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“That’s because the right man hasn’t come along to show her what true love can be.”
“Honestly, Pop, I don’t know if I even believe in true love anymore. I’ve wasted so much time on something that wasn’t what I wanted it to be, and I’ve seen so many shitty things go down. Maybe I’m not meant to settle down and bring kids into this world,” I say.
He nods. “You’re right, son. The world can be a harsh place, and raising a family today isn’t easy, but the way I see it, the only way we can battle all the shitty things and shitty people in this world is to create and raise our own non-shitty humans.”
He lifts his chin toward the direction of my nephews. They’re jumping and cheering because Caleb has a bite on his hook.
“Maybe you’re right,” I say.
“I’m your wise old father. Of course I’m right.”
I laugh.
“I’m not saying Maxi is the one. I don’t know her well enough. But your mom likes her a lot, and I sure trust her opinion. She also talked your mom and Leona into getting tattoos.”
“She did what?”
“Yep. They’re going this weekend to get them. Your mom is excited.”
“That’s weird, Pop. I can’t imagine Mom with a tattoo,” I say.
He grins. “I think it sounds sexy.”
“Ugh, I don’t want to think of my mother as sexy.”
I frown, and he laughs.
“Just be honest with yourself, and you’ll figure out what you want,” he assures me.
“Who we being honest with?” Graham asks.
“We were just discussing your brother’s love life,” Pop tells him and Langford.
“Don’t be honest; that’s horrible advice,” Langford says.
“Says the divorced son,” Pop deadpans.
“I’m honest with Taeli,” Graham says.
“Not a hundred percent of the time,” Langford accuses.
“Yes, I am.”
“No, Langford is right; you can’t be one hundred percent honest all the time, and neither do you want to be,” Pop states.
“I thought you guys taught us honesty is the best policy,” Graham argues.
Pop chuckles. “It is. Ninety percent of the time. She has to be able to trust you when it comes to the important things. You have to be a man of your word. Your handshake has to mean something, but this nonsense of a hundred percent honesty will cause you to end up divorced, like your brother, and unemployed.”
“How so?” Graham challenges.
“If you go into your job, keeping it one hundred percent real, then you’ll go in, ranting about how much you hate the place and how stupid you think Brian in accounting is and how you can’t wait to retire. So, you keep it ninety percent. If your wife asks you if the new dress she puts on makes her behind look big and you say,It sure does. It looks like two bears wrestling underneath a tent, she’ll beat you with a frying pan when you close your eyes that night. So, you keep it ninety percent, right, Pop?” Langford explains.
“Exactly.”
“I bet Mom would disagree,” Graham mutters.
It’s late. I should probably go home, but when Maxi texted me at midnight and said she was leaving the bar, I left my family sleeping in their tents and made my way to her cabin.
