Page 16 of Gravity

“Asher, can you help me with the food, please?” Mom asks.

While Mom and my brother chat in the kitchen, I notice Grayson has hardly moved from his spot as he stands with his hands in his pockets like he feels awkward.

“Gray, you can sit down, you know,” I say, sitting myself at the table to help Dad with his puzzle.

“Here, Pop.” I give dad a piece, “Does that bit fit in there?”

Grayson has now taken a seat opposite me, and I notice him pick up a puzzle piece and play with it between his fingers. I’ve got so much I want to tell him, and so much more to ask, but something inside of me is telling me to wait. It’s like he needs time to adjust to the world he was once a part of.

Dad takes the piece I’ve just offered and studies it for a moment before looking at the board. He tries to fit it in and eventually turns it around when he realizes it’s wrong. “Good job. Let me find another.” Looking in the box, I remember the online purchase I made late last night. “Oh, I ordered us another puzzle. It’s a little harder than this one because it’s battle ships, anchors, and everything to do with the Navy, but I thought we could do it together. How does that sound?” I look at him and my smile widens when I see his grow.

“For… me?”

“Yeah. I thought it would be nice as it’s everything you love.”

Lifting his hand slowly, he cups my face, the love in his eyes noticeable. It’s hard to know what to do with Dad at times because, although he can do some things in a limited way, there are days when his disability gets the better of him and he just wants to sit and do nothing as he falls into a depressive mood. After the chats I’ve had with Mom, she said that keeping his mind active as much as we can helps his mental state. But the look in his eyes—the one he has now—makes my heart want to burst.

“Love. You.”

I kiss the palm of his hand and whisper. “Love you too, Pop.”

As I look across the table, I find Grayson watching us. When his gaze moves to mine, his intense stare pins me in place, causing my cheeks to heat and a tingle to cascade down my spine. He’s still got that look of uncertainty, but now there’s a look in his eyes that I can’t work out.

“So, the bar is busy at the moment?” I ask, shifting my gaze from him.

“Yeah. I mean it’s always crazy, but this time of year can get insane. I’m constantly busy.”

Is he though? Because that last comment sounded like he was looking for an excuse.

“I’ll have to come down for a beer one night when you’re working.”

“Sounds good,” he says, but the tone of his voice suggests that he’d rather I didn’t. He takes a different piece of the puzzle and connects it to the rest on the board. His action tells me he’s done talking. Only I’m not. Wanting him to keep going, I steer the conversation toward the subject of Dad.

“Apparently, Dad was disappointed when Mom returned home with this puzzle.”

“Oh yeah. Why is that?”

“He’d asked her for something with chicks on.”

He grins. “Pete. You naughty boy.”

“That’s what I said.” I place another piece on the board. “I said I’d get him one, but Mom was having none of it.”

“That’s a shame. Talk about ruining the fantasy, hey, Pete?”

“Yeah.” Dad chuckles.

“Well, his fantasy isn’t ruined because I’ve got him one,” I say quietly so only we can hear. “It’s to do when Mom is at work.”

His brows rise. “You bought your dad a jigsaw with women on it?”

“Sexy women in bikini’s, I may add. And it felt really wrong making the purchase.”

His low, husky chuckle causes the butterflies to take flight in my stomach. I’ve missed that. “Well, I might just have to check this puzzle out sometime.”

“With. Beer,” Dad says.

“That would be nice,” I add. “It will be like old times. Right, Pop?”