“You were wrong.”
“Maybe. But it’s all worked out for the best. You have your son now, and you’ve met that charming young woman.” She smiled softly as she moved closer to me. She touched my cheek like she used to do when I was younger, stroking it lightly with the back of her fingers. “I want you to find happiness, Harrison. And I think maybe you’re on the right track now.”
I looked at her and felt like I was suddenly a teenager again, needing my mother’s love and acceptance. I don’t think men ever outgrow their desire to please their mothers. And, as angry as I was with her, I still wanted to know that she was pleased with the way I was living my life, that she approved of the person I was becoming.
“I guess we can agree to disagree,” I said softly.
She smiled. “I do love you, Harrison. You gave up so much for this family, for me and Libby. It’s your turn now.”
I kissed her forehead lightly.
“Thank you.”
Penelope and Libby were deep in conversation when my mother and I walked back into the house. Randy was nowhere to be seen, but JT was wheeling his chair slowly around the room, checking everything out as he had done when he first entered my house. I could see him scrutinizing a group of family photos that were displayed on a low table, pictures that ranged in time from my kindergarten class photo to the results of a photo shoot last year for corporate photos. I moved up behind him, amused to see he was cradling a photo of my father in his hands.
“That was taken about two years before he died.”
“This is my grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“You look like him.”
“So do you.”
JT’s eyes lit up. “I always wondered where I got some of my features. My adoptive parents…” He glanced over at Penelope as though afraid she’d hear what he was saying. “I didn’t look like them.”
I found myself studying Penelope for a moment, too, my eyes moving slowly over her mahogany hair and pale skin. No, I didn’t imagine JT’s dark looks would have fit in well with a family of redheads.
“I don’t know much about your adoptive parents,” I said in a low tone that wouldn’t carry, “but I can guess by how amazing you and Penelope are, they must have been very good people.”
JT nodded. “They were.”
“You know, it’s okay for you to talk about them around me. It doesn’t bother me.”
JT’s eyes fell to the picture he was still holding. “I just…they were always my parents. But now there’s you and I don’t even know how to think of you.”
“I’m just Harrison. I’m just a guy who wants to be a part of your life.” I knelt beside the chair so we were on eye level. “The people who raised you are your parents. Nothing will change that.”
“I always felt guilty, wondering where I came from. It felt disloyal.”
“It’s not disloyal. It’s natural.” I touched the edge of the picture frame. “I looked like him. I talked like him. We even had some of the same interests. But we fought almost constantly because we both wanted something different out of life. So I often found myself wondering how I could possibly be related to such a narrow minded, angry man.”
JT chuckled softly.
“I think everyone feels like an alien in their own family sometimes. It’s normal.”
JT lifted the picture and set back on the table. “Can ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Can we stop for ice cream on the way back to your house?”
I laughed as I stood. “Of course.”
Randy reappeared just as we were getting ready to go.
“Nice to meet you, kid,” he said, offering JT a fist bump. “I’ll be looking forward to that night out.”
JT laughed. “Me too.”
“And you, beautiful lady.” He bowed low in front of Penelope, making her blush. “It was an honor to meet you. Hopefully we can get together again very soon.”
“You never know,” she said with a smile that cut through my chest like a sharp knife.
The ride home was quiet. JT was exhausted, the pain medication he was still taking sapping his energy. Penelope stared out the window, watching the scenery as it flashed by.
“Is there an art store in town?” she asked suddenly.
“I’m sure there is. There are a lot of artists around here.”
“Maybe I’ll look for one tomorrow after Libby and I go to lunch.”
“You’re going out with Libby?”
“Yeah. She offered to take the afternoon off tomorrow to show me around town.”
“Nice of her to ask the boss.”
“I thought she was the boss.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but then I caught sight of her teasing grin. She really was in a good mood tonight. I suppose flirting with a good looking guy all night could do that for a woman.
“The rehab center called and said we could fly up and do the paperwork whenever we want. Maybe I’ll take JT up there for the day.”
“Then I guess we all have plans.”