The Path To Us - Jennifer Van Wyk Page 0,73

to tell me will ease what’s building internally. The ball of worry and unease that has the potential to ruin everything if I don’t tamp it down.

“But she’ll miss me, Unca Beau!”

Luckily I’m saved by Richard pushing backward through the screen door, carrying a tray with three glasses of lemonade and a bowl of Oreos. I take it from him and set it on the small table next to the chairs.

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing. Here you go, Squirt.” I hand the smallest glass to Zoey and she grins, taking a big sip.

“Mmm. It’s so good, Pop.”

“Glad you like it.”

She hands it back to me so that she can get down on the ground and play with Cheese.

I take a long drink as well and hand Zoey an Oreo. “She’s right. It’s delicious.”

“I’ll make sure Addy knows how to make it.”

I close my eyes. “I don’t understand.”

“’Bout fifteen years ago, my lady’d been gone for a while. My son lived in Seattle. And I was here alone. Not just alone. Lonely. The terrible kind that makes you not just sad but depressed, too. I never really liked being around people much. Suppose I needed to get over it, but I was the way I was, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“Anyway, I was sitting around on a Sunday afternoon, relaxing in my easy chair and watching some old John Wayne movie I had on tape when these two crazy gals pulled into my driveway. I peeked out the window to see them looking around and, man,” he chuckles at the memory, “even from inside the house I could tell they were completely lost.”

“Addy?”

“And Suzie.”

I grow quiet and sit back. I knew that Addy and Suzie would take drives often but it was their time. She never spoke of where they went or, apparently, who they met.

“Addy and Suzie came here?”

He nods. “Stared right where you’re sitting and smiled so big. I went out to greet them and within ten seconds, I’d forgotten all about being lonely. They had that kind of power, you know? To make a man forget his troubles.”

He’s absolutely right about that.

They did.

“Those two… they brought light. We sat here and drank lemonade and ate these terrible cookies I picked up from the store and laughed for a long while before I gave them directions how to get back to town. And ever since that day, once a month, I get to spend a few hours of my Sunday with Addy and now with Zoey.”

“How did I not know this?”

“She was embarrassed to be seen with me,” he says.

I blanch at his words. There’s no way. That’s not the Addy I know and love.

He starts laughing. “You should see the look on your face. Of course that wasn’t the reason. I honestly don’t really know. The three of us fell into a friendship that wasn’t about anything at all but enjoying each other’s company. Sure, there were a few times that they invited me to join them for things at their house and I always accepted. The second Thanksgiving after we met I spent at their house eating turkey and playing cards.” He leans over on his knees and takes a drink of his lemonade before lowering his voice. “And when Suzie got sick, I was there. In the background whenever they needed me. She was like a daughter to me. I never had a daughter. My boy was grown and moved away. You know they didn’t have much for family around. It worked.”

“I just…” I look out around me trying to picture the three of them sitting here doing the same thing Zoey and I are doing right now. “I had no idea.”

“You didn’t need to know.”

“So… the house?”

“I want it to stay in the family,” he says.

My jaw drops and I rub my forehead then the bridge of my nose, squeezing my eyes closed.

“I’m sorry. What? Is Addy your daughter?”

“Boy. You’re not listening to a word I’m saying.”

“Old man. You’re not saying a whole lot of words that are making much sense to me right now.”

Macaroni and Richard’s dog come bounding up the steps, both panting and soaking wet, Macaroni smelling worse than Zoey’s breath this morning.

“Eww! Macaroni! Nugget! You stink!” Zoey shouts, pinching her nose and grabbing Cheese before running behind me.

“These two must have gotten into the pond to cool off then rolled in something.”

“I’ll say.” I look at Macaroni and wonder how he’ll do riding in the back of the pickup because there’s no way I’m letting him

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