“Do you want me to tag along to see Big Daddy?” Faith asks.
I shake my head immediately. “I figured you two have traction appointments after spending the night sleeping on top of each other all night.”
“Not much different from home,” Legend says with a knowing smile as my friend bites her lower lip, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.
“You two are sickening. See yourselves out. I have shit to do.”
I expect Faith to follow me to my bedroom when I leave the room, but she simply yells her goodbyes, instructing me to lock my door behind them before they leave.
My shower is quick, my urgency to go see my grandfather speeding me up. Although it was just yesterday when I saw him last, it feels like years this morning.
I want life to go back to normal, and that starts with stripping my bed and washing everything that Spade touched while he was here. The memories will be harder to get rid of, but time and distance cures many things.
I’m considering a vacation as I shove sheets and pillowcases into the washing machine, but I know that’s not possible. I’ve been off work for the last week, and I doubt my boss would be happy if I put in for more time off so soon.
I have today and tomorrow to get my shit together before returning to work on Monday, and I start wishing time would go faster so I have something to distract myself with.
Cold air stings my lungs as I take deep breaths of it on my front porch, and I refuse to look at the spot on the ground where Spade and Angel tackled Will or the part of the porch that got broken last night during the scuffle. The drive to the care facility seems to take forever because I manage to catch every single red light between my house and there.
Every minor inconvenience right now builds the sting of tears behind my eyes, and by the time I park at the facility, I’ve managed to convince myself that Will paid Big Daddy a visit before coming to my house. I’m working through conspiracy theories of why they wouldn’t have called me to tell me he’d been hurt by the time I make it to his room.
“You’re earlier than usual,” Big Daddy says from his wheelchair when I rush into his room.
“Don’t look so disappointed,” I tease, trying my best to catch my breath from my rush to get to him without being obvious.
His eyes dart to the clock above his television. “I have a date with the new woman in room four-nineteen at eleven. Pre-lunch drinks if you will.”
He gives me an exaggerated mischievous wink that makes me laugh. There’s a lot of really bad stuff that has happened recently, but his smile is a soothing balm to all those wounds. I feel justified in my decision to keep the truth about Mother a secret, but I also feel a little selfish. His pain will cause me more pain, and I think I’ve had enough for a lifetime.
“What’s this woman’s name?” I ask as I take a seat on the edge of his bed.
He shrugs. “Don’t know.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “Can I meet her?”
His head immediately shakes. “Don’t want to move too fast, you know?”
I sweep a foot out and knock the tip of my shoe against his wheelchair. “Don’t think you have anything to worry about there, old man.”
He swats at my leg, calling me a brat, and his laughter pulls the same from deep inside me.
I feel so grateful to have this man that it makes tears spring to my eyes.
“Where’s that tough boyfriend of yours?” he asks, his eyes dropping to the hickey on my neck.
“He’s… busy today.”
His eyes narrow, his face becoming more weathered in places. “I warned him about hurting you.”
I shake my head, trying to get my thoughts right. “It wasn’t serious, Big Daddy. I’m like you. Keeping my options open.”
I’m able to quickly distract him from his chosen topic of conversation, but the man reminds me quickly of his pre-lunch date, insisting I brush his hair and apply aftershave despite the stubble on his jawline before demanding I wheel him out to the living room. He shoos me away, insisting I’llruin his swaggerif I stick around.
I wave at him from the front door after kissing his cheek, promising I’ll see him tomorrow.
My phone rings as I make my way to my car. At first, I don’t plan to answer it, but go ahead and let the call connect because I honestly don’t have anything else to do today. A quick conversation with a telemarketer seems like a fun way to pass the time.
“Hello?”