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Watching his father curiously, Cornell looked through the window, seeing Peter hovering over his luggage by the front door before returning with a small gift bag.
“What’s that?” Cornell asked, picking up his beer for another sip.
Peter cleared his throat. “I’ve got some of your mother’s jewelry. Maybe I should’ve given it to you a lot earlier, but… I never really knew if you were seeing anyone.”
“Jewelry?” Cornell asked.
“Some of it is pretty nice. Too nice to be sitting in my closet. And now that I know…maybe you’d like to give it to Ali. And of course, there’s this.”
Cornell looked up from the bag as his father pulled out a small, velvet box. “Is that her—”
“I don’t know if someone might say it’s bad luck to pass on a ring from a divorce, but maybe… I loved your mother a lot when I gave her this ring. Even though it didn’t work out, I’d like to think it still holds some of that. But it’s your call.”
His parents divorced when he was so young that Cornell couldn’t even remember what his mother’s ring looked like. He put the bottle down, carefully took the box, and opened it. Inside sat a diamond catching the day’s fading light on a gold band. He turned it in his fingers, the stone shining warmer. Like her hair, he thought about how Ali’s tresses were sometimes darker, deeper, and sometimes lighter, all depending on how the light hit them.
And the ring was beautiful but understated. It was simple and elegant. Exactly like Ali.
Peter stepped closer to the grill. “Arlene would’ve liked Ali a lot.”
“I know,” Cornell said softly, his confidence in that fact bittersweet as he continued to look at the ring. “She would’ve loved her.”
The two shared a moment of silence before Peter cleared his throat. “There are a few other things in here. Earrings, some necklaces.” Peter took the ring from Cornell. “All yours. Or hers. Or maybe”—Peter paused, raising his eyebrows—“my future granddaughter’s?”
Cornell shook his head. “Dad—”
“I know, I know. One thing at a time. Will you do it soon?”
Cornell let out a small laugh. “Nah. Near future, maybe.” Gotta wait for the perfect moment. “I have to ask her parents. Maybe if you come to town longer next time, you can meet them.”
“I’d like that,” Peter said.
Cornell ran a hand over his face. “To be honest, it’s just been a stressful few months for us with work, but I’m damn happy that’s over now.” He almost ignored the confused look on his father’s face before sighing. “We brought in this kid, and…” Cornell trailed off.
“And what?”
Cornell shrugged. “Ali and I just had different ideas of how to deal with him.” He took a deep breath and began to tell the story to his dad—the good, the bad, the ugly, and the even uglier. Peter sat at the table, listening carefully.
“I don’t know what he would’ve done,” Cornell said, shaking his head, wishing there wasn’t so much pain in his voice. “If something happened to her… ” The anger that he had buried began to burn in his throat, and Cornell tried to swallow it back down. “After what he did in that game…I’ve never seen anything like it. Something’s wrong with that kid. I knew it, you know? From the beginning. Ali, she didn’t want to see it.”
Peter pressed his lips together and shook his head.
“What?” Cornell asked.
“As your dad,” he began, “I’m proud that you walked away. But I’m also confused as to how this kid hasn’t had his legs broken. But I guess that’s all in due time. I’m sorry she went through that. I’m sorry both of you went through that.”
“It’s over now. He’s not my problem anymore. Or hers.”
Peter nodded in agreement. “Listen, what time are you done with practice tomorrow?”
“I normally leave by five-thirty. Why? What time is your flight? Do you need a ride—”
“Cowboys kick off against the Titans tomorrow night. I could call in a favor and scrounge up a few tickets. You think Ali would like to come?”
“Come where?” Ali stepped through the gate.
Cornell draped an arm around her. “A little Monday night football. Cowboys are home.”
Ali looked between Cornell and Peter. “You know, I told my mom I’d meet her for dinner tomorrow. Why don’t you two go?”
“Your call, Cornell,” Peter said. “I can move my flight and leave first thing Tuesday morning. Not a huge deal on my end.”
Ali’s thumb rubbed up and down the inside of Cornell’s arm, silently signaling to embrace solo time with his father even though she had no plans for dinner.
“Let’s do it,” he said with a smile that Peter mirrored.
“Great. Let me make a few calls then.”
Ali hummed, stepping out of Cornell’s hold while he sipped his beer. “Are those almost done? I’m starving. What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Cornell shook his head, tucking a now golden lock of hair behind her ear. “Nothing.” He smiled. “I just love you.”
