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Song: “Change Your Name” by Brett Young
AUGUST WAS HERE, which meant a 100+ degree heat index was the daily norm. Every weekend since I’d been in the hospital, I had gone home to Cypress Hills and stayed with Rhys on each occasion. Fort Worth no longer held my interest. It was simply where I lived and worked.
I finally told Rhys about my run-in with Chad outside the dental office. Thankfully, he took it well. I hadn’t told him that Chad and I ran into each other again at a Starbucks two days ago, though.
I was sitting at a table, sipping on my cup of coffee and catching up on social media on my cellphone before going to work when Chad walked in. He gently smiled at me, waved, and then got in line to place his order.
I kept watching him, noting the peaceful look on his face and his relaxed stance. He was different. He was lighter in spirit and appeared genuinely happy.
After paying for his coffee and usual blueberry scone, he cautiously approached my table and asked me how I was doing. I told him I was doing fine and then asked him how his therapy was going.
“It’s going really well. My anger has left me. It stemmed from my dad,” he said, surprising me.
“Really?”
“Yeah. He was great to you and everyone else, but behind the scenes, he wasn’t so great to me as his son. No matter how hard I tried to make him proud of me, it was never enough for him. For my mom? Always.”
“I’m sorry, Chad.”
He shrugged. “It’s life and relationships. They’re difficult sometimes, as you and I both know.”
“We do know.”
“Riley, I want to apologize again for how I treated you when we were together, and also thank you for telling me that I needed professional help. It took you doing that and me losing you for me to wake up.”
I searched his eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity in them, so I nodded, accepting his apology and acknowledging his thanks.
“Is your relationship with your dad still strained?” I asked.
“No, because I sat him down and had a long talk with him about everything.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Chad smiled. “It’s good to see you again. Take care of yourself.”
“I will. You keep doing the same.”
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Rhys! Happy birthday to you!” his family, Macie, Noah, my family, and I sang. Then Rhys made a wish and blew out the twenty-three candles on his cake.
“Thank you for doing this,” he said, looking at all of us and smiling so big.
Enjoying a slice of his chocolate cake with a scoop of Bluebell Homemade Vanilla ice cream came next for everyone, followed by Rhys opening his presents.
He received a pair of Red Wing work boots from his mom and dad, a Bass Pro Shop gift card from Janice’s parents, a Dicks Sporting Goods gift card from Rob’s parents, two collared, short-sleeve dress shirts—one of them white and the other light blue—from my momma and daddy, SeaSpecs Angler polarized sunglasses from my grandpa for when Rhys went fishing, two pairs of Wrangler jeans and navy blue cargo shorts from me, a Benchmade folding pocketknife from Jackson and Rachel, and the biggest bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey that I’d ever seen from Macie and Noah. Rhys made out like a bandit.
As Janice and I picked up the gift bags, tissue paper, boxes, wrapping paper, and bows, Rhys came over to me and whispered, “I love you,” in my ear. Then he kissed me and joined the guys in the living room.
A couple of minutes later, all of us women gathered in the kitchen, and Janice didn’t waste any time pulling her blender out of the cabinet. She was going to make frozen margaritas; hers were the absolute best.
She had just finished making a second round of the tart tequila drink when Noah peeked his head around the corner and nodded at Macie. She smiled and said, “Okay,” and Noah walked off.
“Are y’all about to leave?” I asked.
“No. But would you do something for me, please?”
“Sure.”
“Put down your glass.”
