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April
Momand I walked down the tiled halls with Dr. Sanders toward Dad’s new suite. Earlier that day, at the center, she’d sat with Dr. Sanders and made plans, then went to lunch with Dad and the doctor, telling him the news.
Mom said it had been hard, but in his way, he understood.
Now we were bringing his things to unpack. Mom pushed the rolling cart piled with bags and boxes.
Dr. Sanders slowed at a door. There was a temporary sign printed on white paper taped over the cherry-colored wood.
Room 204
Douglas Adams
Mom and I glanced at each other. She reached for my hand, and I held hers back. Tight.
I couldn’t help but think of surfing with Diego. Swimming under another wave.
And even though it felt like all I would do was tumble and drown under the surface of roiling waves, her hand was a tug of the leash.
A reminder.
I’ve got you, April.
Dr. Sanders knocked, and for a long moment, I thought Dad might ignore us, so angry by this move. Instead, he said, “Come in.”
She pushed the door open, and my heart ached, swelled, as we took it all in. The floor was bright white tile, bouncing back sunshine from the wall full of windows on the opposite side of the room that overlooked the pond between the center and the hospital. There was a couch, a television. Even a little kitchenette. No burner, but he had a small refrigerator for snacks and a sink and ice maker.
“Douglas?” Dr. Sanders called out.
Dad stepped out of a doorway I assumed led to his bedroom. With the light bouncing off him and his injury not visible from this angle, I could almost see him as my old dad. Or maybe even a newer version of the one I had.
A dad who would be cared for in a way Mom and I couldn’t. He’d have other people here, support and understanding we couldn’t offer. And the best part was, we could visit any time, with staff around for assistance in case we ever needed it.
Mom stopped the luggage cart and stepped beside it. “What do you think of it, Doug?”
He scratched his neck, looking around. “I like it. Nice enough for you to come visit?”
“Oh, Doug,” she said, going into his arms for a hug.
He looked up at me, exhaustion in his eyes, and waved me over. “Get over here, monkey.”
Tears fell down my cheeks as I went to him.
In their arms, for the first time, I didn’t imagine or pretend that this was my old dad and my old life.
No, instead I savored this new family. It wasn’t perfect, not even close. There was so much more I wished I could do for both of my parents. But despite all the odds, we were here. And we still had each other.
And in the end, that had to be enough.
Fifty-One
Diego
I walked into ETC,prepared but not ready to take my CNA exam. For the last seven weeks, April and I had gone through the class, turned in our homework, and changed so much in the process.
But this chapter? It was coming to a close.
Instead of going to the classroom we usually did, we followed Janice to the computer lab, already set up for our exam.
