Page 41 of Axe-identally Married
“Good,” Roger exclaimed. “I gotta get rid of this damn cane before I walk my beautiful daughter down the aisle.”
Smiling, Susan clutched her hands over her chest. “You kids let us know. We’re thrilled for you both. And I’ll have plenty of time for wedding planning while we’re in Portland for your father’s rehab.”
“Mom.” Willa grimaced. “Dad is going to need you.”
“I know, but I can only yell at him about vitamins, physical therapy, and acupuncture for so many hours a day. And you know I love a project.”
The brightness in her eyes had me tempted to suggest she plan a big church wedding and a feast for two hundred guests. Her genuine kindness was scrambling my brains.
Willa’s parents were incredible. Sitting here now, it was hard not to picture what holidays and everyday visits would look like. I’d come over and snow blow their driveway, and they’d drop off a casserole when we were busy with work. The more I thought about it, the more I thought I might want that future.
But my wife’s body language suggested she felt differently. She was wringing her hands under the table, and her head was tilted to the right, which was one of her tells. She was uncomfortable.
She inhaled deeply and said, “We should get going.”
“Sure thing,” her dad said. “I want to borrow Cole for a minute. Come to my study, son.” Slowly, he rose, using his cane for stability.
Oh boy, I could see where this was going. He was about to give me the speech.
I followed him to a small room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, diplomas lining the walls, and two large leather armchairs.
Once we were inside, he silently gestured for me to close the door, then said, “Have a seat.”
Silently, I obeyed, steeling myself for this conversation.
“I never wanted to leave her alone,” he said as he sat in the second armchair.
I blinked in response to the unexpected confession. Leave her? Alone?
“Walters is a good doctor, but I always believed I’d be there to show her the ropes.”
Oh. My chest ached at the pain in his tone. He was talking about Willa running this practice.
He wiped a tear from his eye. He’d barely spoken, and already, he was overcome with emotion. The love he had for his daughter was overwhelming. “Since she was a little girl, it’s been my dream to work side by side with my Willa. And this damn stroke has robbed me of that chance.”
“If it helps, sir, the whole town is raving about her. She’s an excellent doctor.”
He smiled, his watery eyes brightening. “She is, isn’t she? It’s not an easy job. You need to know that now that you’re her spouse. It’s hard to turn it off, to stop worrying and working and pushing. The job has changed a lot since I was young. It feels like there are even more challenges now than when I started.”
Unsure of how to respond, I laced my fingers in front of me and nodded. She’d told me about the challenges already, and I was determined to help her through them.
“What about you, son? What are your plans?”
My stomach sank. Dammit. I should have been prepared for this. Especially in a family this ambitious and accomplished.
“Working on it,” I admitted with a sigh. “Right now I’m coaching youth hockey, and I recently organized RiverFest.”
He gave me an impressed frown. “I heard it was a success.”
Chin lowered, I shrugged. “I think so, and it gave me a valuable opportunity to develop skills and push myself. All I’ve ever known is hockey. Now I’m still figuring out my next step.”
He sat, head tilted, examining me in a way that had trepidation rolling through my body.
“I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear,” I admitted. “But I promise, I will support and take care of your daughter. I have money saved.”
He held up a hand. “My daughter can take care of herself. My wife and I made sure of that. But I’m impressed by your honesty. It’s okay to take some time and work on yourself. We all move through life at different speeds.”
The tightness in my chest only increased with his kind words. “Thank you.”
