Page 109 of Healed
“Mashed potatoes, too?” Bane asked.
“Yes,” Janie answered.
“Sold! But what are you going to eat?” Bane teased, insinuating that he’d eat the chicken and potatoes himself.
“The key lime pie I didn’t offer you,” Janie said.
“Oh! You know how to hurt me,” Bane said, chuckling. He looked over at Daisy and didn’t like the idea of leaving her outside alone. “Daisy, baby, you want to come inside and eat with us?”
“No, thank you, Daddy. I’m not hungry. I’ll wait for Charlie to come back.”
“Alright. If y’all get hungry, come on in,” Bane said.
“We will.”
Bane paused for a second to watch Daisy staring off into the darkness with the most beautiful smile on her face, waiting for Charlie to come back, before he and Janie went on inside.
“It makes me so satisfied, so at peace to see her so happy,” Bane said once they’d walked in the house.
“Me, too,” Janie said. “Thank you for going to handle all that. I’m sorry it got ugly.”
“Did you really think it wouldn’t? I wanted to shift and tear his heart out, then hand it to him. But I tried to maintain some control, knowing if we could get her to file charges he’d live a life of humiliation. But when he tried to shoot me, Lucien took that decision out of my hands.”
“Thank God!” Janie exclaimed.
“True. I’m relieved about him being dead. I’m relieved about his wife being terrified and looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life. I’m so at peace that Charlie and Daisy will be married. He’s a good man,” Bane said emphatically. “He really is as good as she is. She’ll never have to worry about where he is or what he’s doing. He’s devoted to her already.”
Janie had been serving his plate while he talked, and set it down in front of him, then poured him a glass of sweet tea, before she made her own plate and sat across from him.
“How are you feeling?” Bane asked.
“The knot I’ve been carrying around in my stomach is finally gone. I can breathe easily,” Janie said.
“I wish I’d have known months ago,” Bane said. “That’s my only regret.”
“We can only address what we know. And we addressed it the moment we became aware.”
They heard the screen door creak as it opened. “Mom, Dad? I’m going to Charlie's.”
“Alright. Text me the address,” Janie called out.
“Have a good evening, baby,” Bane called out.
Suddenly they could hear her running toward them through the house. She leaned over and kissed her father, hugging him for all she was worth. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too, Daisy,” Bane said, patting her arms as she hugged him from behind. “Y’all be careful, you hear.”
“We will,” Daisy said, letting go of her father to quickly hug her mother. “I might be late!” she called as she finally ran back through the house. They heard the screen door slap its frame and the engine of Charlie’s car as they drove away.
“And just like that we’re empty nesters.”
“What? I know that’s not true. She’s not moved out yet,” Bane said.
“But it’s only a matter of time,” Janie pointed out.
“And we have grandkids! Brandt’s is due any day. And we have Carson. And I’m sure Daisy will want one really soon. She loves babies,” Bane said. “There is no empty about our lives at all!”
Janie smiled as she watched her husband convincing himself that their lives were still full. “You know what? You’reabsolutely right. Besides, it’ll be nice to get a little quiet time to ourselves between visits.”
