Page 95 of Between Us

She glances from Dad back to me and tenderly says, “I don’t have to, Blake. Your dad can tell me later.”

“No,” I insist. With a deep breath, I meet her eye and add, “I know I messed up. And you deserve to hear this from me as well.”

A proud look crosses her face as she sits back down and settles in her seat, sipping her coffee. I know this is her way of saying she’s a bystander—and possibly a mediator—but isn’t a participant of the conversation.

With one more meaningful look in her direction, I square my shoulders and meet my dad’s gaze. I don’t know how to read him at this moment because there’s so many conflicting emotions flashing through his eyes.

“Dad,” I start again, gathering my bearings this time, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for going behind your back and doubting you would know how to handle these situations in a fair way. I’m sorry that I brought Adrian into this mess. I know how much you’ve enjoyed mentoring him. And I know he loves the relationship just as much.

“I never understood how this field could suck you in emotionally. I saw the toll it took on you, and I heard you talk openly about the challenges my entire life, but I was never able to understand past that initial empathy. I have a better idea of what you go through every single day now.”

His brows flick up only there’s no judgement. Just curiosity. “You do?”

Nodding, I promise, “I do.” Biting my tongue—literally—I think through my next words before letting the anxiety get the best of me. “It’s on a much smaller scale than what you deal with every single day, but fuck—”

“Cuida tu boca,” my mom chimes in, reminding me to watch my mouth.

With a small eye roll, I side-eye her and amend, “Butfreaking A, it’s hard.” She just squints at me, not correcting me any further. “I thought… I thought if I just helped Erika with Zippy, it would be the same thing as helping Lela with the insurance or sitting with Polly during the surgery. Even as we made the choice, it didn’t feel the same… It didn’t feelright.”

“And if Archie’s nail hadn’t cracked in half the way it did, would you have called me? Or would you have taken matters into your own hands again?”

For the first time during the conversation, I look away from him. Dropping my gaze to my lap, I watch as I begin to fidget—my thumb starts by tapping my pointer finger, moving through each one and back up. Without a word, my mom slides her hand into mine and interlaces them.

“I think I would’ve tried to fix it myself,” I confess in a small voice.

From my peripheral, he nods his head, and I can see the hurt, making me double down on being too scared to meet his eye.

“Thank you for being honest.” To his credit, he sounds like he means it. “Now, after this conversation, what would you do for an animal in need?”

Sighing, I lift my head and say, “I would call you—or the hospital if I knew you were off or whatever. I would do the right thing and trust that you all know the best course of action—both medically and financially.”

The small smile reaches his lips again, except this time it’s a little less sad. “Good. I don’t know what I’ve done for you to not trust me—”

“It’s not that,” I cut in, almost desperately. “Dad, I promise. You haven’t done anything wrong. I was trying to protect you. That’s all.”

My mom’s hand squeezes around mine as my dad tells me, in a firm but affectionate voice, “It’s not your responsibility to protect me. We”—he points between my mom and himself— “are meant to protect you, honey.”

The sentiment is sweet, yet it causes a small bubble of anger inside of me. “But we’re afamily. Just because I’m the youngest person in it doesn’t mean I have to be sheltered forever. And I know—I know—I didn’t do it right this time, okay?Butit’s Grady too. Just because I’m three years younger than him. I’m strong enough to be there for you all as well.”

“You’re one of the strongest people we’ve ever known, Blake.” My mom’s hand moves from mine to smooth down my hair lovingly.

“That’s not what I meant—you being incapable of handling it. I’m sorry I implied that.” As fast as it came, the anger subsides, and I’m left feeling silly for my reaction again. “Only that we’re your parents and you’ve already spent so much of your life worrying. About everything, all the time. And it’s your turn to just live your life. Not worry about us, or the clients, or animals. And if this job is too much for you, then okay—let’s talk about that.”

Shaking my head, I bite my lip and ruefully admit, “That’s not an option anymore.” My parents look at each other in confusion before their heads swing simultaneously back to me. Shifting in my seat awkwardly, I tell them, “Well… I texted Mom to let her know I’d be staying with Adrian.”

My dad doesn’t look nearly as perturbed by the information as I expected. “I figured you would, since Margo and Meera aren’t an option.”

“Yeah, well, he helped me come up with a plan. For my future.”

“Your future?” my mom asks gently. It’s not something they’ve pushed offering more space than most parents probably would on the matter.

I nod once. “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, I just really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. But we spent most of the evening going over it and I think… No, no. I know I want to work at the vet clinic long-term.”

The surprise on my dad’s face is evident since I’ve never shown interest in any type of medicine before. “You know there’s no pressure on you and Grady to ever become a veterinarian.”

“God,no. Not that.” That makes both of my parents chuckle. “I want to open an outreach program through the clinic. Like a community health sector, for animals though.”

“Morrita,” my mom warmly murmurs; my eyes stay fixed on my dad now.

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