Page 82 of Sizzle
“Look,” he says, rubbing his hands together for warmth or to work out his nerves, I can’t tell which. “I owe you an apology. You said some reasonable things the other day—” he holds up a hand to stave off my protest. “You did. I couldn’t listen to it at the time, but you were right.”
“Um, thanks.” This is unexpected, to say the least. “Are you okay, Dad? Should I be worried?”
He snorts. “Connie said you wouldn’t believe me.”
Say what? Dad catches my confusion and sighs.
“Connie came to see me yesterday,” he said. “She hasn’t been over since you… um, started staying here with her.”
“Since you kicked me out,” I say, since apparently I’m not over being childish just yet.
Dad’s cheeks darken and I regret my immaturity right away. He’s here, and we’re talking, and he’s already said I’m right. Why pour salt in the wound?
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, squeezing his hand. “What else did Connie say?”
He laughs a little. “What didn’t that woman say? Let me put it this way,” he says, half a smile on his face. “There’s only six words I never use, and she used every one of them on me yesterday. Twice.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. “She called you a—”
“Think again, young lady,” he says with a glare. “Just because she said them doesn’t mean you have to.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Anyway,” he continues. “Connie reminded me of a few points that maybe I hadn’t really considered until the two of you brought them to my attention.”
“Okay.” I still can’t believe he let Connie talk to him like that.
Dad clears his throat and looks away.
“Specifically, that you were right. It’s my life, my recovery. If I don’t take ownership of it, who will?”
Relief hits me so hard that tears are falling before I even realize they were ever coming on. Dad jolts at the sudden outburst of emotion.
“Oh, honey, please don’t,” he says. He hates to see me cry even under normal circumstances. I don’t want to make him feel helpless again, not when he finally seems to realize he’s not, so I breathe through it and blot the tears away with the back of my hands.
It’s another minute or two before I find my voice.
“Do you mean it?”
Dad nods. “I talked with Jim and Jessica. They’re going to help me work on getting out of the house more. We’ve already started having sessions at the gym across the street.”
I throw my arms around him, unable to keep the tears at bay any longer.
“I’m so glad,” I whisper. “I’m so proud of you.”
I hear a discreet sniffle somewhere near my shoulder as he pats me on the back. I squeeze him hard one more time then let him go, smiling as I dry my eyes this time.
“So do you think you can stand living with your old man a little while longer?”
I reach over to squeeze his hand.
“I’d be glad to,” I say, meeting his eyes. “But only for a little while this time, I think. Will you help me find an apartment?”
His surprise is obvious.
“If that’s what you want,” he says.
“I think it’s time,” I tell him. “You don’t need me around all day every day anymore.”