Page 155 of Trust Me

Chapter 40

Dean

I wasn’t dumb enough to think I hadn’t woken Oli when I got out of bed, but he didn’t say anything. After taking a quick shower, I thought about returning to the room, but I couldn’t yet.

“Oh, hey Dad,” I said when I reached the kitchen.

He was standing in front of the coffee pot, reading the paper while he sipped from the cup. I had to resist scolding him for both things. It wasn’t like he didn’t know. He’d been dealing with this injury since before I was born.

I nodded toward the paper. “Anything interesting?”

“Just the same as usual. Housing costs are up, crime is up, gas is up. Driving the long-termers out little by little.”

“I bet they want the real estate.”

He sighed. “Tale as old as time, son. That’s why we told you to go to college.”

I leaned against the counter across from him. “Blake didn’t. He’s thriving.”

“You’re right. I’ll always want you two to succeed, no matter what path you take. As long as it’s the right one for you.”

“As long as we dance in the moonlight along the way, right?”

He smiled over his mug, the golden tones in his eyes so familiar that I felt a wave of homesickness. We’d talked in the living room until pretty late last night, but I still hadn’t shaken some of that fear that if I turned around, something would come and snatch him away from me.

Stepping toward him, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He made a surprised sound that turned into a laugh as he hugged me back.

“It’s alright, D. I’m just fine.”

“I’m going to make sure I call you every day from now on. There’s no excuse not to.”

“Well, I won’t complain.” He leaned back and pushed on my chest playfully with his fist. “I don’t have anything better to do around here.”

“Aren’t there people who play basketball in wheelchairs? You could do that. It’d be good for you.”

“Oh, you’re funny.”

“I’m serious, Dad.”

“I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees.”

“That’s bullshit. Pride doesn’t come from being on your feet. It’s about how you live.”

“You can’t understand it, Dean.”

I scoffed, then reached around him to pour myself a cup of coffee. “You know what I respect more than you standing in front of me right now? If you’d choose your family over trying to hold on to what you lost.”

“I’m not choosing anything over you.”

His face was pinched, but I couldn’t back down right now. Maybe it was because the person I really wanted to argue with wasn’t around. Or maybe this had been buried deep, building for years. It just needed a reason to come out, and this last scare was exactly that.

“You are,” I said. “Every little risk is you choosing pride over one of us. I hate to say this to you, Dad. I really do, because I know it must be the hardest thing you’ve ever done—to accept that you have limitations. But that fall could’ve been it for you.”

I shook my head and drew in a shuddering breath. He pulled me close, hugging me again, and his hand stroked the back of my head as I struggled to slow my heart.

“I’m sorry,” I rushed out. “I shouldn’t have lectured you. It’s just I got so scared, and I’m all the way across the country. If it had been more serious . . . Dad, I might not have made it here before . . .”

“Hey, D. Listen to me.” He pulled back, keeping his hands on my shoulders. I held onto his arms, both for comfort and to make sure he was steady. “You’re a young man now. Just because I’m your Dad doesn’t mean I’m always right. And it doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to tell me that.”