Page 2 of Winter Frost

“Good. I’ll set up an appointment with the service we use. I’m sure the girls will be happy to hear that you’re taking my advice. They love you so much.”

“Yes, they do.”

“Are you planning on telling them about the results?” This man will never let up.

“I told them they don’t carry the gene that makes them susceptible, but I didn’t say it’s because they aren’t my daughters. I need to speak to my ex-wife first. Unfortunately, she’s on her latest honeymoon.”

“She’s not with the asshole who she left you for?”

“No, that’s old news.” I waved my hand. Although I haven’t thought about my ex-wife, I know about her business because it saved me from paying alimony. Like a fool, she ran off, forgetting that she had a minor still at home, which meant child support. I didn’t need it, but I wanted the book thrown at her for hurting the girls. She broke their hearts when she ran out on them. What kind of mother abandons her daughters to be with a man?

“Well, it’s good that you’re okay with all that.”

“I wish I never met the woman, but as much as I do, I wouldn’t have Noelle and Autumn.” Some days there are mixed feelings about it, knowing what I do now, but I still wouldn’t change the past. My girls are my girls, regardless.

“I should get going before they worry.”

“Yeah, you better get to it.”

Autumn is waiting in the car for me because she’s insanely too worried about me going alone. After what happened last time I came to see John, or Dr. Phelps as everyone elseknows him, she didn’t let up. Our drive back to the farmhouse isn’t more than ten minutes, but she insisted.

She even made me wait until she unlocked the door before I got out of the car. I rolled my eyes and then stepped out. She ran down the four steps and met me. How could I ever not love my girls?

“Excuse me, but you just had a damn heart attack. Don’t give us crap, Dad,” Autumn snaps with her hands on her hips, staring me down.

“Young lady. That language,” I reminded her while trying to get out of her reprimand. I loved my girls, and I knew they were stressed, but it was for nothing. They had no idea why I passed out the other day. Yes, I was still in recovery, and I shouldn’t have been stressed, but the news I received was devastating. It changed my blood pressure, sending it plummeting. It was back a moment later, but it still sent everyone into a tizzy.

“I’m sorry, but we’re worried about you.”

I cup her hands in mine, giving them a gentle squeeze. “Yes, and I’m still your father which means I’ll be worried about you until the day they put me in my grave, so when you go around with your heart aching because of a piece of crap, I’m not in the mood to sit down and take it.”

“Well, you will because I’m not upset over that shithead Carter. I’m just annoyed with this town’s need to gossip over their apple cider donuts and coffee.”

“Fine. Please don’t let some simpleton take your heart and stomp on it. It’s not worth it.”

“Dad, you’re only forty-eight. Mom was a…” She stops herself before she says another bad word. Although I have to agree when it comes to her mother. That woman played me likea fiddle and lied through her teeth. Our marriage was as fake as they came. She wanted what I had and then hated the life we built when it was too boring for her.

Now, I’ve tried my best to finish raising two amazing girls and I’m an old man with nothing but a worn heart and money with no one to spend it on. My girls refuse to leave me alone and I can’t blame them. I don’t want them to move out unless they choose it. Maybe it’s the trauma from their mother or the life we’ve lived, but we’re insanely close.

“So enough about the heavy. How about a healthy lunch?” Autumn asked.

“Ugh. There is nothing wrong with my heart. It was an accidental tear when I was working in the orchard.”

“Yeah, but until you’re healed, your heart needs some TLC,” she added.

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls,”Noelle comes into the house singing.

“Not that TLC,” Autumn sighs, shaking her head.

“Girls, I’m glad I taught you well.” They both start dancing around the room, singing like fools.

“Tomorrow, your nurse will be here soon, so we need you to behave.”

“Yes, yes. I know.” We eat a light lunch which tastes like shit because I’ve never been a salad guy and I’d rather starve than eat that shit, but it makes them happy. Afterward, I walk to the living room and sit down with my feet elevated and do my best to relax. It’s all they want me to do. I hope the damn nurse they send over doesn’t give me that bullshit routine of just pure rest. I’m a man who spent years working with my hands and body in my orchard. A thing I haven’t been able to do.

Selling it to save it was necessary because I was afraid I wouldn’t survive, and I didn’t trust anyone to manage it properly. My last manager ran off with my ex-wife, leaving me holding the bag. It took everything in my power to keep it all afloat and successful. We have one of the best orchards in the state, one of the ten best in the country, and I refused to let it die a painful death with me, so selling it was the best option.

After lunch, I tell the girls that I have some paperwork for the orchard to take care of, but in reality, there are some legal calls I have to make. One to their whore of a mother. The second the door to my office closes, I dial her number. We only spoke through the lawyers, except when she was pissed about not getting more money. She forgot that Autumn was a minor when she ran out. The judge didn’t take too kindly on that abandonment.

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