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“I think he’s more concerned about his mind than his liver.” Brynn stepped back, her mouth turning down. Dolly seemed to understand things had taken a turn. She sat down and stared up while Brynn spoke. “Have you talked to him about this?”
“Yes, I have. Of course I have. I’ve talked about it with my father, so you and I don’t need to have this conversation.” He did not need this from her. She was supposed to support him. She was supposed to be the good part of his day, the shiny part.
“We’re going to go and see if we can find Zep’s mom.” Roxie had taken her husband’s hand. “I hear she and Marcelle have a booth where they’re telling fortunes.”
“I bet I know what Major’s fortune’s about to be,” Zep said with a grimace as they walked away.
“Look, I get that you don’t want to talk to me about this, but I really think you should discuss this more with your dad. I don’t think he understands what your position is. He’s got all kinds of plans,” Brynn was saying. “He was telling me he’s going to meet up with his old Army unit in a couple of months.”
“He might not be alive in a couple of months,” Major shot back. He’d heard his father talking about all the things he could do now that the meds were helping him. His dad wasn’t being realistic. “Not if he stays on those meds.”
“He said the damage would take a while, that he’s not in danger right now, but it would get worse,” she countered. “His eyes are wide open about what’s happening to him.”
“Yes, it will get worse, but we can stop it.” No one seemed to take his father’s situation seriously. Certainly not his dad.
“I don’t know. He seems very sure that he’s going to take the medication.”
He hadn’t wanted to have this talk with her, but she wasn’t backing down, so it was time to point out a few truths to her. “He doesn’t get to make that choice. I hold his medical power of attorney. I make the decisions for him because he’s not capable of making them himself. Brynn, I’ve been doing this for several years. I know what I’m doing, and I know what’s best for him.”
“That medical power of attorney should only be used when he can’t make decisions because he’s not in his right mind,” Brynn insisted. “He can make decisions for himself right now. He’s making his choice very plain.”
“His choice is wrong, and I assure you the power of attorney is still in place.” He didn’t want to fight with her.
But she seemed determined to ruin the evening. “Why would you go against his wishes? More than that, why would you abuse the power he gave you?”
“Abuse? You think I’m abusing my father?”
“That’s not what I said. Don’t twist my words.” She seemed to take a moment to shove down some unnamed emotions. “Major, I understand that you’re afraid to lose your dad, but can’t you see how much more afraid he is to lose himself? This is a blessing because it doesn’t have to be your decision. You can know that this is what your father wants. There’s got to be some peace in that.”
Dolly was suddenly on her feet, but Major tried to ignore her for the moment.
Peace? There was no peace in any of this. Except those moments when he was with her and he could forget the world. Now she was the one bringing the world in. “I don’t need the opinion of someone who won’t be around when I have to watch him die.”
Now he was the one who needed to take a breath because she’d paled, and the hurt from his words was plain on her face. “Brynn, I . . .”
“Bria Knight, would you like to comment on the news story about your relationship with Gavin Jacks?”
They both stopped and turned in the direction of the cool, collected voice, and immediately Major blinked because someone had turned on a bright light. Camera. A big guy was holding a camera and pointing it at them. It was the woman he’d first met at the assisted living facility. The one from the tabloid show.
Dolly peeked out from her place behind his legs, proving she was the worst guard dog in history.
Brynn put a hand up, trying to shade herself from the light. “Gavin is like a dad to me.”
“Then why are there intimate photos of the two of you circulating on the Internet right now?” Jeannie Carbo asked. “Have you not seen the pictures? Is that why Tighty-Whitie is still with you? Are you in relationships with both men?”
“Major, what’s going on?” he heard his father ask.
“What the hell is going on here?” Diane stepped forward, moving in front of her daughter. “Jeannie, you’ve had your interview with my daughter. What is the meaning of this?”
