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“Yes?”
“I want to talk to you both, which is why I invited you.”
She glanced across the table at Troy who gave a small shrug and looked as surprised as she was.
Mr. Chapman leaned back and crossed his hands on his stomach and started to speak, pausing every now and then to give weight to his words. She watched as his eyes glassed over, seeing something other than the three of them sitting there at the small table. Levi rested his head on his master’s lap, his ears twitching to the baritone filled with gravel.
“I’m an old man. I don’t have a fancy education, and I’ve lived my life in this town. I’ve had one wife and lost her. Two sons, and lost one. One house, and now that’s gone too. I almost lost my life if it hadn’t been for you and the other firefighters.”
Megan and Troy exchanged a glance. There was pain in Troy’s features at the mention of his brother and mother.
“I see a lot in you both. Potential. Youth. A life ahead of you. So I hope you’ll listen to the wisdom I’ve learned because it came at a very high price. The highest.”
He smiled in a distant way as he took a mental turn and visited with some unseen memory.
“Out of everything I’ve done and everything I’ve seen, the most important thing is family. At the end that’s all there is. Even though half of mine is gone, I have memories. A lifetime of memories.”
He smiled again and closed his eyes for a few moments. Megan thought maybe he had fallen asleep until his lids fluttered open again.
“You young people are just like I was. Too busy to see what’s in front of you and focus on what you have. Don’t waste this life on work. It’s important, don’t get me wrong. Hard work provides for family, but if you don’t have one, what’s the point? Legacy?”
He let out a laugh and coughed.
“The most important thing in this world is love.”
Troy shifted uncomfortably and looked down onto his empty plate.
Megan was watching Mr. Chapman as he looked from Troy to her and back again.
Oh no.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
“I want you to get to know each other.”
Megan cleared her throat. Absolutely not. This is why she shouldn’t help people outside of her job. In fact, tonight pretty much ruined her for helping anyone ever again.
“That’s very kind, but I don’t think—”
“Dad, I’m not sure she’d want to—”
He held up his hands and silenced them both. “Fine, fine. Maybe that was a bit pushy.”
Abit?
“I love you, son.”
“Thanks, Dad. I love you too, but I don’t—”
“Megan,” he said with his head on a swivel. “You’re a nice girl…”
“Thank you.”
“…with a good heart. I’d like to see you settled too. If not with Troy, then with someone else.”
“I really appreciate that, but I’m happy. Really.”
He let out a sigh and smiled in a sad sort of way. “We spent a few days together, which I’m very grateful for, so I know you crave connection.”
