Living Alone Together - Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve.

"Pa... You alright in here? Let's go for a walk."
"No, I'm fine."
"Pa... You want me to shave your beard? It's starting to get porcupine-ish."
"Ok, fine."

Pa unraveled himself from his many blankets and carefully pawed around to adjust himself in a seated position on his bed.

Taking hold of his hand, she gently guided him towards the washroom. Making Pa sit on the toilet cover, she lathered his face and began the process of shaving.

Aislinn remembered exactly how her Grandfather would shave. She always found it fascinating.

So much so, as a child she gave a pretend tour of the house to pretend guests and gave imitations of what each family member did in their respective rooms.

In the kitchen, she pretended to cook like Grandma. In her sister's room she pretending to play dolls and in the bathroom, she pretended to shave like her Pa.

"You should go out once in a while, Pa. Get some fresh air like you used to."
"What's the point!" He let out a frustrated sigh.
"Pa... I know it's difficult and I know you have a lot of adjusting to go through. We're trying to help you as much as we can, but you have to want this too."

Pa ran a hand through what was left of his thinning hair.

"Maybe a walk will do. But I want James to bring me out to the park."
"That's fine," she said agreeing to his terms. Anything to get him out of the house.

Locking the house behind her, the three of them walked towards the park. Aislinn let James feel grown up enough to carefully guide his great grampa to the park. Such a gem, this boy!

All the while she tuning in and out of their conversation. Pa looked so happy being guided by his great grandson, and listening to the adventure stories the little one shared.

"... Yeah! And then... There was a pirate that came and snatched the gold away from the good guy."

"... Blue! The feather was blue!"

"... Sand reached up to his toes, but the giant's toes were like as high as a tree!"

"... Pa... There were no helicopters when the giants lived long time ago! They didn't need them! They're tall already!"

"Pa!" James exclaimed, letting go of Pa's arm to jump up and down. "We're here!"

"Go ahead, James. I'll rest on a bench while you play."
Aislinn smiled at the little boy who's energy level spiked up to full blast. "I'll sit with Pa. Go ahead, James."

Sitting on a bench under an old tree, the two sat quietly while the wind gently whipped at their hair.

"Aislinn, I know you're worried. But don't be. I'll learn to adjust. I just need some time to brood before I get back up on my horse."

Aislinn's eyes swelled up with tears.
"Oh, Pa... You don't know how happy I am to hear this," she reached out and gave him a big hug.
"Now..." he began in his stern voice, as she still held on. "I hear you've been on a few dates? How is that going?"
Leaning away from Pa's chest to see his face, she saw he was serious.
"Pa, I only had one date and he didn't show."
"How come you came home late last night, then?" He countered, just as Cora had earlier today.
"William... You know him, right Pa?"
"Your boss?"
"Yeah, he... Well he was driving by and he gave me a lift home. To his home."

Pa coughed to clear his throat. Generally that threatened a lecture, so she sped up her explanation.

"He brought me there to make me dinner. He knew my date ditched me."
"I see," was Pa's only comment.

"Pa, the guy who didn't show up... Well he wants to meet up again."
"And you're not sure if you should?"
"Yeah. I'm confused."
"When are you supposed to meet?"
"Tonight. In three hours."
"Answer this one question. Did you enjoy last night?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" She asked after contemplating the question.
"He wasn't even there," she scoffed and then understood where Pa was going with it.

"Why complicate matters when it's clear that this guy can't compete with William Drake."

She blushed hoping Pa couldn't see her reaction. As much as she vehemently denied it with the shake of her, butterflies in her tummy awoke to the sound of William's name being spoken.

"Pa. William is... I'm no one to him."
"He cares enough about you to keep you safe and fed."
"He needs his Assistant alive. That's why."
"So you're going on this date, then?" Pa asked, curious what his grandchild would choose to do.
"I don't know yet. It's just a date anyway. Not like I'm getting married or anything," she said as if trying to convince herself that either way, she was good.

Calling out to James, they all walked back to the house rejuvenated. Cora had finished cooking supper and Aislinn got ready for her blind date.

Here goes nothing, she thought as she hopped onto the bus heading for the restaurant.