“Wait, how what shit works?” my dad asked, using a rare swear word of his own. “What are we talking about here?”
Preppy released me temporarily to step over to the mismatched coolers on the grass against the back porch. He tossed a beer to my dad who caught it and immediately popped the top. Preppy pulled out two more, opening both of them before handing one to me. “Well, I suppose I could settle for one less furlong of land. I tell you what, sir, as soon as I figure out how much a furlong of land is, I’ll get back to you with my new terms. Sound good?” Preppy asked, taking a sip of his beer.
My father sighed, and I tried my hardest not to laugh knowing full well what it’s like to meet Preppy for the first time. “Son, you either need to tell me what you’re talking about or up your medication, because I’m an old man and you’ve got me spinning in circles over here and I’ve only had a sip of beer.” He looked at me. “Do you know what he’s talking about?” I shook my head because honestly I had no idea, but I knew there was a point, there was always a point.
Well, sometimes there was a point.
My dad took another swig of his beer and I did the same, the cool bubbles tickling my tongue and throat. Of course it just so happens that Preppy waited until my father and myself had a mouthful of beer to explain himself, which resulted in the two of us spraying beer out of our mouths and noses.
On ourselves.
On each other. And to the delight of others, on everyone within a three feet radius.
“Doc’s dowry of course,” Preppy explained like we should have already known. “You know, for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
“Am I cattle?” I asked.
“I don’t know? Do you want to be?” Preppy asked, waggling his eyebrows.
“I don’t even know what that means!” I laughed, swatting him on the shoulder.
“Ahem,” my dad said, shaking his empty beer bottle. “I think I’m going to need another one of these before this conversation goes any further.”
Preppy jogged off to get him another one as Bo came crashing into my leg. Max and Sammy had been chasing him around the yard. My father didn’t miss a beat. “Is this the famous Bo?” he asked, crouching down.
Bo hid behind my leg.
“He’s a little shy,” I explained to my father. I reached around to give Bo’s hair a rustle. “Bo this is your...” I paused, not knowing what my dad wanted to be called. Thankfully he finished for me.
My father waved me off. “Bo I’m your Grandpa. You can call me Grandpa or Papa or...” I gave my dad a stern look to remind him that Bo didn’t talk. “You can call me whatever you would like.” Dad took his open hand and held his thumb to his forehead. Bo peered out from behind me. When Dad was sure Bo was looking he moved his hand away from his face making two small arches in the air. “That’s the hand sign for Grandpa.”
My heart melted and I felt like I was going to cry. “What the heck’s wrong with you?”
“I have something in my eye!” I snapped, and my father just laughed. Bo pointed up at me and smiled at his new grandpa. “Oh great, you’re making fun of me too!” I said, reaching around to tickle him.
“I have something for you, Bo,” my dad said. Preppy came around then with my dad’s beer in hand. Dad opened his wallet. Your mom says you’re six years old which means I owe you six years worth of birthday, Christmas, easter...” he counted out several bills before taking everything from his wallet and pushing it into Bo’s hands.
“Dad you don’t have to do that, especially since...” I started but stopped not wanting to bring up my dad losing his store and damage his pride.
“Especially since what? You can say it dear,” Dad said, standing up. Preppy knelt and helped a smiling Bo count his money.
“Especially since you LOST your business,” I said in a low voice.
Dad surprised me by laughing. Preppy picked up Bo and placed him on his shoulders, hanging onto his knees. Bo wrapped his little arms around Preppy’s head, covering his eyes with his hands. Preppy lifted them so he could exchange a knowing glance with my father.
“What’s going on here?” I asked. “What am I missing?”
“Your dad didn’t lose his store,” Preppy said.
“He didn’t?”
Dad shook his head. “Nope. I was bought out. Some big bookstore made me a more than fair offer and I jumped on it. They don’t even want to take it over, they just paid me to close up and get out of the way. Either way, now I’m debt free and my schedule has been cleared up to spend more time with my beautiful daughter and her new family.”
“And you knew about this?” I asked Preppy who was leaning to one side as far as he could without Bo falling off.
“Maybe?” he said, but it came out like a question. He set Bo down on the grass and the two of them took off across the yard, chasing one another through the small crowds of people who happily made way for the new father and son.
“Us boys. We chatted,” Dad said, slyly.
“When?” I asked.
“The day you came back from Logan’s Beach...and every other day since,” Dad said. He pointed to Preppy who caught Bo in his arms and was twirling him around, his feet barely missing King and Bear who jumped back and pretended to have been hit. “That Samuel. I don’t know what to make of him. Frankly I don’t understand half the shit that comes out of his mouth, but I know one thing and it’s the only thing that matters in my book.”
“What’s that?”
“That he loves you. He looks at you the same way I looked at your mom, but I didn’t need to see it to know it. I heard it in his voice long before that,” my dad said, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
I wiped my eyes, sniffling.
“No more tears, kid,” my dad said with a laugh. “This is a time to celebrate!”
“Wait,” I said, realizing something. “So between their money and the money from the sale of Mirna’s house, you’ll be okay, then? At least for awhile I mean?”
My dad nodded and took a swig of his beer. “Kid, your old man will be set until Bo there is ready to go to college. And that’s just with the money from the store sale. I never touched the money you put in my account from Mirna’s house. I transferred it right back down here into an account in Bo’s name. You can use it for his college or whatever else he’ll need growing up. Trust me, kids are expensive,” he said with a smile. Dad gave my shoulder another squeeze. “I’m going to go find the little boys room.”
I watched him walk toward the house. I pulled at my imaginary sleeves. Preppy came up beside me and put his hands on his knees. He was out of breath from running around with Bo who was now happily chasing Max and Sammy around the yard.