Page 21 of Where You Left Me

“You ever think that maybe things happen for a reason and that reason would be you two getting back together?”

“No,” I bite out. All his pestering is beginning to piss me off.

“Why?”

“Because. There’s too much history. Too much crap. It would never work.”

“Tell me why, son?”

“Because of the baby,” I finally blurt.

He rears back like I’ve just swung a punch at him and missed.

A customer interrupts us with their order of a Whiskey Sour. I mix her drink while keeping an eye on Dad. When I return my attention to our conversation, Dad looks misty-eyed and like he’s out of questions.

“That’s why Mia left eight years ago, we got pregnant. But then we lost the baby. A little girl. We named her Aster, after the flowers in the fields near the mountain.” I unload it all. And despite the golf ball-sized lump in my throat, it feels good to let it out. Especially to him.

“Your tattoo,” he finally says.

I nod.

“Darn it, Jones, why didn’t you tell us?” he barks.

I know byus, he’s referring to him and Mom. Because she was still alive then. And now losing the baby feels like a lifetime ago. A time when Mom was still here.

“I don’t know. Everything happened so fast. At first, we were busy planning a life together and deciding how to tell everyone. Then the baby was…gone,” my voice cracks and I swallow. “And so was Mia.”

“I’m so sorry, son. I wish I could’ve been here for you.”

“I know,” I say with a nod.

“Now things make sense.”

I frown. “What do ya mean?”

“How you were after she left. How you’ve been. With women.”

I glance down, feeling a little ashamed. “Yeah.”

A large group of young guys shoulder their way through the crowd and toward the bar.

“Excuse me, bartender?” one calls.

I hold up a finger. “Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

I turn back to Dad. “I gotta get back to work. But can we talk more later? Tomorrow? I’ll bring enough beer to stock your garage fridge.”

“Now you’ve got yourself a date.” Dad chugs what’s left of his beer and gives me a wink before slipping off the barstool.

I spend the rest of the night catering to my customers but with a less heavy load on my shoulders. I never knew just how good I’d feel after telling Dad.

Maverick

Cammie and I are going hiking in the morning. Want to tag along?

Me

Well when you put it that way.

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