Homeless Heart

Chapter 38

Phin

Time was flying by and spring was almost over. I continued working at the shelter and going to therapy. We were happy practicing making babies and living our lives. Lizzie's birthday was soon approaching, and she would be thirty-two years old. I was the happiest I'd been in all my life, which made me slightly uneasy. I was working hard to figure out what to do for her birthday. She assured me she only wanted a quiet night in with me, but that wasn't happening. Lizzie’s birthday was in a week, and it would be epic. I was more excited than she was because it felt like the first real milestone in our relationship. She tried to get me to ignore the day because she hated being the center of attention, but she loved presents more.

She’d almost distracted me with a countdown to my birthday in December, when I would get my inheritance and our lives could properly start. But I was on to her and I wouldn’t let her get away without celebrating her birthday.

I’d just started my shift at the shelter, and I was looking for Gil. He'd been in touch with his daughter, and there was a chance he would go live with her. I hadn't seen him in a while and was worried something might have happened to him. I was pleased to see Gil as I stood serving mashed potatoes to hungry people waiting for their first hot meal of the day. When he got to my station, I smiled, and he returned it.

"What's up, silver spoons?"

"Serving up the best mashed potatoes in the four fifteen."

"You got that right."

"Gil, you got time for some checkers when I’m done doing lunch cleanup?"

He moved over to the next station. "Sure, come find me. I'll be around." The man smiled and moved farther down the food line.

I loved working the food line at the shelter. I got to see and speak to people I would never have been able to growing up where I did. My work helped people every day. Gil was one of my favorites, but I had others that came in for a warm meal. I particularly liked to help the single mom's with kids and the teenage runaways. Lizzie would come and help out from time to time which always put me on edge worried for her safety. The other woman who worked here usually didn't have any trouble with guests, but Lizzie was mine, and I worried about her.

When I finished lunch cleanup, I found Gil sitting outside at one of the tables where we usually played checkers. The sun was shining, but there was a slight chill in the air.

"Gil, you ready to get your butt kicked?" I sat down and handed him one of the mugs of coffee I had made for us.

"Thanks, silver spoons." He took a long drink of his hot coffee.

I rubbed my hands together to warm them, smiled at the man who'd become my friend, and thought how I wanted Duke to meet Gil one day.

"So, what's up with your daughter?" I made my first move on the board.

His smile grew. "She's good, man, thanks for asking."

"Are you going to move in with her?"

His smile faded slightly. "Nah, she's got a full house. She doesn't need her old man crowding up her joint."

"Did you ask her? Or are you just assuming?"

"No, man, it's cool. Things are good with us. She's getting married soon, and she doesn't need me around to rock the boat."

I shook my head, unable to believe that this man's daughter wouldn't mind having her dad back in her life. "You are a stubborn old man. She probably wants you to walk her down the aisle."

Gil didn't say a word, he just shook his head. I changed the subject, and we continued to play, and I lost again. I wasn't sure how to beat this man at checkers, but I knew a way I could help him.

After my shift at the shelter, I was off to my weekly therapy appointment. Later, I would contact Gil's daughter and make sure she knows about her father's situation. My relationship with my father might always be a dark cloud over my head, but I wouldn’t let others have the same.

The house was quiet when I got home, and I had a few hours of solitude before my whirling dervish came in. I pulled out the laptop and looked for Gil's daughter. His last name was Slater, and I knew she lived in Oakland, so it only took a few strokes of Google to find her.

I found her on Facebook and sent her a message telling her who I was and why I was writing. I thought it would be a long time before he heard from her, but the response was almost immediate. She was glad to hear from me and wanted to see her father as soon as possible. I smiled as I made plans to meet her at the shelter in a couple of days. Looking at the clock, I sprang off the sofa and went into the kitchen to make dinner for Lizzie, so excited to tell her my news.