Page 116 of Can't Kiss the Chef

“Hey Dad. How are you feeling?”

“It’s just a little bump,” he jokes while rubbing his head.

Nothing about the dark circles around his eyes or the needles in his arm are ‘little’.

“When I was waiting out there,” I hike my thumb back towards the waiting room. “I came up with a list of questions that I realized I didn’t know about you. Are you up to answering a few?”

His smile brightness his frail features.

“Just start off easy,” he jokes.

I settle into the seat my mom left by his bedside. He has the back of the bed slightly tilted up.

I take his hand making sure I don’t disturb the needle sticking out of it.

“Ask away Byron. I’m an open book.”

Ever since he came back into my life he has been there to answer any question that I’ve asked. Any time I call he picks up. At times he was the one to make the effort. Calling to talk about Jalen’s latest rookie milestone or asking me if I’d think Mom would like a certain recipe.

“Do you mind if I record it?”

He’s not at his best right now, but I know I want these videos. Someday I’ll be able to show them to my kids. They will know the sound of his voice. They will get to hear these answers from their grandpa himself.

He shakes his head before turning and rubbing his face with the hand I’m not holding.

Setting my phone on the tray they pull up for him to eat at, I prop it up against a stack of books he has laying on it.

“We are going to start with some basic ones to ease you into things. What’s your favorite color?”

He lets out a dry laugh. “We really have to start off that simple?”

“No Dad,” I shake my head. “I know your favorite color is green. This isn’t just for me. I’m going to show this to my kids someday.”

I feel him tense before a small smile appears.

“You’ll make an amazing dad one day Byron.”

“Thanks Dad,” I answer softly

“My favorite is green,” He confirms.

We run down the list I have memorized at this point

Favorite Food

How He Met My Mom

What His Childhood Was Like

His Biggest Regret

His Biggest Failure

His First Job

His Favorite song

The Coolest Place He Has Traveled To

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