He leaned back and looked up at me.
I gave him a quick upside-down kiss while squeezing the tips of his damp hair.“Are you okay?I can get some ice.”
“Don’t bother.”
His knuckles were bruised, but he continued playing checkers with my dad as if nothing was wrong.
More than that, the way my father looked at him and chatted filled my heart with unspeakable joy.For the first time, I felt like everything was going to be all right.
Chapter29
The straight razor scraped against the whiskers on my father’s jaw.A lovely breeze carried a melody from the wind chimes in the tree near the well.I rinsed the razor in a bowl of warm water on the table next to us.On the back deck, we had a spectacular view of the property.Hope had planted flowers in the spring, so a number of planters and pots on the back deck had colorfulAngelonias,Vincas, andZinnias.The butterflies and bees loved them.
“Look at that,” my father said with a laugh.
Down in the yard, Tak was busy introducing a chicken to the pack to see if Catcher would eat it.If everything went well, he would test the other packmates.
As soon as Tak set the chicken onto the grass, Catcher barked at it.The chicken flapped its wings and charged the wolf, who took off like a bullet.Not a few seconds later, Catcher reappeared from the left side of the house after circling the property.He barked again, but it was obvious he was playing with the bird, following his Packmaster’s guidance.
Tak laughed and hiked up the steps.“Looks like we’ll be having fresh eggs.”
I finished shaving the left side of my father’s face.The air was different today.August was always a hot month in Texas, but it felt strangely cooler—the same feeling that shrouds the air at the beginning of a solar eclipse.
My dad flicked shaving cream off his chin.“You better start chopping firewood to dry.I can feel winter coming.”
“It’s a thousand degrees.”I shook my head.“You say that every summer.”
Tak pulled up a chair and sat by us.“Some people in my tribe are the same.Something about the way the light changes.”
“It dims,” my father added while wiping his face and sitting up.“Everything has its time.”
Tears welled in my eyes, and I turned away from the sudden onslaught of emotions I’d been fighting all day.
“I don’t want none of that today.”My father gently patted my shoulder from where he sat beside me and then reached for his oxygen mask.“I’ve had the best summer here.”
We had built so many wonderful memories since moving into the house at the beginning of May.My father had taken Lucian’s downstairs room, and because he was on the main floor, he was able to eat with us and play games.Everyone loved him and took care of him as if he weretheirfather.I no longer had to check his oxygen levels or how he was feeling because someone else had already done it.Sometimes I’d wake up early and find him at a small table in the dining room with Lucian, both men eating an early breakfast while my father told stories.He loved listening to Bear play guitar, and sometimes Cici would read to him since his eyes weren’t what they used to be.
Our mating ceremony was simple yet beautiful.It had rained hard that day, which was unusual in midsummer, so we held the ceremony indoors.Candles were lit everywhere, and Lucian’s family had flown down.
His brothers were tall and friendly, each with a different personality.One was mated to a woman with the greenest eyes I’d ever seen.It was a wonderful family reunion.His Shifter brother had made us a wood carving of a man walking alongside a tiger.Other friends attended, including a snarky British fellow in leather pants who had everyone playing Twister later that evening before Lucian and I retired to the heat house for privacy.
The summer days were long but blissful.I had never known such happiness, and none of it interfered with work.The babies were learning new things each day, and my father got a real kick out of Violet’s little wolf.Although she was genetically altered, my dad related a story to Joy of a pride of lions he knew in Africa who also had a baby with the same ability.Joy seemed relieved knowing that Violet’s condition existed in nature and there might be others like her.Being around children seemed to breathe new life into my father, and I couldn’t remember ever seeing him so happy.
His health had been deteriorating these past couple of weeks—the oxygen was no longer helpful.He was coughing a lot, sleeping more, and not getting up as much as he used to from the bed.This week his appetite vanished, and all he wanted were protein shakes and the occasional grape.Salem said there was nothing we could do but make him comfortable.
Six days ago, my father and I had a serious talk.He didn’t want to suffer any longer and was choosing to embrace his death.Today was the day he would go on his final walk and leave us.His only request was a traditional meal from his home—which I cooked for him—a clean shave, and a haircut.To my surprise, he ate some of the food, but he was satisfied with watching us eat while telling his last story.
After wiping away my tears, I raised my head.Tak made himself scarce and was talking to the pack in the yard.My father wanted this to be a normal day—no tears—so Tak made sure to honor that.Everyone stayed close, but no one felt this as deeply as I did.Every moment with him was precious sand slipping through my fingers.
“Dad, it’s not too late to change your mind.You don’t need to do this today.Haven’t you been happy these past months?”
“Of course I have.”He took the oxygen mask away from his face.“This is the happiest I’ve been in a long, long time.Always someone to talk to, play games with… and plenty to eat.Plus I’ve gotten to spend all this time seeing how happy you are.”
I feigned a smile.“I can take a vacation.We’ll find a specialist who can help with your breathing.”
“That doesn’t make me any younger.”He adamantly shook his head.“These aren’t my people.They’re yours.After living here, now I know you’ll be okay.You have everything here I ever wanted for you.I’m ready to go, child.Let me do it while I can still walk—while I still have my dignity and my memories intact.I’ve walked this earth for over a thousand years.I’m tired.”
When I averted my eyes, I caught sight of Atticus looking away.He must have been listening in.I wished that someone would talk my father out of this, but during our pack meeting yesterday, Tak said it would only make it harder.
