5 The Grind
Dash
October 2019
Some folks might raise a brow, Beau also fell into that category, but these days I truly genuinely dedicated at least eight hours a day, five days a week, to my law firm. The success I built was sweet, and the connections and friendships I forged added sprinkles to my well-rounded life, making it all the more precious for me and my family. But, man, nothing could beat the liberating feeling I got in the late afternoons when I caught a glimpse of my home on the same street where Beau and I started our love affair. Inside that cozy haven was my family—a miracle after everything Beau and I had lived through—waiting for me to arrive.
All right, for the sake of truth, they probably weren’t pacing the floor, waiting for my arrival, but I was ready to be there with them again. I wasn’t quite sure if I knew if Beau was home already. The farther I went down the street, I saw Duke and Dixie running freely in the fenced yard. They were still incredibly well-trained. Beau worked with them all of the time. Taking them on any trips where we drove. As I got closer, I spotted the edge of a swing, small tennis shoes kicking out before descending.
Everything about my life was vastly different than where I started in Southlake, Texas. Thank goodness for that.
Beau ran his and our lives in the same way he treated the German shepherds. The tough love guy, who always monitored everything in our lives. He helped Amelia cook healthy meals, cleaned the house, gave baths, and bought an Audible account to read to the girls every night. I, on the other hand, had a regular supply of Drumstick ice creams, Snack Pack puddings, and real sugar Dr. Pepper drinks waiting as my after-dinner treat. It bothered the hell out of Beau when he caught me splitting my desserts in four ways.
I hardly gave a second thought to the whistle Beau used on either the dogs or the girls, but I was certain it worked like magic. It always did, regardless of how other people judged his techniques.
Once I passed the small cluster of trees, I spotted West’s swing near Beau’s generously oversized workshop, the little guy’s hands moving as if capturing the air. Again, Beau would throw a fit if I mentioned West being his biological son, because he was both of ours, but it was obvious. Besides looking like him, the little guy loved the sunshine and was at home being outside.
I’d quietly worried that I might not feel the same bond with him that I did with my biological children, but boy, I’d gotten it wrong. He was my little buddy. I often volunteered for nighttime duty. Neither West nor I were big sleepers. The hours I spent alone with him in the middle of the night were precious moments I cherished. He and I had long conversations and reading sessions, mostly about my work. I even shared secret information, but he never spilled the beans.
Also, West didn’t judge my reading glasses that no one else knew I wore. They made me feel old, but West loved me no matter what I looked like. He probably thought I was his favorite father.
The turn into our circular drive brought a sense of anticipation. I never took a single moment for granted. If I’d managed to hang on to a bad mood to this point, being here made life right as rain again.
The home was stately, the exterior and interior represented both of us. We went with red brick, light and dark trimmings with a large wraparound porch, I’d insisted on that add-on. Three large rocking chairs and four smaller ones sat to the left of the door. I liked to eat my ice cream Drumstick while watching the sun set in the evening.
Amelia enjoyed sitting with me and seemed as appreciative of this life as I was. My love and respect for her had only grown over the years. She barely left this house, superstitious of everything these days, but I was glad she found contentment. She was such a loving, nurturing person.
As I put my SUV in park—Tahoe large enough to fit us all—I spotted the fence gate opening and three blonde heads running toward me, Duke and Dixie bolting along with them. I shrugged off my suit coat before opening the SUV’s door, hoping to keep the dog hair to a minimum.
Both dogs came to an abrupt skidding halt, Beau didn’t allow either to jump on people, but they whimpered, wagging tails, prancing all over the place. I bent to pet them while the girls reached me, all trying to hug me at once.
I groaned when the dogs leaped inside the car, why had I left the door open? They were always eager for a ride. It took seconds for them to be seated in the furthest set of backseats, where they’d stay in wait for hours if we left them.
“Daddy, Paw picked us up early from school and took us fishing,” Mia said, pushing a stray piece of hair out of her face. “We caught so many fish. He knows all the good spots.”
“Oh, you’re lucky,” I replied, standing after our hugs. “You got to ditch school and go on the boat.”
“Yay,” Ava shouted, giving a leap into the air.
“I like school,” Livie said, glancing up at me. Everything about her was in perfect order, not a hair out of place, not a speck of dirt on her. Even at three and almost a half, she’d mastered reading and carried a book tucked under her arm everywhere she went.
“But, Livie, Paw showed us how to skip rocks,” Mia interjected. “Daddy, his grandpa taught him on Dog River. My rocks skipped, but Livie’s and Ava’s sank to the bottom. They have to practice more.” She shoved the stray piece of hair back again.
“He said he was the Dog River festival skipping champion. Right?” Ava said, glancing back at me for verification.
“Yeah,” I said. Ava gave me a crooked, proud grin, turning to walk backward, and still face me.
“He was the champion for two years,” Mia said. “Paw told us you skipped years in school because you’re so smart. I think Livie’s gonna do that.”
“I hope not,” Livie said. “I wanna go to school every day.”
“Ava, flip around so you don’t fall.” At the gate, I glanced back at Duke and Dixie, still inside the SUV, now in the front seat watching us go.
“Paw didn’t take Duke and Dixie with you?” I asked, allowing the girls into the backyard first, leaving the gate propped open for the two rascals when Beau whistled.
“They came with us,” Mia answered first. “They rode with Paw to pick us up.”
“What’s Paw doing now?”
“Getting ready for his mountain trip,” Mia answered again. If her exuberance said anything, she must have had a great time today. “He’s gonna miss me, but he says not to miss him because he’ll be home in two weeks, but his days are in the future. So it’s at least one more, or one less...”
“I’m gonna miss him,” I said, heading slowly toward Beau’s shop. “Did he tell you what day he’s coming home?”
“That’s all he told us,” Ava shot out from over her shoulder, still feet ahead. “His friends wanna see something else while they’re there so he’s staying longer than he wants to. I think the rainforest. Then he’s coming home.”
“He’s going to India,” Livie added. “He showed us on a map.”
Beau stepped out of the shop about the same time I made it to West, lifting him from the swing. He was a little chunk these days. On the ninety-fifth percentile on everything physical.
“Ugh,” I teased, raising him high enough in the air to look into his eyes. We’d been warm this fall. West wore his sporty athletic shorts and an oversized sweatshirt. His feet were bare, never really feeling the shoes we chose to cover them, but loved to wear one of Beau’s ball caps.
“The dogs made it inside the Tahoe before I shut the door,” I said, tilting my head for a kiss.
Beau whistled. Not the loud shrill one, but enough that I heard the two animals scurrying across the concrete toward us.
“Why do y’all kiss so much,” Ava said, feigned yuck in her voice.
“We’re married. That’s what you do,” Beau said and kissed me again.
“They told me you picked them up from school early. It upset Livie, but overjoyed Ava and Mia, and took them stone-skipping.”
“And fishing,” Livie corrected.
“And fishing,” I said to Beau, who grinned. “You caught a lot of fish.”
“But we can never keep them no matter the size,” Mia said before taking off for the swing set, Ava on her heels.
“Paw, tell him about the dance school,” Livie said, wrapping both arms around my leg, clinging tightly, me being a life preserver in her sudden traumatic storm. Whatever the problem, I was on her side.
“Sweetheart, I told you that’s gonna have to wait until I get back. Classes are on Saturday and your dad has too much to do while I’m gone.”
Livie’s sad eyes bore into mine. “But Daddy, if I wait, I can’t start until after Christmas because of the practice for the re…re…”
“Recital?” I guessed, my hand reaching for her hair, loose today, and I caressed down. “I should be able to take them. It’s not a problem. We’re talking a couple of Saturdays.”
“It’s in Houston,” Beau explained. “It’s close to their school, and the other two aren’t interested. Saturdays are usually Amelia’s days to catch up on her shows. She needs that down time.”
Hmm. That did make it more difficult. I glanced down at Livie who instantly sprang a leak in her eyes with big silent tears. She understood the problem, but apparently was wanting an identity outside of her sisters. I read about this. I handed West off to Beau, and bent at the knee, rubbing my thumbs under her eyes, to help dry the sadness. “We’ll make it work. Is it ballet? You’d be a beautiful ballerina.”
She nodded, a hiccup heaved her chest. “And tap. And I need a pink leotard and two different shoes, but they sell them all inside a special bag. Me and Paw saw it.”
“Do your friends go there?” I asked, drawing her into my arms. She nodded and hiccupped again. “So your heart’s set on that particular dance school and not one closer to the house.” She nodded again, giving a giant sniffle.
When we chose a highly-rated school that was also LGBTQ-friendly, of course, I understood we’d be driving quite a bit for various projects and friendships. It wasn’t a surprise.
“All right. We can get you started this weekend. Maybe take a class and see if you like it.”
She gasped with joy, launching toward me with a giant hug. “Thank you, Daddy.” After I was given the proper amount of love for my decision, she bolted toward the house. “Abuela, he said yes like you thought he would! I get the pretty bag, and I’ll wear it over my shoulder.”
My happy grin faltered as I stood and faced Beau. “You don’t have to agree to everything they ask for. We’re two months from the end of the year, and that would have made a great holiday gift for her.”
All very valid points.
“At some point you’re going to learn to tell them no without my input,” I said. “I’m a sucker, and their tears destroy me. Maybe if you’d given me a heads-up.” Of course, I was teasing him. I gathered West in my arms again. “Hi, buddy… No, don’t look at Paw, only me.”
I heard a heavy sigh, but Beau didn’t push it further. This wasn’t the end of the discussion, but a break for him to gather his thoughts and come back at me.
“I’m makin’ hamburgers on the grill. We stopped by the grocery store and grabbed baked chips and apple slices to go with them. Amelia’s back is messin’ with her. She doesn’t like to leave the house anyway. I told her to take it easy before it becomes a thing,” Beau said, walking side by side with me toward the house.
“Are the hamburgers real red meat?” I asked, crossing my fingers hopefully.
“No.” Beau shook his head as if the mention was absurd. “How was work?”
Disappointing. “I took another pro bono immigration case today. It’ll be difficult, but I’m looking forward to the fight.”
Beau gave me a side-eye glance, giving a side-grin to match. “You’re doin’ what you always wanted to do,” he said with the same sense of accomplishment I experienced. My younger self had only wanted to get a law degree to do legal aid and pro bono work. The adult me recognized that making money had swerved me from those goals. Maybe now I could toss in a few cases here or there.
“Joy called today,” I said, switching gears. “She’s pregnant.”
“That’s great. She needs to come for a visit or we go there. It’s been too long since we’ve seen her,” Beau said and gave another whistle while opening the back doors to the house. Everyone in our family came running, Dixie making it to the door first, busting through ahead of anyone else. They always had to be first everywhere we went.
“Stop laughing at them,” Amelia said, sliding between me and Beau. “He whistles for you too.”
My brows instantly furrowed.
“Of course, you don’t come when I call.” The way he said it made my brows scrunch tighter together. Beau trained me like the animals. “Did she say anything about your family? Are they still not talkin’ to her too?” Seconds passed as I absorbed the blow of information. “Stop lookin’ at me like that. West is smilin’ at you.”
The little guy in my arms did make it better. “She said Carter posted pictures of the kids with him on the Disney cruise. He’s certain my parents have seen the post, but I’m not sure they’d have the reaction he suspected. They’d never take a cruise like that. It’s too ‘working man’ for them.”
“Huh,” Beau said, clasping my shoulder to turn me toward the house when Mia bumped into me.
“I won,” Mia said, managing to get past me.
“I wasn’t racing,” Ava said, clearly racing Mia, and the apparent loser in the contest.
“Yes, you were,” Mia shot back. “I run fast.”
“No fighting,” Amelia called, handing Beau a platter of raw, not beef, burgers. That was also a new development in the home. Once school started, the girls learned all about arguing. I didn’t like it a single bit. “Paw’s cooking on the grill. Everyone grab something and let’s eat on the patio.”
“What about your telenovela?” I asked, teasing her.
“Someone needs to close Dash’s car door, and probably needs to lock the gate, Beau. And Dasham, take your son upstairs and change his diaper. I got my shows recording. Don’t you worry about me.” Her sassy way made me follow her directions so I didn’t get in further trouble.