“Things change over time. Sometimes for the better.”
Sometimes not.
They were seated at a table near a window that overlooked the pastures. At least the Black Angus still meandered through the field, picking at the dwindling green as they made their way to the pond for a drink.
A waitress brought them ice water in mason jars and set two clipboards down on the table. “Today’s menu,” she said. “I’ll give you boys some time to mull it over.”
Dad said, “I’ll have sweet tea to get started.”
“Sure, honey. Anything else to drink for you?” she asked Andrew.
“I’m good with the water, thank you.” He mulled over the menu. Some of the same old home-cooked meals, but there were some new dishes too.
Dad didn’t even open his menu. “Do you know what you’re going to have?”
He was tempted to try one of their new dishes, but instead he stuck to what they’d always had when they’d come together. “I think I’ll stick with the Thursday special. The pimento cheese Angus burger.”
“Can’t go wrong with that,” Dad agreed.
The waitress came up to the table. “Two pimento cheese Angus burgers, I take it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And fries for you, I know,” she said to his dad.
“I’ll try your sweet potato fries.” Andrew handed the clipboard to her.
“Good choice.”
A few people came over to talk while they ate, and each time Dad introduced him. “This is my son. He’s home for a visit from France. He’s a professional chef.”
Andrew swelled with pride. All he’d ever wanted was for Dad to be proud of him, and this was the first time he’d experienced that.
Their burgers came out, and they were just as good as he’d remembered. “Dad, this is an awesome lunch. Thanks.”
“I owe you a lot more than a lunch. I’m sorry I was so hard on you. For a long time I took your career choice so personal, and then I felt like the only reason you went to France was to get away from me.”
That had certainly played into it.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize how ridiculous I was being, son.”
Andrew had no idea what had changed Dad’s mindset, but he was grateful. “I understand. I could have handled things better too.”
“But you made the right decision, didn’t you? I mean, you’re happy.”
“I love my cooking. This job isn’t always what I’d like, but it’s a good job and I’ve learned so much about the business.”
“Still thinking you might open your own restaurant one day?”
“Yes, sir. I still want to do that. I’ve been saving money. Trying to plan and be prepared. Most restaurants fail in the first three to five years. I’m not going to let that happen, so I’m taking my time to ensure I’m financially and professionally ready.”
“I’m really proud of you, son. Aunt Claire can’t say enough things about the man you’ve become.”
“Thank you.” He could hardly believe how much those words meant to him. He’d spent the last years just blocking out all the negativity he’d left behind, and he’d never even considered he and Dad may come together on this one day.
“When do you leave to go up north?”
“Monday night. I’ll probably drive halfway and get a hotel.”
“It’s not that bad of a drive if it’s not snowing, but they’re forecasting snow and ice the next week or so.”
“Not looking forward to that.”
“How long will you be up there?”
“About a week.”
“Maybe you’ll consider coming back down for a few days before you head back.” He got up and dropped cash on the table to cover the bill.
The statement stunned Andrew. In a good way. The smile on his face came all the way from his heart. He scrambled from the table to catch up.
Dad opened the door. “I have one more thing to show you before we go back to the shop, if you have time.”
“I’ve got all the time you’d like.” Andrew followed him outside to the car.
Dad drove across town. “Have you heard about the new industrial park?”
“Yeah, I heard the county was giving incentives to pull in new companies and jobs.”
“That’s right. Population has grown faster the last two years than it has in the last ten. It’s good all the way around.” Dad turned into a parking lot in front of a hand-painted sign boasting fresh strawberries in season. Wide-open fields had been tilled and rowed, already prepping for the early March planting. About five hundred feet off the road, a huge Dutch barn looked to be empty. The red paint had faded, but the roof appeared to be brand-new.
“Why are we stopping here?”
Dad got out of the truck and closed the door.
Andrew followed suit, crossing in front of the truck.
Dad shoved his hands in his pockets looking out over the land. “I own this property.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “My dad bought it years and years ago. He’d wanted me to farm it.”
“Looks like good land. Are you farming strawberries now?”
“No. I lease it to a guy for just enough to offset the taxes on it.”
Andrew wasn’t really sure what the point of this visit was. “Nice barn.”
“Roof blew off it last fall in the hurricane. Insurance covered the new roof. That thing is built to stand for all time. They don’t build them like that anymore.”
“I bet.”
“You know I didn’t go into farming like my father wanted me to. Instead I started my equipment business. I’d always had a love for anything with a motor. I was taking apart Mom’s appliances before I knew how to put them back together. I was on restriction a lot back then.” He laughed as if remembering the memories fondly. “Your grandfather gave me this land the year you were born, hoping that I’d change my mind. I never did a thing with it.”
The realization that Dad hadn’t followed in his father’s footsteps had never resonated with him before. Gramps had died when Andrew was in grade school. He barely remembered him. Had Dad and Gramps gone through the same
