Present
“In the words of Tori Amos, just because he can make me come, doesn’t mean he’s God,” I say to Blue.
“Yeah, he wasn’t trying to be your god. He was trying to prove his claim,” Blue replies.
“Let me have my denial, damn it.”
“Sorry, no can do. I have to get you ready for what’s to come, and I can’t do that if we’re pretending Echo is going to let sleeping dogs lie. Scratch that. The dogs are very much awake. That’s the problem.”
I sigh. “All this time and I still can’t shake the bastard.”
“Maybe that’s a sign, babe.”
“Of my stupidity.”
“You were the one who encouraged me to give Shadow a t
ry, and urged me to find my happiness. Can’t I do the same for you? You need to hash this shit out with him. You’ll never really move on otherwise.”
I know she’s right, but I have too much on my plate to focus on a failed relationship and my battered heart. I draw strength and comfort from her presence as I get ready for the day and head off to the hospital to face the aftermath of my father’s heart attack.
I can’t help but mentally cringe as we approach my father. He’ll see it as an ambush. He doesn’t take kindly to disloyalty of any sort.
“I don’t like the looks of this,” Hoss mumbles.
“Well, you won’t like what the doc has to say either, Pops,” I say honestly.
He sighs and looks at the doctor. “Come in and make your case. I’ll listen. I can do that much for the man who saved my life.”
“Thank you, Mr. Dunn,” Doc Adams says.
“Call me Hoss.”
“Okay, Hoss. This was a warning from your heart. You haven’t been treating it right, and it’s set to give, unless you change things.”
“Change things, how?”
“Well for one, less salt, less alcohol, and less stress.”
“Hell, you want to take all the fun out of my life. I might as well let the ole ticker give out.”
“Pops!” I cry.
“Doc wants to make me old before my time. The way he makes it sound, all I’m fit to do is sit in a rocker on the front porch and sip iced tea.”
The image his words bring makes me giggle. “No, he didn’t.”
“I realize this will be a huge adjustment, but it’s the only option you have,” Doc Adams states. “Continuing as you have been will leave you with a pacemaker, living on borrowed time. The people who follow the plans we set have gone on to live happy, healthy lives.”
“I hear you, Doc. You got a run-down of this program you’re pushing?”
He’s willing to give it a try.
“I have a generalized one yes, but we’d customize one for you. We want you to be healthy, not miserable.” He hands over a few sheets of paper.
I watch, holding my breath as Pops rifles through them.
“I see lots of green shit, Doc. Never was a fan of veggies.”