“I wanted to come check out this place.”
Alex’s father hugs me tightly for a few minutes and seems to have a hard time letting go of me. Sighing, he lets go and his eyes betray his worry.
“I’m happy, sir.”
“Sir? Child, I have known you since you were in diapers!”
I laugh and ruffle my hair to mask my embarrassment.
“So, how are things going for you boys? Seems to be a jumping place.”
“We can’t complain.”
“While you two catch up, I’m going to go say hi to Rain, okay?” Alex tells us. “See you in five minutes.” Alex leaves us and I follow her with my eyes until she disappears in the crowd.
I turn again to her father, who has decided to have a breakdown here, now, in front of me. He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand and says nothing, looking at the spot from where his daughter disappeared.
“Sit down, let me offer you something to drink,” I tell him.
He sits down and I order two pints from Patrick.
“Excuse me dropping in like this. I don’t want to be nosy.”
“Don’t talk that way Joe, you’re part of the family.”
He forces a smile and takes a sip of his beer.
“I wanted to tell you that she’s happy, you know?” he goes on. “I haven’t seen her like this since before everything started.”
I lower my gaze and lose myself in my glass because I know this conversation is going to have repercussions on me that I’m not ready for.
“Thank you, Jason,” he says, putting a hand on my arm. “Thank you for giving me back my baby.”
“I haven’t done anything, Joe.”
“Oh, that’s not true. You’ve done quite a lot. You still are. You’ve given her hope and a will to live. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve seen her motivated and I couldn’t do anything to stop her slowly resigning to the situation.”
I swallow this beer too quickly. I didn’t even want it, but I’m hoping that with the drink, I can also swallow this lump in my throat.
“Jason, things aren’t going well, but I think you already know that. Alex is stubborn, always has been. She refuses to feel ill and insists that she shouldn’t be treated as such. She wanted to find that job, help out at the café and I know she gives a hand here too sometimes. And I understand her.
“See, she simply wants to live and I had to accept it, so that she would never live with regret. I know that you two, well…that you’ve started dating and I’m not here to say that you shouldn’t be doing what you want, that you shouldn’t do what you feel. The only thing I want to say is…please don’t start something if you’re not planning on sticking it out.”
I set the glass down and take a deep breath before looking him in the eye.
“Believe me, I’m not going anywhere, Joe.”
He nods and dries his eyes again and then smiles at me.
“I’m glad to hear it, kid. You know, I knew your mother pretty well and I have to say that you’re like she was. You both have the same kindness and strength. And the same heart.”
Hearing someone talk about my mother still hurts me but I know Joe means it well.
“Your dad is also a good man. I’ve known him forever. He has had his bad times and went through it in the worst of ways, but he’s a good man like you are. I couldn’t ask for better for my little girl.”
Okay, this is the knockout punch. I bite my lip hard and do everything possible to hold back the tears, but it’s hard. Jesus, is it hard.
“I’ve spoken too much. I’m gonna go now, I don’t want to interfere.”
