“I don’t know how yet. But I’m going to be around more often. Foryou and for Casey.”
“Did she leave already?”
“She has to work. But I’m having dinner with her later.”
“That sounds more serious than dinner.”
“I hope it will be.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything more. She didn’t push theconversation, respecting his loyalty to both of them. When he sipped hiscoffee, his mug trembled slightly, and Jacqueline stared at his hand, lookingfor another sign of weakness.
“She’s a good girl.” He set his mug on the side table next tohim.
Jacqueline laughed. “Yes. She is.”
“It’ll be good to know that you’re not alone.”
“Is there something you want to tell me?” She used every ounce ofcontrol to keep her tone light while panic tore through her. Either she orCasey had been to every doctor’s appointment with him. Could he have a healthissue they didn’t know about?
He shook his head. “I know I’m not in the best physical healththese days. My strength is sapped, and my balance is shot. But I can handle thatstuff. I hate how easily I get confused lately. I can’t remember what I’m doingfrom one minute to the next.”
Jacqueline nodded, not trusting her voice. She couldn’t imaginehow he must feel to be aware of the ways his brain was failing him.
“You’re having your revelation, I’m having mine. I’m feeling myage, but I’m not going anywhere just yet.”
“That’s good to know.”
“So you don’t have to change your life to accommodate me.”
She smiled. “I’m doing it for me—adjusting my priorities. Thistime with you is important to me. As is my future with Casey.”
He nodded, and his approval meant more to her than she would havethought possible. All her life, she’d worked hard to make her parents proud.After her mother died, providing for her father had become even more important.At some point, she’d become more his financial support, and Casey had picked upthe emotional slack. So, while he was intent on reminding her that he didn’tknow how much time he had, she was determined to embrace every second of it.
“Hey, Dad. Want to catch a movie or something?” He loved actionmovies. As a kid, whenever they went to the theater, she and he constantlyoutvoted her mother’s chick-flick choices.
He looked up, clearly surprised. “Don’t you have to work?”
“Not today.” She stood and picked up their empty mugs. He rose aswell, more tentatively, but she resisted the urge to help. “I’ll grab my phoneand look up the listings. You go get dressed. Just because you’re a senile oldman doesn’t mean I’m letting you run around in public in your pajamas.”
He laughed as he walked down the hall to his bedroom. Her heartached, but for the first time since she’d come home to find him on the floorshe felt optimistic. She would focus more on keeping him active, bothphysically and mentally. She could get him out of the house at least a coupleof times a week. She might have reached an age when she had to face theeventuality of losing her one remaining parent, but she didn’t have to let gowithout a fight.
*
“Come in,” Jacqueline called when she heard the knock on hercondo door. She’d left it unlocked while she puttered around in the kitchen.She’d just finished checking on the baked chicken and closed the oven door.
“Smells good.” Casey handed over a bottle of wine. “I hopewhite’s okay.”
“Perfect.” She put the bottle in the fridge to chill. “Come in.Sit. Dinner will be a bit longer.” She led Casey across the open floor planinto the sitting area by the windows.
“I haven’t been here in a while. You’ve made some changes.”
“Furniture and art upgrades. But I didn’t choose the art. That’sKendra.”
“Of course.” Casey wandered around the outside of the room, thenstopped in front of one particular piece—a black-and-white photograph of aspiral staircase taken from above and looking down into the stairs. “Did Kendrachoose this one, too?”
“Yes.”
“I wondered why she insisted on this piece. I knew it wouldn’t goin her house.”
“I told her I wanted one of yours. I let her decide which one.”Jacqueline tried to appear casual as she sat on the couch, but her stomach wasin knots over what her admission revealed. She fought her instinct to hold apart of herself back to avoid getting hurt. This was Casey. If she wanted tohave a chance, she had to put everything out there.
Casey nodded but didn’t say anything more. She joined Jacquelineon the couch, still looking at the room around her.
Suddenly Jacqueline didn’t know what to talk about. How was shesupposed to act on a first date with a woman she’d known for twenty years? “So,um, did your shoot go well today?”
“It did. And how was your day with Teddy?”
“Really good. We’re going to have more days like that.” Shebrushed her hands along her thighs, then folded them in her lap, suddenlyunsure what to do with them.
Casey smiled. “You’re adorable.”
“What? Why?”
“What are you nervous about?”
“I’m not—what?”
“Does tonight feel awkward to you?” Casey slid closer. She puther hand over Jacqueline’s and squeezed, encouraging her to unclench herfingers from each other.
“A little.”
“Why?”
“I want this to go well, I suppose.”
“I love that you care enough to be nervous.” Casey leaned in, herbreath whispering against Jacqueline’s neck as she spoke. “So, what can I do torelax you?” When her lips touched Jacqueline’s skin, she jumped.
She should ease away, slow down whatever this was. “I thought weagreed to baby-step this thing.”
“You invited me over, cooked me dinner, lit candles, and put onthat amazing dress—”
“This old thing?” Jacqueline pulled at the hem of the flaredskirt that lay across her lap. She’d picked up the plum-colored dress for awork function but then hadn’t worn it. It might be a bit fancy for dinner inher own home, but she’d chosen it to make herself feel more confident.
“All of that makes it very hard for me to hold back.” Casey slidher hand under the edge of the skirt and over Jacqueline’s knee.
“Are you like this on all your first dates? If so, we may havefigured out why you’ve always been such a popular girl.”
“Not
