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words turn into a cough. I grab the glass of water from his nightstand. Tilting it to his lips, I help him take a sip.
“Better?”
He nods.
“You don’t have to apologize, Dad. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“I know y-you didn’t. I sh-shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Yes, you should. I do too much for you. I need to let you be more independent.” Swallowing, I look at our joined hands.
“T-talk to me, M-mo.”
“It’s all just so overwhelming sometimes,” I admit, tears blurring my eyes. “I get up at the ass crack of dawn, work all day, come home and take care of you, and sometimes it’s easier to do things for you than wait for you to do them on your own, because all I can think about is taking a hot shower and crawling into bed.”
I hate the words coming from my mouth. They make me feel weak and like a horrible daughter, but they’re the truth. “I’m so sorry, Daddy.”
He tugs my hand. A wave of heat washes over me as I lower myself onto the bed. I curl up next to my dad like I did as a young girl. He tries to quiet me, running his good hand over the top of my head, but it’s useless. Pressing my face into his shirt, I cry. My shoulders heave and sobs burst from my throat. Only when my tears begin to dry does he speak.
“We need t-to talk about Animal H-Haven.”
“What about it?” I sit up and wipe the tears from my face.
“It’s t-t-time.”
“I don’t understand. Time for what?”
“To c-close it.”
“What? No!” I gasp, scooting back on the bed. “No way. Why would you want to do that?”
“You can g-go back to school, and I can go t-t-to go to a nice h—”
“Don’t say it,” I hiss. “Don’t you dare say it. There’s no way I’m putting you in some shady nursing home.”
“It’s not your ch-choice, M-mo. It’s m-mine. It’s also m-my choice whether or n-not to c-c-close Animal H-Haven.”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this. Jesus Christ, Dad. I can’t get back into the vet program. It’s too late. They’ll never accept me, and I’m not sure I’d even want to go back. Animal Haven is my life. If you take it away, what will I have left?”
“It isn’t your l-life. It stole your l-life. I only w-want you to be h-happy.”
Emotion clogs my throat. “I am happy,” I whisper, a fresh wave of tears falling down my face. “I’m happy,” I repeat, unsure who I’m trying to convince.
Even I can hear the uncertainty in my voice, and if I can’t convince myself, there’s no way I’ll convince him. “Let me think about it. Promise you won’t do anything until we have more time to talk.”
Pinching his lips together, he nods.
My emotions are running high, and I need to get out of here. “I’m going to take a shower.” I pull the pillow from behind him, help him lie down, and kiss his forehead. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Emotionally and physically spent, I walk down the hall, stripping out of my clothes along the way. In the shower, steaming hot water flows over my body, easing my aching muscles. I stand under the spray for far longer than normal, taking my time as I wash my hair and scrub my body—and only because I’m hopeful Rhett will come over, I shave my legs.
My body is refreshed, but my heart is still bruised as I climb out. The soft cotton of the towel feels good when I wrap it around my body. I stand in front of the mirror until the fog clears, and then I stare at my reflection.
Somewhere along the way, I lost myself. I lost Mo Gallagher, and as much as I want to find her again, I don’t know where to start. If Dad decides to shut down Animal Haven, I don’t know what I’ll do. I can’t imagine an existence that doesn’t involve those animals day in and day out.
Visions of a bitchy cat pop into my head just as a knock sounds at the front door. It could really only be one person, so I don’t bother putting on my clothes. With water dripping from my hair and a white towel knotted between my breasts, I pad down the hall. I peek through the blinds to make sure it’s Rhett before opening the door.
“Hey.”
