“They’re wide enough to help carry your burdens, too. You’d do no less for me, no matter what else was happening in your world. We all have problems, man. Some may be lighter than others, but that doesn’t make them any less important. Talk to me. Let me help.”
“I’ll meet you at your house so you can get home to Juliana. We’ll have a beer or twelve and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“I’m on my way.”
When Kevin finishes telling me about the issues between him and Tracy, all I can do is stare while trying to formulate a coherent response.
“Shit, man.”
That’s the best I’ve got.
“Right?” At least he understands me.
“We are in the twenty-first century, aren’t we? I mean, I can’t believe people actually still think in those bass-ackward ways. You’re the best man for her, regardless of what color skin either of you has. I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder beside you, defending you with my last breath. Just tell me what I can do to help. You know I’ve got your back, Kevin.”
“For now, that’s enough. When I figure out how best to approach this, I’ll let you know. If you come up with any bright ideas, throw them my way, brother. I need all the help I can get.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You waited for Daisy, didn’t you?” He needs a change of subject, I get it. That one is still sore, though.
“Yeah, I did.” I recount the entire conversation, including how I realized what a terrible friend I am, and wait for his agreement.
“You’ve never been a terrible friend to me, Rod. We’ve been best friends since middle school, but you never allowed me to ride your coattails. You helped me realize the value of hard work and applying myself to learn everything I can at an early age. But you were always there to pick me up and dust me off when I fell, and there hasn’t been one day I’ve doubted your friendship.”
“Don’t make me cry. You’ve already called me a little girl today as it is.” We laugh and take another swig of beer. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You were already working hard and making your own way. We simply encouraged each other to keep doing better than we did the day before.”
“You know I’ve got nothing but love for you, brother, so believe me when I say this. You are the wrong man for Daisy. I know the word failure isn’t in your vocabulary, but you have to accept defeat in this situation. You tried to make it work, then you tried to fix your mistakes, and both attempts ended in disaster. Now stay away from her so she can be happy with someone else.”
I can’t make that promise, even if it would be for the best.
After we finish the twelve-pack, Kevin takes the bedroom in the area where the man cave is and where we’ve spent the night drinking and talking. He’d normally sleep in the guest bedroom upstairs, but he understands the need to distance himself from Juliana.
Since Juliana officially moved in with me after her hospital stint, we’ve taken extra precautions and kept visitors away to avoid passing germs to her. The treatments she has to kill the cancer are brutal, decimating her immune system to the point a common cold could kill her. Even Isa has become an expert on washing her hands and being careful around her mom.
Still, Juliana insists on being part of the meeting with Daisy tomorrow night. Not that I don’t understand her need to be part of her daughter’s life. I’m just trying to keep them both in mine.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Daisy
Knowing I had to go to Rod’s after work made today the longest day I’ve experienced in years. I think I looked at the clock every minute of the day, watching the second hand tick at a relentlessly slow pace. I don’t mind going to meet with him and Juliana to talk about Isa, but anything personal is off-limits. His apology was more insulting than endearing, and my anger and humiliation haven’t diminished.
He’s in my life by necessity, but I’m not allowing him back into my heart by choice.
Cam and I had the same free period today, so we spent it together mapping out possibilities for expanding the summer camp to help more students than ever before. He has as much enthusiasm about this project as I do, and it’s so refreshing to have someone else to share the load. He asked about Rod in a roundabout way, but he was respectful to not cross the line into prying. There’s no way Cam didn’t feel the tension while Rod stood beside our table, so I admitted to meeting Rod before realizing his niece attended our school.
I left the conversation with a very vague reference of “meeting” him. There’s no need to get into the intimate details.
The intimate details should be the last thought on my mind as I drive to Rod’s. I jotted down his address from the updated forms he turned in to the office with the guardianship papers. Tracy and Kevin said he was well known in certain circles for his lucrative business, but I had no idea he’d amassed this level of wealth until I pull into his gated driveway.
Thick woods line each side of the drive and surround the enormous mansion, providing complete privacy. The lush lawns and shrubbery beds are professionally manicured and maintained. Directly in front of the long, palatial steps leading to the door is an ornate fountain with choreographed spurts of water, creating a circular drive in front of the house.
I’ve never seen such a posh home in person, so I’m not entirely sure what the proper protocol is. Erring on the side of caution, I pull around to the far side of the fountain and park out of the way before Landen and I
