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“Um, no, not exactly simple, Rose. What about your daughter and granddaughter?”
“Maggie can bring her to see me,” Rose said. “Or I’ll visit, although the thought of staying at the cottage makes me ill. I hated living there as a child and I hate it now.”
“Nothing is settled yet,” Vic interrupted. “I’m not sure Florida weather would be any better than this. All we’re doing is decluttering. Downsizing was the wrong word.”
“You said you don’t wantthis old place,to quote you,” Dave reminded him. “You have always loved it here.”
“I do! My father built the lodge. I hoped my sons would live here with their children.”
“Dad, it’s still possible I’ll live here, but I don’t want to live here without you nearby.”
Rose shook her head, amused. “You boys need to settle this on your own. There is more here than the eye can see.”
“Rose,” Vic started.
“I have my opinion. Justin just slid into the practice without any cash buy-in. If he’d started his own practice”
“Wait a minute, Rose. Justin went into veterinary medicine because I wanted him to. The plan all along was for him to come here and take over so I could retire.”
“And look what happened. You’re back there working.”
“Only a few hours a week,” Vic added.
Dave had heard enough.
“You guys can work this out on your own. I’m asking you not to throw away any of my mother’s stuff. Especially don’t put anything in that horse trailer. It’s disrespectful.”
He turned to leave. “Did you come here for a reason, son?” Vic asked.
“I can’t even remember why now.” Then he looked at Rose. “Remember, my brother is the father of your granddaughter. This place is her legacy, too. I wouldn’t be in a big hurry to get rid of it.”
Rose laughed, a high-pitched amused giggle. “I can’tget rid of it, as you say, Dave. It’s not mine to sell. It’s up to your father, of course.”
He nodded and said goodbye, going to his father to kiss him, and glancing at Rose but not saying anything more to her.
Now, back in the truck with Katrina and baby David, he decided to tell her the brief version of his visit.
“Rose Angel has lost her mind.”
“Dave, why? Careful now, she’s my best friend’s mother.”
“I’m going to be careful what I repeat because I don’t want to cause a civil war in my family.”
“Oh, no. What now?”
“Rose wants to move back to Florida, and it appears she’s trying to talk my father into selling out and moving with her.”
“How can he do that? What about Justin?”
“Well, yeah, what about him. I’m not sure it’s my place to tell him about the conversation.”
“Yes, I agree. As long as he doesn’t drive up on Monday and see the For Sale sign.”
“Oh jeez, I hope not,” he said, laughing. “Thanks to you, I feel better already.”
***
The usually muddy road was dry for a change and they made it to Bayou Cottage in half the time it usually took. Approaching the gate, Dave saw Justin waiting for them, and barked out a laugh because he rode his horse, Smokey, bareback. Justin was a sight.
