Page 94 of The Best Is Yet to Come

Chapter 26

As much as he’d first hated the thought of counseling and group therapy, Cade had come to look forward to his weekly sessions with Harry. The man was wise beyond his years.

Cade had come a long way from the angry, bitter man who’d stood before Judge Walters. He never would have believed serving his community with the court-ordered hours would have such a profound effect upon his life. Meeting Hope had changed everything for him. She was his light. His hope. Watching her patience and care for Shadow changed him. When he’d left the courtroom to do the community service hours required by the judge, his head had been messed up. He found it hard to believe that anyone really cared. Not for returning veterans, or for discarded animals. From the moment he’d met Hope, he’d been drawn to her. The attraction had gotten stronger, week by week, until she was all he thought about. Meeting with Harry and the others had helped him see he had the will and the power to move beyond the pain and loss of Jeremy and Luke, and the war in general. Hope gave him the incentive to be more, to work hard, to let go of the mental and physical agonies of war—to be the man she deserved. As was his practice, Harry waited for Cade to start the conversation. Eager to talk, Cade leaned forward. “The dinner with my parents went far better than I hoped.”

“Wonderful, Cade. I felt that it would.” These weren’t words of platitude. Harry had never been one to speak anything but truth, whether Cade wanted to hear it or not. What Cade found amazing was how little Harry talked during their sessions. He let Cade find the truth with a few leading questions that subtly pointed him to the answers he needed.

“Dad didn’t bring up our fight all those years ago, and I didn’t, either.” Cade had been prepared if his father had been determined to dig up the past. The bitterness between them could explode with only a few misspoken words. Cade had decided he would politely listen, more for Hope’s sake than for his own, apologize if that was what was needed, and ask if they could find a way to forgive each other. He had everything he’d planned to say prepared in his mind.

Yet neither of them said a word about that horrible day when Cade had walked away from his family. Not a single word.

A smile teased the edges of Harry’s mouth.

“You find that humorous?”

“Not exactly. I find it refreshing. You referred to him as Dad now instead of John.”

It had been the most telling moment of the evening. As soon as his father spoke, Cade knew they were both ready to move forward and leave that final scene buried. He never would have thought it possible until then.

They both had regrets. Both had misgivings. And it seemed neither one was willing to review their mistakes. There was no need when they were willing to let bygones be bygones. His dad preferred it that way, and frankly so did Cade. Right away the atmosphere had relaxed, and they were able to enjoy the dinner. Some awkwardness had remained, but only in the beginning. As the meal progressed it was almost as if no time had passed.

Cade had been grateful for Hope’s presence. She was exactly the buffer they had all needed. He could tell that his mother was fond of her, and it wouldn’t surprise him if he learned the two had talked a couple times before this dinner. It was important to Cade that Hope feel comfortable with his parents. His desire was that one day she would be his wife and they would become her family.

“This is our final session,” Harry reminded him.

“The time went fast.”

“It always does. I’m proud of you, Cade, and the work you’ve done.”

“Thank you.” Harry wasn’t one to hand out easy compliments. His words of praise warmed him from the inside out.

“What are your plans for the future?” Harry asked.

“I’m a good mechanic,” Cade said. The grease under his fingernails proved it. “I’ve always enjoyed solving puzzles and using my brain. When I first went to college, I squandered my time with parties, giving my studies the bare minimum of effort. I’d like to go back, and this time apply myself.”

“Don’t you already have one degree?”

“I do, in political science. It was a degree my father thought would be an advantage before I entered law school.”

“And what would your studies be now?” Harry asked.

“Engineering. I believe I can make a success of it. It won’t take nearly as long this time, as I’ve fulfilled all my prerequisites. I’ve talked it over with Hope, and she’s all for it. We both know it won’t be easy to manage both school and work, plus our relationship. She’s my encouragement. I thank God every single day for sending her into my life.”

“An attitude of gratitude,” Harry said. “That, young man, will take you far.”

“The VA will help me with tuition costs, and hopefully I’ll be able to work enough hours to pay for my basic living expenses.” His budget would be tight, leaving little room for entertainment and unexpected costs. Sacrifices would need to be made. He was willing, and with Hope at his side, he felt confident of success.

“Have you talked to your parents about this?”

Cade hadn’t. Their relationship was fragile, and he didn’t want to risk upsetting it until they were on firmer ground. “Not yet.”

“Why not?”

Leave it to Harry to ask.

“Guess I’m afraid they’ll be disappointed. Not my mother so much as my father.” There, he’d said it out loud. He couldn’t bear to destroy the delicate relationship they had started to rebuild.

Harry nodded, as though he understood.

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