The Chance (Thunder Point #4)(94)

“Dad...”

“I think I was a terrible father. And now I’m a terrible father and you’re stuck with me.”

She grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry you’re going through this but we’ve had some very good times the past several weeks—some good talks. I don’t feel stuck. I wonder, if you didn’t have this curse of a condition, if we’d ever have gotten to know each other this well.” She leaned across the desk and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad I can be with you now.”

“You’ll have to leave soon,” he said.

“Why?”

“Your work,” he said. “I know you love your work.”

“Hmm. That. Well, you’re right—I have loved it. I don’t think I’m going back into that line of work...I haven’t resigned yet. I meant to, but then life kind of intruded. I think I’m finished. I’m going to make it official pretty soon.”

He was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know what to say. Because of me?” he asked. “Is this because of me?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “While I was in Oregon I was doing a little consulting work for the county—background checks, looking for people who had skipped bond or owed money. It was more field work than just computer searches and it wasn’t bad. Actually, I kind of liked it. More of a place-holder than career field, but it works for me.... I’m getting that damn commendation, though,” she added, straightening and lifting her chin. “I earned it.”

“And I’ll be there,” he said. And then, deflating slightly, he added, “Unless I embarrass you...”

“If you’d like to go, I’ll take you,” she said with a smile.

“Anything could happen, you know,” he informed her. “I could forget where I am. I could pee in your boss’s wastepaper basket. I could cry or babble or think you’re my wife and not my daughter....”

“If you want to go, I’ll take you. I’d be very proud.”

“I’d be proud, too—maybe I could go with you,” Pax said from the doorway. He was dressed in scrubs, as though he’d just made an escape from the hospital. He leaned in the doorway and smiled. “Maybe the whole family will go and make a reunion of it?” he suggested.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, standing.

“We’re here for a little chat,” he said. At just that moment, Genevieve came up behind him, putting her hands on Pax’s upper arms and smiling her most gentle smile. And then Mrs. Mulligrew joined them in the doorway. “And to deliver this,” he said, holding an envelope toward her.

Laine reached for the envelope and found a couple of boarding passes inside. The first was from Boston to Seattle, the second was a small commuter that would take her North Bend, just an hour from Thunder Point. “This flight is today. I can’t leave,” she said. “Senior needs me.”

“Sit down, Lainie. This was Dad’s suggestion. We’ve got it all taken care of,” Pax said.

“What’s taken care of?” Senior asked.

“Oh, see, whatever scheme this is, it’s not going to work. I can’t leave.”

“Sit down, Lainie,” Genevieve said. “We’ll explain, you throw a few things into a suitcases or two and head for home. Where your heart is. Literally.”

After they all explained their idea for Senior’s care, though it sounded well-planned, she was still reluctant. “What if this doesn’t work?” she asked.

“It’ll work—we’re all on board. And if we have to make adjustments, we’ll make adjustments,” Pax said. “Dad?” he asked.

“Dad, if you don’t want me to go, I won’t go,” Laine said.

“Lainie, I don’t want it to be so long until you come home again.”

“Of course not,” she said.

“And I want to go to that award thing. Where is it? Is it far?”

She shook her head and felt tears come. “It’s not far. And I want you to be there, Dad.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you very soon.”

* * *

At first there was barely enough time to text or call Eric. Her first opportunity was when she was waiting for her plane to board and that’s when she thought that surprising him would be so wonderful. After all, she’d only known for a couple of hours herself. But Eric being Eric might get a little worried if he couldn’t reach her and he did have phone numbers for Senior’s house and Pax’s cell phone. So she texted him that she was very busy, company at the house, lots going on and would call later. Possibly it would be late. She could get in to Thunder Point via rental car before 9:00 p.m.

She relaxed.

While Pax was taking her suitcases to the cab, he told her that Senior had called him. “He said something like, I don’t know what I’d do without Laine right now, but I can’t have her devote her life to my illness. Do something. Work something out. Find some help so she feels she can leave. Of course, he would remember saying that for about ten minutes, but he was both lucid and earnest at the time.”

And the solution was right under their noses. When Pax asked Mrs. Mulligrew if she knew of anyone who could serve as a live-in attendant she said, “Me and my husband would do it. We kept his auntie Borgia when she was infirm. We kept her for seven years. We know our way around some old folks. And we have the help of the kids. They’ve been helping us for years. I’d have offered sooner but I was thinkin’ you wanted some licensed folks who wear white....” Licensed folks who wore white? One of the Mulligrew sons was an EMT, another was a school teacher, their daughter had been going back to college post-divorce to study social work.