Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lorcan
“You really do have such a lovely view.” Aunt Genessa stood by the glass wall that made up the balcony. During the summer, the top half could be opened. In the winter, Cody kept it closed.
“He brought me here on our first date.” Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Well, we walked around Heritage Park first. Then he coaxed me here with takeout from Fifties.”
“My nephew always was a smart man. Best burgers in Mission City.”
I hadn’t been able to form a picture of Cody’s aunt in my mind. He had photos of the two of them, but they were older—from years ago. Should I offer to take a new one of the two of them today?
Genessa was frailer than I would’ve thought. And, according to her, barely a day over seventy-five.
Mei stayed by my side—a little curious about the guest with the cane.
She’d settled in right away last night and slept straight through the night—which really surprised me.
We’d walked her this morning and, as Carter had promised, she’d done all her business.
I’d run her out again while Cody drove to pick up his aunt.
“The ham smells delicious. My favorite.” She offered another smile.
“Cody says you love pineapple.”
“Yes. Fruit cocktail, ham, pizza…anything I can get away adding pineapple to, I do.”
“Ah.”
“Not a fan?” She arched her eyebrow.
“No, ma’am.”
“It’s Genessa.” She wagged her finger at me. “I know you’re way younger than I am, but ma’am was my mother. My students called me Miss Litwin. You may call me Genessa.”
“I do believe I’m closer in age to you than your nephew.”
She waved me off. “I was the eldest of seven children. Cody’s dad was the youngest. Always was a brat.
My brother—not Cody. And he believed all that religious claptrap.
Threw away the best thing that ever happened to him.
” She leaned closer. “I’m not going to be around forever.
I like the idea of Cody having someone who loves him as much as I do. ”
“Oh. We, uh, just moved in together.”
She squinted. “You strike me as a traditionalist.”
“Yes, ma— uh, Genessa.”
“You take commitment seriously.”
“Yes, I really do.”
“Moving in together is a commitment.”
“Yes.”
“Getting a dog together is a responsibility I suspect you didn’t take lightly.”
“Oh no. Mei means everything to me. To us.”
“Well, you’re going to be perfect puppy daddies. I just love the idea of Cody no longer being alone. He’s got good friends, but he needs someone warming his bed.”
And the heat flooded back to my cheeks.
She grinned. “I like that you have scruples. That you’re such a, what was the word I chose?”
“Traditionalist?”
“Yep. That’s the one.”
Cody stuck his head through the open sliding glass door. “Ham—and everything else—is on the table.”
Mei made a beeline for said table.
Genessa put a hand on my arm. “You’re going to have to help this old woman into that high seat.”
Cody winced. “I was thinking we’d eat on the couch.”
“Pshaw. You have a perfectly lovely table. A little high, but that’s all the rage these days.” Genessa headed into the main room.
I followed, closing the door behind me. Light still flooded the room. We were having a break in the snow, but more was promised soon.
Helping Genessa wasn’t too difficult—she was spryer than she claimed to be. Then I helped Cody bring the plates to the table. He’d served everyone and, to my infinite relief, hadn’t added pineapple to my plate.
“I gave yours to Genessa,” he teased.
“I heard that.” Genessa clucked her tongue. “I’ll make a pineapple lover out of you yet.”
“Uh.” I winced. “I really doubt that.”
“Grilled with barbecue sauce? Thank you, dear.” She put her cloth napkin on her lap as Cody set her plate before her. I put his at his seat and added mine. He returned with three glasses of water.
Genessa sighed. “I miss my wine. Alas, Dr. Raymond said I couldn’t have it anymore.”
“He’s watching out for your health.” Cody slid onto his barstool.
I did the same. “Oh, wait.” I slid off.
“Forget something?” Cody met my gaze.
“I promised Mei a little piece of ham if she was well-behaved.” I cut a small slice of ham into tiny pieces and put them in her food bowl. I put in on the mat and my hand was barely out of the way before she pounced.
“You’re supposed to get her to sit first.” Cody grinned. “And then tell her to wait.”
Genessa laughed. “Wait for your ham? No woman can resist it.”
Mei licked her bowl and then gazed up at me.
I shook my head.
She pouted.
“There’s extra broccoli.” Cody shrugged. “Even a bit of cheese sauce.”
Her ears perked. All were foods she was allowed to eat. Her favorite by far, though, was baby carrots.
I diced a piece of broccoli and added a dab of cheese sauce. This time, I made her sit patiently until I gave her the signal.
She still wolfed it down like she was starved.
Again, Genessa laughed. “She’s truly precious.”
“We were hoping you’d like her.” Cody placed his hand over mine after I’d sat.
“My feelings for her should have no impact.” Genessa winked. “But I think you made a very good selection.”
I was about to point out Mei had been the only rescue we’d looked at, but Cody squeezed my hand.
Ah. She’s telling Cody he did well in choosing me.
My insides glowed a little.
We ate the delicious food and made small talk. I was quite pleased with how the scalloped potatoes I’d prepared had turned out. I still eyed the pineapple with suspicion.
When we finished dinner, Cody and I cleaned up while Genessa sat on the couch with Mei’s head in her lap. The lovely woman rubbed the dog’s ears and crooned to her softly.
I eyed the chocolate mousse. “I’m so glad you don’t do Christmas cake.”
Cody gave me a horrified look. “Never. Oh my God. Never.”
“Glad we agree on that.”
He nudged my hip with his. “We agree on lots.”
We exchanged a sappy look.
“Is my mousse coming? Or are you two going to head to the bedroom for a little nookie?”
For the umpteenth time, heat raced to my cheeks. “Mousse.” I glared at Cody.
He merely smiled.
After we got to the living room, I handed Genessa her mousse. I gave Mei a little shake of my head.
She resettled immediately—clearly understanding she’d be turfed if she tried any funny business.
“All right, so I have some news.” Genessa sank her fork into the chocolatey goodness with the paper-light crust.
“News?” Cody sat beside her on the couch while I sat in the chair opposite.
I leaned forward.
“In the new year, I’m listing my condo for sale. That nice Crawford boy… Cadence? He’s going to take care of it for me.”
“Oh?” Cody appeared bewildered. Like he was totally unprepared.
“I’ve taken a room in the Good Life assisted living facility just down the street from here.”
“You don’t need a nursing home.” Cody sat closer to his aunt. “We can get you a care aid. You don’t have to leave your home.”
“My dear.” She gave him a look.
I knew that look.
He winced.
“Most of my friends who were in my building when I moved in have either passed or moved out. I’m feeling a little lonely.”
“I’ll visit more often—”
“You will not.” She said this sharply. “You already do so much, my dear. I’m just ready for something new.
The home has all levels of care. I’m starting out with the lowest level.
As time passes, and my care needs increase, I can change levels.
In other words, I can stay there for the rest of my life. ”
“You could move in here. We can take care of you.”
“My dear.” Again, with the look.
He again winced.
“I’m not doing this to hurt you. On the contrary—I’m doing this to help myself.
Annette moved there six months ago and loves it.
I put my name on the waiting list, and they’ve found a spot for me.
This is the right move for me, Cody. And you can visit as frequently as you like.
Oh, and there’s a therapy dog who visits.
” She gazed upward. “Chia. Belongs to the Cox boy. His grandparents are in there. Lovely couple and darling young grandson. Married to another sweet boy.”
“Boy?”
“Well, you know. I think Simeon’s about forty and Ryan’s a bit younger.” She gazed back and forth between the two of us. “An age-gap thing. You know.”
I nearly choked on my bite of mousse.
If this Simeon fellow was forty and still a boy in Genessa’s eyes, then maybe I wasn’t as old as I felt.
“Anyway, there’s another reason for me telling you all this.” She turned her blue eyes—so like Cody’s—on him.
He nodded.
“I’m gifting you half the proceeds of the condo.”
“No, you can’t.” Cody shook his head. “You’ve already given me so much.”
“My boy, I have way more to give.” She gave me a surreptitious look.
I didn’t have a clue about what.
“I bought stock in this American tech company. Friend of a friend knew some upstart in Seattle. I had some extra cash lying about, and I figured I’d have a go.”
“Oh.” Cody frowned.
“And I also invested some in the stock market after the crash of ’87.”
This time, I frowned. I remembered that event. Which only proved how damn old I was.
“I decided to cash everything in at the beginning of December. All of it. Now feels like a good time to get out of the market. I could’ve given you the shares, but then you’d have to pay a capital gains tax on anything you earned beyond that amount.”
Cody rubbed his forehead.
“Darius Evans. Great accountant. Dating that nice Pritchard girl.”
My head snapped up at that.
“Mallory? Colton’s sister?” Cody caught my gaze.
Genessa grinned. “You’re a smart boy, Cody. I taught both of them, back in the day. Tragic story. Mallory works in restorative justice.”
This time, I rubbed my forehead.
“So Darius gave me some advice. He’s set up for me to get a monthly allowance. That’ll pay for the nursing home and anything else that might come up.”
“Okay.”
“Cody?”
“Yes.” His gaze turned wary.
“Forty-five years of teaching with only the need to keep a roof over my head. I’ve invested well and been frugal.”
“You already paid for my education and gave me the down-payment for this place.”
“Well, now I’m giving you the down-payment for a house. Houses are so expensive these days.” She met my gaze.
Mutely, I nodded.
“Well, you boys deserve a nice house. Mei should have a backyard.”
Cody took her plate, minus the mousse she’d somehow consumed, so she could resume stroking Mei’s soft fur.
“It’s time, Cody.”
“Time?”
“For you to move on. From your family. From the pain. I’ve done my best to guide you, but you need to make your own way.”
In clear confusion, he glanced around the condo. “I would say this is my own way.”
“I mean, Mei needs a backyard. You both need space. To stretch your wings.”
He blinked. “I didn’t think—” He swallowed.
“Because your father put that notion in your head that you can’t be happy and have a partner.
It’s ridiculous. You know very well that gay get together, marry, and are happy.
Your friends Stanley and Justin. And that nice boy…
Simeon? And his husband Ryan.” She patted his thigh.
“Now, most of them are older than you. So you’ve got time.
” She cast me a look. “It’s never too late. ”
I wanted to rail at her presumptuousness. Except what was plainly obvious was Cody screamed stability and permanence.
Where does that leave me? A fifty-three-year-old washed-up construction worker who likes to wear ears, paws, and a tail. Playing with squeaky toys.
“Well, I need to be going. Lovely meal.” Genessa patted her belly.
Mei stirred. She sat up, stretched, and then flopped so her head was on Cody’s lap.
For a moment, he appeared disconcerted. Like he hadn’t expected her to take to him so quickly.
Genessa turned her attention to me. “I’d like you to drive me home.”
“Oh, we both can.” Cody started to rise.
She put her hand against his chest. “Let sleeping dogs lie. You prepared the dinner.” She eyed me. “Good scalloped potatoes.”
“Would you like some to go? I made plenty.”
“Well…”
“And a container of ham with pineapple?”
She shook her finger at me. “Grilled pineapple in honey barbecue sauce. Have Cody cook it up for you this summer.” She gestured toward the patio where his barbecue sat.
“For you, Genessa, I will try.” I rose, then collected all the plates. As I put them on the kitchen counter, she made her way over to me.
“You don’t mind driving me, do you?”
“Of course not. I’m going to drive Cody’s SUV, though.”
She arched what was clearly a questioning eyebrow.
“My truck’s pretty high off the ground.”
“Are you saying I’m short?”
She was about five-foot-nothing.
I smiled. “I would never. But it’ll be tough to get you up there.”
“And Cody’s SUV is better for the environment.”
I got her coat out of the front hall closet. “Yes, that’s true.”
“We want to leave a healthy planet for the younger ones.”
As I helped her into it, I blinked. “Yes, that’s right.”
She patted my chest. “You’re a good man.”
“I don’t know about that. But I try.”
“You’ll do.” She grinned. “You’ll do.”