Page 55 of Micah

“Oh, Mitcham quit beating around the bush. Micah, we still love each other and since your father is now retired, we want to be together again.”

Micah shook his head as if to clear cobwebs as he tried to absorb what he was hearing. Then it was clear. “I think that’s great.”

He stepped forward and hugged his mother and then his father.

“Why are you here? Aren’t you still on leave?” his dad asked.

“Yes, but I’m feeling all right. I wanted to talk with you, but I can see you’re busy.”

Micah headed for the door again.

“No, son, come in here and sit down. I can tell something’s bothering you.”

“I’ll just go soak in the tub. You two talk,” his mom said then kissed each of them on their cheeks and left the room.

“Come on, son. Let’s talk in the living room.”

Micah followed his father to the living room and took a seat on the sofa while his dad sat in an overstuffed chair. His dad stared at him and waited for him to speak. Micah sat forward and rested his forearms on his thighs.

“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Yeah, Dad, it’s just that—” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’m…in love.”

“About damn time. It’s Pasty, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”Was it that obvious?

“So what’s the problem?”

“Same problem you had. She hates the job. It scares her.”

“Which do you love more?”

“Her. No doubt about it.”

“Then quit.”

Micah sat back, stunned to hear his father’s suggestion. “I can’t believe you said that. You didn’t quit in order to keep Mom from leaving.”

“Yes, and I regret that more than anything. I lost a lot of years with your mother because of my stubbornness. If Icould go back, I’d quit in a heartbeat if it meant keeping her in my life.”

“Patsy left me because she won’t ask me to quit.”

“Then she must love you a lot.”

“Mom asked you to quit—”

“No, she didn’t. If she would have, I would have quit. I know you think she asked me to and I never told you different because I didn’t want you getting angry with me over it, but she never once asked me to quit. She loved me too much to ask that of me.”

“So you think Patsy loves me too much to ask me to quit?”

“I do. She knows you love the job so she’s not going to ask you to give up something you love for her.”

“I would though.”

“Then tell her that, Micah. Don’t be miserable. I can see you are now. How long has she been gone?”

“Three weeks,” Micah muttered.

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