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It felt like she'd chipped away a little of the wall between us.
My father and I had our talk later that night. Since he was doing so well, they moved him down to the surgical ward. I was able to sit in his room and reminisce about old times, talking about anything and everything that came to mind.
He seemed to want to talk about Drake and me, and told me once again how he'd been recruited by Liam to watch over Drake during his college days, when Drake was in medical school. How he'd lost track of Drake for a while until Liam died, and how he'd met up with him again at the funeral and decided to adopt him as a kind of foster son. How he planned on living long enough to see me married and having Drake's babies.
"But first you have to get back to Nairobi," he said, a mock-stern expression on his face. "Your mother and I spent quite a lot of time apart, doing this event and that event, going on separate vacations when our interests diverged, and when she got sick, and then when she died," he said and closed his eyes as if it still hurt. "I regretted every moment away from her. Don't make the same mistake I made. When I met Elaine, I vowed to never spend a night apart from her if I could help it."
I never knew he felt guilt and remorse for all the times he'd spent away out of c
hoice rather than out of necessity. It gave me a new perspective on his relationship with my mother and with Elaine.
"I want no regrets when I die," he said, holding my hand, his expression serious. "That's why you should go back. Book a flight tonight for tomorrow. Get there as soon as you can. You never know when life can take people away from you. Don't spend any more time away from Drake than you have to."
I squeezed his hand. His words and his tone filled me with emotion and I had to wipe tears away.
"It's too soon," I said, fear for him filling me.
"Do it," he said, his voice emphatic. "Now."
That night, I sat in the small waiting room and fought with myself, torn between waiting until my father was better and going straight back to Drake. He'd texted me briefly to let me know he'd arrived safely and I'd responded, but now, I felt an ache deep in my chest at the thought of us being apart.
When Dr. Clark came down the hallway that night, I stopped him and asked him how my father was doing.
"Much better," he said. "No one can be one-hundred percent certain in these cases, but we've got his seizures under control and the swelling is down considerably."
I thanked him and returned to the waiting room where I sat alone, and allowed the internal battle to continue. I checked my cell and there was a text from Drake.
I miss you.
I broke down at that and cried, all alone in the small waiting room, glad that no other family members were around.
When I'd regained control over my emotions, I picked up my cell again and responded.
I miss you.
Then, I booked a flight to Nairobi.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The flight was scheduled to leave the next night a few minutes before ten. As I went to sleep in the tiny on-call room, remembering how Drake and I had slept together that last night, I missed him so much I ached. I didn't call him or text him about my decision to return, wanting to surprise him. My texts merely talked about how my father was recovering nicely and how we'd been able to spend some really quality time together.
The next day, I spent with my father and Elaine, talking about my art, about my plans when Drake and I returned.
"When are you two tying the knot?" he said, his one good eyebrow raised expectantly. "I don't want to wait too long."
"We haven't set a date," I said. "Sometime within the year."
My father nodded. "Do I get to hold a huge society wedding, with five hundred people and a huge venue or are you going to insist on one of those justice of the peace weddings?"
"You want me to have a big wedding?"
"You're my only daughter. I expect to have a huge reception at the club with a band and free booze and dancing until the wee hours of the morning."
"Yes," Elaine said, smiling, her face bright. "We have to have a wedding at the club. Your father was so excited that you two got engaged. I swear he was more excited about planning it than I was."
I laughed and squeezed her hand. "OK," I said. "But no church for me. I want a quiet ceremony in the apartment."
"But—" my father started.
