Page 43 of After Him, There Was You
“No. Aside from calling the nurses’ station to check on his condition, I haven’t been involved.”
“What did Alexa say?”
“She thinks me staying away means I don’t care and like I’m selfish for not putting my life on hold because he was dumb enough to drink and drive,” she stated with a sigh, and it was painfully obvious my best friend was emotionally over the situation. “I don’t know why that girl can’t understand that the daddy she knows and loves is not the one I knew. True enough, he obviously still has a problem with his alcohol consumption, but he’s nothing like the lush Janet and I had to deal with.”
“Do you know if the family he hit when he ran through the intersection is going to press charges or not?”
“From what my mama told me, I don’t think they are, but I wish they would because his ass needs to wake up. If he would have had a few more beers, or if he would have been driving a few miles per hour faster, he could have killed a family who was innocent to his bull crap. He’s too old to be carrying on like this, and that’s why I can’t see him. I may mess around and go postal up at the hospital just thinking about what could have happened.”
“Look, E, I won’t try to downplay how bad the situation is and how much worse it could have been, but I think it’s important to be grateful it wasn’t worse. Maybe this was the wakeup call he needed. Maybe this will be the thing he needs to get sober.”
From the time I’d met Eva, I had probably only seen her dad without his handy can of beer or trusted bottle of whisky maybe once or twice. Nevertheless, the optimist in me believed more than anything, anyone could change. For some people it was simply a game of mind over matter for them to fight addiction, while for others, something traumatic had to happen to get them to change their unhealthy ways.
“A part of me was hoping that too, but the nurse I always talk to, Angelica, told me he asked her if the hospital cafeteria had some beer on tap she could get for him, so that is a strong no on this being a much-needed wake up call.”
“Wow.”
“Exactly.”
“At this point, since Mr. Monroe is still on the road to self-destruction, the only thing you can do for yourself is decide whether or not you are okay with the relationship you have with him,” I advised. “Regarding Alexa, I know how important she is to you, so it may be worth you sitting down and telling her about the dad you know versus the one she knows. I know you and Janet always try to shield her from certain things where he’sconcerned, but I think it would help her show some grace when it comes to pushing her perception onto the two of you.”
“I accepted him for who he was a long time ago, which is why I made the executive decision to leave him wherever he’s at, but I may take your advice on talking to Alexa because she’s two nagging phone calls away from me forgetting she’s related to me,” Eva truthfully noted, causing me to laugh. “Anyway, enough about my family shenanigans. Are you nervous about your family dinner tonight?”
“Yes! I don’t even know what to wear.”
“You see the man every day, and if I know Zane like I think I do, I’m sure he’s going to appreciate your beauty regardless of what you have on, but remember it never hurts to show a little skin.”
“Oh, no. Jaedan and Raegan are here.”
“Okay, and? You act as if I said show some ass, T. I’m saying to show a little bit of neck and some shoulder, nothing too much, but just enough to look alive.”
Resuming my pursuit to find something to wear, I continued to talk to Eva as she talked to me about her budding romance with Zeke. Knowing we could possibly become sisters by marriage if everything played out was something to dream about. I really liked Zeke for Eva, and after hearing how he’d been a part of her support system in confronting the animosity she’d been harboring for her dad, I knew he was what she needed.
Picking up a black short-sleeve romper which caught my eye as it hung on a hanger on the far-right side of my closet, I ran my selection by Eva, and she approved. She was hellbent on not ending the call with me until she knew what I was wearing.
To my surprise, we agreed it was cute without doing too much because after all, I was still at home.
The doorbell rang no sooner than I stepped into the romper, and after a quick once over and approval of my appearance, I was off to answer it, praying on the way to the door that all would go well.
Chapter 20: Already Best Friends – Zane
“Hello, Coach Simmons,” Raegan greeted me, standing in the doorway.
“Hello, Raegan. We’re not at school, so you can call me Zane instead of Coach Simmons,” I noted as she smiled up at me with bright eyes.
“I can do that. You can come in. Mama is getting pretty. You can sit with me until she gets done,” she offered.
“Raegan Simone Morgan, did you answer the door by yourself when you know that’s not what you’re supposed to do?” Tara chastised as she approached us in the foyer of her home. Though her attention was zeroed in on her daughter, I was taken away by her effortless beauty.
“Yes, ma’am, but I knew it was Coach Simm— I mean Zane.”
Glancing up at me, I could tell Tara was surprised to hear Raegan casually calling me by my first name. Nodding my head in response to the look she was giving me, I silently let her know it was okay, and a smile appeared on her face.
I was sure Tara would have wanted them to call me ‘Mr. Simmons’ or ‘Mr. Zane’, but ‘Zane’ was simple enough for me. My intention wasn’t to flex unwarranted authority with them because I knew it was enough of a shock for them to be processing Tara being with someone who wasn’t Jason. Aside from that, Jaedan and Raegan were good kids, so there was no need for any excessive tactics or overly dominant energy on my end as I found myself entering into their lives as a permanent fixture.
Tara had always been everything that I wanted in a better half and so much more, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind someday she would be my wife. Anything bound to happen to usand for us along the way, was nothing more than small tidbits making up the bigger picture I knew we were bound to be.
Showing me to the dining room, Raegan kept me company until Jaedan joined us while Tara brought out the fruits of her labor from the kitchen.
