30
Henry had always hated the Palm Springs airport. It was small and dated, there were limited flights, and for some reason he’d
always felt out of place once he’d arrived. But when had Henry ever felt like he belonged somewhere?
A memory of cheers encouraging him as he swayed his hips and moved his feet. Arms reaching out to grab hold of his drenched
body, pulling him from the pool. Laughter around Malibu and pineapple drinks. Slaps on the back. Well dones and Attaboys freely offered to him. Genuine thanks and gratitude as he built a number of his dog-waste grabbers. Soft skin under his
fingertips, lips wrapped around his body, and the sexiest sounds coming from Jia’s mouth as she came.
There. As crazy as it sounded, Henry belonged there. In Palm Springs. At Sunset Hills. Among people more than twice his age
and one woman who drove him nuts in every way possible and took his breath away.
It was family. Like he’d never had before. Community. Like he’d shunned and avoided throughout his life. And he needed to get back as fast as possible. He needed to see with his own eyes that Dennis was okay and make sure he was getting the best care.
And he needed to make sure, most of all, that his parents weren’t causing havoc in Dennis’s home among his friends. Henry
could imagine walking in on everyone high on shrooms, sitting around in a sweat lodge, his mom leading chanting incantations
for his grandfather’s quick recovery while his dad went around cleaning out everyone’s wallets and bank accounts.
And as luck would have it, the timing worked where he could catch the one direct flight from New York. No rental car or two-hour
drive in traffic to contend with.
He was antsy the entire flight. The only thing keeping him from worrying himself to death was the audiobook he listened to.
Henry put his earphones in and turned on the book. The narrator’s voice, which worked well for all the different characters
in the book, soothed him. He might have blushed and squirmed a little in his seat as he listened to the very spicy sex scenes,
but he didn’t think the person next to him noticed. He’d finished the entire book on the flight. As long as he was going to
be in Palm Springs anyways, he might as well stop by the Sunset Hills Spicy Book Club meeting tomorrow night and take part
in the conversation about the reading material.
Henry shook his head and laughed to himself. He knew when the book club met and now was planning on attending. He really had
changed.
The hot air hit Henry the moment he deplaned.
“Rookie move, Shin,” he said to himself as he thought about the wool blend slacks he had on.
He’d come straight from the office and in his New York uniform, a style that he’d carefully selected to convey he was a serious lawyer to be respected.
But here in Palm Springs, the clothes he wore were not only impractical, they made him realize that he’d always been playing a part.
And only now was he discovering who the real Henry was.
He looked down at the overnight bag in his hand. He had the urge to just chuck it in the trash and wear whatever was in Dennis’s
closet. Just like Jia had done at her Mimi’s.
Jia.
Was she here already? She had to have heard about Dennis’s accident. Would she be there when Henry walked in? Would she be
talking to his parents?
Henry picked up the pace of his long strides to the taxi line.
He heard the voices as soon as he was dropped off in front of Dennis’s house. Screaming?
Henry quickly unlatched the gate and ran to the front door. He’d forgotten his house key back in New York in the rush to get
to the airport. But when he tried to open the door, it was unlocked and opened right up. He would have to warn Dennis about
this . . . again.
When Henry stepped into the house, he froze.
The house was full of people. More than he’d ever seen in here before. He recognized most of them from the neighborhood. Some
he couldn’t recall meeting. Who were all of these people and why were they here?
There was a spirited card game happening at the kitchen table.
And multiple pots heating on the stove with apron-clad people chatting it up.
Along the hallway there was what looked to be line dancing?
And a couch full of people screaming at a dog competition playing on the TV.
And in the center of it all, surrounded by doting women giving him spoonfuls and forkfuls and cupfuls of food and drink, while others sat and signed the new cast around his wrist, was Henry’s grandfather Dennis.
“Hank! You made it,” Dennis greeted him from in his lounge chair once he noticed his presence.
“Granddad,” Henry said, carefully. He wasn’t sure if he was doped up on pain meds and perhaps not completely of clear mind.
Speaking of being doped up—Henry took a look around the house as much as possible for any signs of his parents. No ratty old
Birkenstocks. No poorly crocheted shawls. No sand or dirt or dirty luggage anywhere to be seen. As much as he’d psyched himself
up for what he’d run into, he tried not to think about how he’d feel if his parents didn’t even show up at all . . . again.
“Come over here, son, and let me get a look at ya. I’ve missed you,” his grandfather said. He pushed the leg rest down and
sat upright. “Thanks, ladies, but could you give me a minute with my grandson?” All the attention quickly fizzled out to a
few pats on the back for Dennis while his fan club dispersed.
Henry raised an eyebrow at his granddad.
Dennis winked back. “Amazing the attention one gets when they’re gravely injured,” he said, raising his wrist to show Henry
his new cast.
“Gravely injured,” Henry repeated.
Dennis leaned in and whispered, “Guess I got a thing for nurses, and there have been a lot of ladies more than willing to
play dress-up.” Dennis waggled his eyebrows.
Henry let out an exasperated laugh.
“Are you in any pain? Did anywhere else get injured?” he asked, giving his granddad the once-over.
“Welp, I hurt all over, not gonna lie. Falling and getting back up made me use muscles I haven’t in years.
Hank, you gotta get me on one of your exercise plans so I can stop being such a squeaky, unused truck.
If I learned one thing while lying face down on the ground trying to figure out how to get my body up, it’s this: I gotta live my life like it’s still got life to give.
Not like I’m counting down the days till I’m done.
” Dennis squeezed Henry’s hand with his good one. It was strong and certain.
Henry let out a deep breath. He read between the lines. The message was as much for him and his own life as it was for Dennis’s.
“That’s a great lesson, Granddad,” he said, nodding and taking it in.
Henry thought he saw movement down by his bedroom door and leaned to take a look, in case it was his parents or . . . Jia.
“Guess they decided not to come after all,” Dennis said. “Not sure I expected them to. But I was hoping it was enough to not
make you get on the first flight out here to try to save the day. Seeing as you got here in less than twenty-four hours, my
guess is you didn’t have too much faith in them either.”
Henry lifted a shoulder. “Truth is I wasn’t sure what would be worse—them coming . . . or not.”
“Well, one thing I know for sure, you and I are lucky we’ve got each other.”
But what if, one day, they didn’t? What would happen if Henry no longer had Dennis, the one person in his life he could count
on?
Henry had trouble getting air into his lungs. He doubled over and grabbed his chest. The pain was sudden and excruciating.
He reached for his bag.
“What do you need, Hank? Let me grab it. Here, come sit down.” Dennis got up and pushed Henry into his chair. “Someone grab that bag by the door for me.”
“Front pocket,” Henry tried to say through the pain.
“Is it a heart attack? Do I call 911?” Dennis asked.
Henry shook his head. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on calming down, on taking deep breaths. Dennis put two pills
into his hand and passed him a glass of water.
“Here you go, son. When you catch your breath, tell me what you need, what I need to do. Let me take care of you this one
time, will ya?”
Henry looked up into his grandfather’s kind, wrinkled face. “Panic attack,” he said. It was time to be honest with him.
“I know. I remember you getting those as a kid. Saw the remnants of the one you had a few weeks ago too. I guess I was just
hoping you weren’t experiencing them as often,” he said.
“If I remember the meds, I’m usually okay. Probably just need to get back into a routine and some structure, so I take them
regularly.”
“Oh, I know how that is. I have a great medicine dispenser and a calendar and an alarm I can recommend to you, if you want.”
Henry looked up at his grandfather, who had a twinkle in his eye. “Funny.”
“Well, I am sorry, though, I’ve added to the stress, kid. Guess I’m not helping any of that, huh?” Dennis said, a frown taking
over his entire face.
Henry grabbed his good hand and held it. “You’re the only thing that makes any of it worth it.”
“Well, maybe me and that pretty girl across the street too?” Dennis winked at Henry.
He wondered if she was back in town yet. And if she was, what would he say when he saw her? Like he hadn’t been practicing it all in his head the whole time since he’d watched her walk away yesterday.
“Son, listen to your grandpa when I say you don’t have to prove to anyone, not your parents, not your job, not anyone, that
you’re incredible and worthy. The only person you have to prove it to is yourself. And that’s by making choices that allow
you to be happy. Be happy, Henry. It’s the only thing I want for you.”
“I don’t know how to be happy, Granddad,” Henry admitted.
“Well, you can start by cutting out anything in life that makes you unhappy. Get rid of everything that gets in the way. And
go from there.”
“Henry, honey, I brought you some tea to calm your nerves,” Betty said, handing him the cup. “I’ve had panic attacks my whole
life, so I know how it feels. This helps.”
Henry smiled and thanked her as he took a sip.
“Everyone, everyone, let’s get out of here and let Dennis get some rest,” Gordon said.
“Henry’s had a long flight too,” Gladys added. “We’ll pack all the food up into containers and put them in the fridge for
you guys to eat later. You two watch a game or movie or something and have a quiet night.”
Henry suddenly felt overcome with emotion. There was a pain in his chest. But not like the one he’d just gone through with
his panic attack. No, this one felt like a stretching in his heart. It hurt, but in a way that felt freeing, good. In a way
that felt loved.
“Thank you, everyone, for taking care of Dennis until I got here. I’m so—” his voice cracked and he took a breath “—grateful.”
They patted his back on the way out, and he received a couple hugs as well. These were good people. Capable people. Loving
people. He was lucky to know them.
Just as the last of the neighbors left, Mimi rushed through the front door.
“Oh good, you’re both here,” she said. “Looks like you’re having a moment?” She looked between the two of them.
Henry wiped his eyes and turned away.
“Good, it’s about time. Henry you’re one of us, and I’m glad you finally realized it. We love you, kiddo,” she said.
Welp, there went the waterworks again. He turned to hide his face, but she walked right up to him and held him by both arms.
He turned back to her and noticed the most serious look he’d ever seen on Mimi’s face.
“Now, Henry J. Shin, Esquire, I need your help.”