.” Joe pauses. His eyes get shiny. “My doctor called. I got the results from my tests.”
My blood rushes cold. Over the past few months, Joe’s felt off. Stomach pain, lack of appetite. Dizziness. His doctor recommended he have some tests done to try and find some answers.
“I don’t know how else to say it, so I’m just going to come out with it,” Joe continues. “Cancer. Stage one.”
The saliva thickens in my mouth. There’s a ringing in my ears. An awful, searing pressure spreads across my middle. It’s like I’ve been thwacked in the stomach by an enormous paddle.
I blink and a tear slips from my eye. The good one.
Joe’s chin trembles. I can’t adequately describe the terrorand sadness I feel watching this big, powerful man break down. “It’s in my stomach. But it is very treatable, which is good news.”
He goes on to fill me in on the details. Surgery, possible chemo. He’ll have some dates soon. Meanwhile, he’s supposed to get plenty of rest.
Dropping the ice on a nearby chair, I pull him in for a hug.
“What can I do?” I ask.
He holds me at arm’s length so he can look at me. His eyes—they have this funny gleam in them. “I only want to see you make your dreams come true.”
I scoff, throat tight. “Only that? Easy. My biggest dream already came true. I met y’all. Got a family. Everything else is gravy.”
Joe eyes me thoughtfully. “You know, son, it’s okay to ask for more. You’re a good man.” His voice breaks, and he clears his throat. “You deserve good things.”
I’m barely able to breathe at this point. “Y’all are my good things.”
“I want to see you kids happy. Tuck’s settling into his new life nicely, which is such a thrill. And you, I know you’re busy building your construction empire.”
I’m not sure that’s what I dreamt about when I was a kid, but I let it slide. What other dreams do I have, really?
“But aside from your work...” That gleam in his eye is back. “I’d love to see you let your guard down. Let someone in.”
I let out a bark of laughter. It’s a welcome change of pace from the tears. “You’re funny.”
“I’m serious, son. Keeping your heart locked away like you do, that’s no recipe for a happy life. I worry about you.”
Ah, shit. The tears are back. “I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can. But would it be so bad if you let someone help out when things get hard?”
It would likely end in disaster, so yes.
“I’m fine,” I say. “My life is fine just as it is. Really.”
Joe sighs. “If you say so.”
“Worry about everyone else.”
“I do. Jen especially. She’s a good girl who tries so hard. I really want her to find her person. To marry a great guy who’s going to love her for who she is and treat her well. A true soulmate. Someone who would go to the ends of the earth for her, because she’ll do the same for them. You and I both know she deserves that kind of love. She wants to get married, have the big romantic wedding.”
My thoughts whir. I’d do anything for these people. Anything. If Joe’s ultimate wish is to see Jen happy with the guy of her dreams...
