I gave him a long look. “Rebecca doesn’t want my money, Dad. She seems to resent it most of the time.”
He considered my words and then smiled. “Compromise. Show her the good parts of it and how that can work for the two of you. Bigger scale. Remember?”
I nodded with an understanding smile. I could do that. We talked for a bit longer, about Mom and how he was handling the changes in his life. He appreciated all of Mom’s efforts, as well as mine, as hard as they were for him to accept at times. Dad knew that being alive and with us was the most important thing of all and reminded himself of that often.
“I know that I was a stubborn man to live with, Austin. I told you how it was, and now I have to listen to everyone else to get through this life. It’s crazy to me.”
“I understand that,” I replied, being a control freak just like he was. Hell, I was a lot like my father in many ways and respected the hell out of him. “I think we all have to eat a little crow occasionally.”
“That we do,” he laughed.
“I love you, Dad. I respect everything that you did for us. I don’t tell you that enough.”
He seemed to get serious for a moment before he cleared his throat. “I was always so damn proud of you, son. Even when I hated seeing you leaving us, you worked hard, and you made it.” Dad looked out of the window and smiled warmly. “Your mom is home, and she’s going to make us some lunch. She got this new bread that has the consistency of straw, but at least the turkey is edible.”
I laughed again, and Mom walked in to greet us both with hugs and kisses. She made the very sandwiches Dad told me she would, but I ate it without saying a word. It was the best thing for us.
I grabbed my tea and headed outside to make some phone calls. I wanted Rebecca, and I had the money to spoil her just a little bit. I was going to do just that, and I set up the following day with my usual precision. Even without Preston, everyone in my life listened to me.
After all my calls, I went inside and dropped back onto my bed with a smile.
Everything was set. I was going to take a nap before dinner since I knew Rebecca was at work for the evening. She’d traded a shift to get tomorrow off, and I smiled as I played it through my mind.
I thought about what Dad said as I drifted off to sleep, knowing that he was right. Dad was often right, and I felt ashamed of myself for taking off the way that I did and hurting them.
I vowed to make that up to them in the best way that I knew how, along with Rebecca, and not all with money. There was more to life than just money, and I wanted it. I just didn’t know what the perfect answer was yet and had to spend some time with Rebecca to work through that.
I got up in a couple of hours and helped Mom with the spaghetti that she made for dinner. It was different than the old recipe, and she served a crisp salad with it instead of the greasy garlic bread that Dad loved. But he thanked her for the meal and dug in.
I liked seeing him compromise for his health and to make Mom smile. She was a natural caretaker and seeing him allow it made her so happy. She beamed when he complimented her on her food and finished the plate. I saw what it was to make your significant other happy, and I hoped that I could do that, beginning tomorrow, with Rebecca.
Dad went to bed early. Mom and I enjoyed some cookies that she brought from town and watched a movie. He’d been warned to watch his sugar intake, and she was all over that but still enjoyed a treat herself every now and then. I knew that she had a whole arsenal of things that she could make for him.
The laptop was coming the next day, and I was upgrading their Wi-Fi for them so she could find things in an instant. I hadn’t told them, wanting to surprise them with it.
I sent Rebecca a text that night from my bed, asking if she was going to be ready for me the following day.
Rebecca: What are we doing, Austin?
Me: Just be ready by two. And dress up.
Rebecca: Why? Where are we going?
Me: That is a surprise, my love. Relax. It’s good for you.
Rebecca: Who is texting me right now? The Austi
n who I know doesn’t know how to relax.
I chuckled and admitted she was right to myself, silently. I didn’t know how to relax, but I was going to take the cue from some of the people in my life and see how it worked for me.
Me: I love you, Rebecca. I wish I was there with you.
I knew that she had plans with Kim after work. So, I stayed home to give her some space. Plus, she was probably tired and needed to sleep for tomorrow, if she could at all.
Rebecca: Come over. Kim left already.
It was so tempting, but I told my eagerly responding body to calm down. There was time for all that tomorrow in my plans. I was going to give my girl some new experiences to enjoy.