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Dad tosses a cloth over his shoulder as I hand him an extra pan. I feel a little like I’m living in an alternate universe. This feels weird.
“So, what brings you back? I didn’t think you’d be home for another few days,” I say casually.
“I thought I’d spend the weekend with you and Willa.”
“Uh, okay. Any special reason?”
Dad cuts me a look as he flips a pancake. “Can’t a father just want to spend time with his children?”
“No offense, Dad, but you haven’t just spent time with us in a while.”
“I know. And I’m trying to fix that.”
“Did I step into an alternate universe?” I wonder.
“What?”
“Nothing. Hand me the spatula, I can help.”
I still feel uneasy, but this is the longest conversation the two of us have had in months. Once breakfast is cooked we sit down at the island to eat.
“Wow, Dad. This is good.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“Sorry. Um, hey, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, what’s on your mind?”
“Are you really just here to spend time with me and Willa or do you have . . . some other reason to be in town?”
Dad wipes his mouth and takes a deep breath. “Well, I planned on waiting to discuss the particulars until Willa was here, but I guess there’s no point in waiting. I wanted to talk to you about the farm.”
“Uh, what about it?”
Dad turns around to face me, and the serious look in his eyes makes me want to throw up.
“I want to come home, Wyatt.”
“You are home, Dad.”
“No, I mean, I don’t want to drive anymore. You’ve done a wonderful job with everything these past few years, but I’m ready to help now. And I thought, you know, if you wanted to, you could go back to school or get a job or do whatever you want to do.”
I blink once, twice. “I’m confused. You’ve just decided, basically six years later, that you’re ready to come back to your old life and pick up where you left off?”
“That’s not . . .”
“And I’m just, what? Out of luck? Even though I have spent the better part of the last six years keeping this farm running? It’s been almost my sole source of income. I’ve added a hay field in the south pasture. We’ve gone from thirty head of cattle to almost double that. I’ve got contracts with two of the local restaurants for fresh beef every few months. But yeah, sure, you can just step in and take over.”
“Wyatt, calm down. I’m not kicking you out, I just thought you might like the opportunity to go back to school if you want.”
“What brought all this on?”
“I just decided it was time I came home. Time I became a parent again.”
There’s no humor in the laugh that escapes me as I stand.
“It’s a little late for that, Dad. We needed a parent six years ago.”
