Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Sam scoffed. “Well, of course he’s mad. Why would you even suggest anything so stupid?”
“I––”
“We love you, jackass,” Sam told him. “And we will never think less of you about anything because you’re not the kinda guy who disappoints people.”
“See, I––”
“Though you ever swear at your father again and you and I are gonna have a talk,” Sam said, his voice dipping low.
“I know, and I apologized, but you don’t get it.”
“Then tell me.”
“It’s just, you think I’m so together and capable and––”
“I think you’re twenty,” Sam told him. “And twenty can use some help now and then, don’t you think?”
He nodded.
“So are you done with California?” Sam made the jump before I did.
“I—I just don’t want you to think I’m weak or––”
“I’m guessing,” Sam said, leaning back, hands on his temples like he was divining what was wrong with our son, “that you don’t want to move back in with us but you want to move home to Chicago.”
It was adorable, how big my son’s eyes got. He was amazed that his father was psychic and not, simply, older and wiser.
“Yeah,” Kola barely got out. “That’s it exactly.”
“So what’s your plan?” Sam asked him. “Finish the semester there, leave in the summer, start at the University of Chicago come the fall?”
He nodded.
“That seems good,” Sam told him. “You’ve got straight As. I can’t imagine you can’t get in and––”
“I already talked to the people here, and yeah, they want me.”
Of course he had. Kola never did anything without a plan. And I couldn’t imagine a school not wanting Kola. Great grades, amazing test scores, impressive extracurriculars, and his recommendation letters had made me cry, they were so glowing.
“Now that I know it’s okay with you guys––”
“I’m baffled that you thought it wouldn’t be,” Sam told him.
“I know,” Kola said with a sigh. “I just—I didn’t want to give up, and I didn’t want you guys to think of me as a quitter or––”
“I hope you know that’s all crap,” Sam murmured, leaning forward again to take his son’s face in his hands. “You do, don’t you?”
He nodded, and Sam kissed his forehead before releasing him.
“What about Harper and Jake?” I asked him.
He grimaced. “Harper wants out of California too. He’s not loving it—especially now because of Tighe—and he really misses the seasons.”
“He shouldn’t move just because of Tighe,” I cautioned him.
“No, I know. He knows too. He’s a smart guy, right?”
He was. There was no debating that.
“But just like me, he’s not ready to be across the country from his folks.”
I reached over and put my hand on his cheek. “I didn’t want you to go that far away, but I was supportive, was I not?”
“You were,” he assured me with a smile, glancing at Sam. “You both were, but I’m just not ready. And I think about you, Dad. You were in the Marine Corps, and you’ve been away at other times in your life, but you always came back.”
Sam nodded.
“I know a lot of people who stay where they went to school or who move all over for jobs and other people, but I think, at least for now, I just want to be in the same city as you guys. Being able to visit or accidentally run into you in the store and just be here for all the holidays, not just the big ones…that’s what I need.”
My eyes filled fast, and I had to look away to wipe them.
“And it’s funny, you know, but so many people I met at school, when I told them I was thinking about moving home, they all understood. A lot of them from out of state were planning to go back home as soon as school was done.”
“Were you?” Sam felt the need to ask.
“Oh, of course,” Kola assured him. “But I realized I haven’t been myself lately and the distance is wearing on me, and I realized, like Hannah did, that I’m not ready to be far away. I mean, I don’t wanna live with you guys—there’s freedom that’s important that I want—but not being able to just come over for Sunday dinner or, if I have time, have lunch…that wasn’t any good.”
Sam smiled at him. “I’m glad.”
Kola cleared his throat. “I’m not gonna go back to working for Uncle Dane, though. I’m going to talk to Kurt on Christmas Eve and see if he can hook me up as a counselor. I really like working with kids like I’m doing now, and I want to see if he can help me do that while I’m still in school.”
“I think that would be great,” I told him.
“What about Jake?” Sam inquired.
“Jake is actually more miserable than me or Harper.”
“Really?” That surprised me. “I thought he liked being close to his mother, and he’s had a lot of dates, right?” I asked, trying for a nice euphemism.