Page 52 of A Hero Comes Home

Maybe it’s time to contact that local shrink.

Maybe I’m losing my friggin’ mind.

Unfortunately, his father dropped by in the middle of his convoluted thought process.

“Uh,” his father said, taking in the slop in the sink and the clam shells he was dropping into the trash bin he’d pulled over. “An accident?”

“You could say that.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

“You could say that.” Jake turned on the disposal three times to handle it all. Then he pushed the now-closed trash bin with his right foot over to its spot by the door. “What’s up, Dad?”

His father blushed.

Which caused Jake’s brain to go on red alert. Last time Dad blushed was when he told me about condoms. I was twelve at the time. Oh, Lord! Do I have to do that with my boys?

“Mike and I have an idea.”

“Okay.” Not the condoms then. Whew! But this oughta be good.

“We’d like to take the boys for an overnight . . . actually, a weekend out on the boat. Fishing. Cooking fresh fish on board. Swimming in the coves. Board games. That kind of thing.”

“You and Old Mike? And three kids?”

“What? You think me and Mike are too old?”

“That’s not what I said.” Although, as his dad stood there, wearing ratty old fishing pants and a plaid shirt with one of the buttons missing, Jake noticed how tired he looked. Jake knew that he and Old Mike had been up since dawn, fishing for blues. Maybe it was time his father cut back. Had he considered retirement? He was sixty-two, after all. Did he need the money? Would he sell the boat? Or was he still holding out for Jake to take over?

More questions!

“You implied it.”

“Huh?” Jake had lost track of their conversation.

“You implied that I’m too old to take care of your three boys out on the boat for one blasted weekend. You don’t trust me.”

“It’s not that. I just find it kind of strange. Your timing and all that.”

“Actually, it’s all about timing. Labor Day is coming up soon, and the boys will be busy. The scouts are going to be in the parade, you know, and they have a float to prepare. Then, after Labor Day, they’ll be busy with school. Plus, the weather starts to get iffy after September. Yep, it’s all about timing.”

Jake stared at his father, not at all convinced. The old man was up to something. But he didn’t have time to argue with him now. He had too many other issues on his plate. “Discuss it with Sally. She’s the boss when it comes to the boys.”

His father smiled. “Good. Sally told me to discuss it with you.”

“When did you talk to Sally about this?”

“Tonight. I stopped in the bakery when I saw the light on out back. I was dropping off some fish at The Honey Hole.”

So, Sally really was at the bakery.

Not that he’d doubted her.

“Another thing,” his father said, and the blush was back. “Vana Gustafson offered to come out with us. So, three adults to keep an eye on three kids.”

Jake’s eyes about popped out at that news—well, his one good eye. The sexpot senior had offered to go boating with his father? Was this a senior version of a dirty weekend? But no, Old Mike would be there, too, and three mini chaperones.

A grin twitched at Jake’s lips as he thought, Maybe I should be having the condom talk with dear old Dad. “That’s just great. Let me discuss it with Sally first, though.”