Page 95 of Until Landon
“Yeah. He and Stacy are shopping for his outfit and he’s getting a shave. She offered a manicure and pedicure, to kill time, but that wasn’t going to happen.”
“Has she met your father?”
“Right? So Plan B went into effect. They had breakfast before the shopping started.”
“We may not recognize him. The weight loss, clean-shaven. New clothes.”
“You’ve done a great job, Landon. I’m proud of you, bud.”
“Thank you both for all the ways you helped us get through this shit.”
July comes in for a hug.
“We love Ronnie. And you too, Landon. We would do anything for you guys,” she says.
“Why the hell are you going back to Memphis, dude? Everything’s here.”
Good question.
“I don’t have a choice. Not right now anyway.”
“Aren’t you gonna miss all this?” Wes says, opening his arms.
“Yeah. I am.”
“What the fuck do you do there? Work, sleep, repeat?”
“It’s not as bad as that. Close. But I expect the new place will force me to take a break occasionally.”
“What about Kim? Is she going with you?”
“Wes!”
“What? I can ask that!”
I chuckle at their sparring.
“It’s okay. We haven’t ironed out the details yet. We’re gonna talk tonight. As long as Hunter is in college she wants to keep the house for him to come home to. And she wants to be there for him when he does. So we are kind of hogtied either way.”
“I get it. She’s a mother and she is looking at the whole picture.”
“You’ll figure things out,” Wes says, patting my back.
“I only have one thing to say,” July adds.
“That’ll be the day,” Wes teases.
“Don’t let the details muck up things. That’s it. I said my peace.”
“Thanks. Okay, let’s get to it. This baby needs to be garaged.”
I am more nervous pulling onto the frontage road, then I was the entire drive back from Kentucky.Don’t fuck up the car now!Wes and July should be there, moving Dad’s car out the garage and hiding it out back. Hopefully, the big red bow Kim made is in place. I considered a scavenger hunt, or a dramatic entry, but they didn’t seem right. I want the moment to be quiet between us. I have to get him there first. He’s gonna be fucking pissed thinking I’m making him walk unnecessarily. Priceless.
There’s a lot of pieces to this. My empty stomach is gurgling. Couldn’t eat right now if I was paid to do it. I feel like I need to take a shit. I will never give him another gift that means so much. Not for the rest of his birthdays. Dad’s bucket list in life was pretty short. He had most everything he ever wanted. And they were more meaningful than a hundred luxuries or adventures. This one got away from him. He thinks it is lost for good. I feel kind of proud. The turn signal is engaged, as I approach the property. The sound is so much louder than cars nowadays. It makes you feel you are living in another time.
Driving slowly up to the house, all the bees are buzzing. Another Mom saying. I am thinking of her a lot today. People have started arriving. Some sit at the round tables set up on the open field. Some are on the porch having a lemonade. A few have brought their children and they are playing with the dogs. I see a familiar dog running with Barney. Maxen’s dog keeps up with my boy. Whenever they are together, my presence is ignored. Good. I don’t want any sharp nails scratching the paint. Biscuit knows when he is outmatched, and has made a good choice. He sits on the porch, in Asher’s lap, getting a head rub. The chair rocks gently. The good eye is closed and it looks like he doesn’t want to move an inch, just in case the rubbing would stop.
In the corner, like a mob boss wanting the best view of what is coming at him, Dolly calmly watches.
