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“Kane?” My dad’s forehead scrunches in confusion.
“He’s here?” I question weakly.
“Of course he is.” He shakes his head. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
“I told him the truth about Kam.”
“What do you mean you told him the truth about Kam?” My father seems to be growing more confused by the moment.
“I was the one driving the four-wheeler when we wrecked. Not Kam,” I admit for the second time in two days.
“Elara.” My dad says my name slowly like he’s trying to process what I’m telling him. “Is that why you kept saying it was your fault? Because you were the one driving?”
I nod slowly.
“Oh honey, whether you were driving or not, it doesn’t change that what happened was a horrible accident. You’ve got to stop blaming yourself for that.”
“You don’t understand,” I start to object.
“No, you don’t understand,” my dad cutting me off, his voice going up the way it always used to when I was a teenager and he had to get onto me about something stupid I did. “Kam died. No amount of guilt is going to bring him back. Kane loves you, Elara. You should see him out there. He’s an absolute wreck. It’s time to let go of the dead and focus on the living.”
“Like you have?” I bite, taking my frustration out on him. “You preach to me about letting Kam go, about moving on with my life, but you haven’t lethergo. You haven’t moved on. You act like mom’s still alive and at any minute she’s going to come strolling in the front door like she’s been gone on a four year shopping trip.”
“Sam.” At that moment I notice the petite woman standing in the doorway. Her eyes flash to me and instant recognition washes over me.
“Lynette?” I question, looking at the woman who’s lived next door to my father nearly my entire life. “What, what are you doing here?” I stare at her for a long moment before looking at my dad, meeting his hesitant gaze.
“I, um,” she stutters, clearly caught off guard.
“She’s here with me,” my dad finally speaks up.
“Why would you bring your neighbor with you?” Even as I ask the question I already know the answer to it.
“I just came by to see if you wanted something from the cafeteria,” she quickly explains. “But I’m gonna give you two sometime.” Lynette quickly backs out of the room as silently as she entered.
“Dad?” I stare at him for a long moment, eyes wide, waiting for him to say something.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.” He pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. “I was in such a panic when Kane called me that when Lynette offered to come with me I didn’t hesitate to take her up on it. Because truthfully, I didn’t want to face this alone.”
“Dad.” My voice softens.
“I’m not waiting for your mom to come back, Elara. I know she’s not. And while no woman will ever replace her, I’ve found someone that makes me happy. Someone who makes me smile again.”
“And that someone is Lynette,” I say quietly, more to myself than to him.
“Yes,” he continues. “I didn’t plan for it, nor did I go looking. But slowly over time our friendship turned into something more.”
“How long have you been seeing each other?”
“About six months.”
“Six months?” My eyes go wide again. “You’ve been keeping this a secret from me for six months?”
“I planned to tell you when you came to visit but then the accident happened and you were in so much pain. I couldn’t bear to lay anymore on you. You had just started to come back from losing your mom and then Kam.” He shakes his head slowly. “It didn’t feel like the right time.”
“And now does?” I question.
“Well, in retrospect, no. But I needed her here with me and if that meant telling you while you’re lying in a hospital bed then so be it. Because at the end of the day being with her makes me feel stronger than I feel without her.”
