The last years that her mother was alive had been so hard on everyone. She’d always been one of those true blue matriarchs who ran the show, that made sure everyone was where he or she were supposed to be doing what they were supposed to be doing. She was the glue that kept the family safe and sound.
Stef had always believed deep down in her heart that that was why her father died earlier than expected. Her mom had always catered to Eddie’s every need, and the fact that he would now have to play the role of caretaker was probably just too much for him to handle. He was only strong when she was strong. She had ruined him in that sense. They were like salt and pepper shaker’s, like a flat and fitted sheet. If you didn’t have both together then nothing made sense.
He had tried so hard to keep himself together, to keep the ship floating, to keep his precious Evie happy but you could see, as each day passed, as each month slid by, that he was wearing out. He looked tired and worried all the time now. He stopped shaving and getting his hair cut, and because he’d always had a full head of hair that had somehow magically silvered overnight, he began to look a little like a vagabond, like the Gorton’s fisherman guy, only worse.
He tried at one point to launder and iron his shirts, but it never came out right. As a matter of fact, he had ruined nearly all their sheets and all his white shirts because he’d forgotten to separate the colors from the whites.
Stef had shown up unexpectedly early one afternoon, her arms loaded with groceries so she could cook them a nice meal and visit with them. When she came in the back door she saw her father standing at the sink gazing out the window.
“Dad,” she said quietly so as not to scare him. “You okay?”
“Hi Stef, I thought I saw your car,” he said still looking out the window.
He turned on the cold faucet and bent down so he could splash some water on his face before turning to say hello.
When he did turn around, she saw the big red and pink stains that traversed haphazardly across the front of his shirt. All she could do was shake her head and chuckle.
“I see you’ve gone hippie on me Dad. Tie-die looks pretty good on you though, it’s very in right now,” she said as her lips widened into a bright smile.
“Everything looks like this,” he said shrugging his shoulders.
“It’s kind of cool, it suits you,” she said moving towards the counter so she could set the bags down. “I’m going to make you guys dinner tonight if that’s okay?”
“That would be nice,” he said.
She knew more than the food, he would appreciate the company of someone who still recognized him, still saw him as the father, still saw him as the man of the house, still saw him as a man.
Stef set about preparing their meal as Eddie set the table.
“How is she doing Dad?”
“Not so good today,” he said. She could hear the catch in his voice and it broke her heart. “She’s had better days.”
“I’m so sorry Dad, I wish there was something we could do.”
She couldn’t stand to see her father looking this way, defeated, sad, and worried. He’d always been so vital and had always been there for everything, for every school event, for every graduation, for every time they needed a hand to hold. Stef could feel the tears rising towards her eyes.
“Why don’t you go get mom up now, dinners almost ready,” she said.
“Okay.”
Stef had always believed deep down in her heart that that was why her father died earlier than expected. Her mom had always catered to Eddie’s every need, and the fact that he would now have to play the role of caretaker was probably just too much for him to handle. He was only strong when she was strong. She had ruined him in that sense. They were like salt and pepper shaker’s, like a flat and fitted sheet. If you didn’t have both together then nothing made sense.
He had tried so hard to keep himself together, to keep the ship floating, to keep his precious Evie happy but you could see, as each day passed, as each month slid by, that he was wearing out. He looked tired and worried all the time now. He stopped shaving and getting his hair cut, and because he’d always had a full head of hair that had somehow magically silvered overnight, he began to look a little like a vagabond, like the Gorton’s fisherman guy, only worse.
He tried at one point to launder and iron his shirts, but it never came out right. As a matter of fact, he had ruined nearly all their sheets and all his white shirts because he’d forgotten to separate the colors from the whites.
Stef had shown up unexpectedly early one afternoon, her arms loaded with groceries so she could cook them a nice meal and visit with them. When she came in the back door she saw her father standing at the sink gazing out the window.
“Dad,” she said quietly so as not to scare him. “You okay?”
“Hi Stef, I thought I saw your car,” he said still looking out the window.
He turned on the cold faucet and bent down so he could splash some water on his face before turning to say hello.
When he did turn around, she saw the big red and pink stains that traversed haphazardly across the front of his shirt. All she could do was shake her head and chuckle.
“I see you’ve gone hippie on me Dad. Tie-die looks pretty good on you though, it’s very in right now,” she said as her lips widened into a bright smile.
“Everything looks like this,” he said shrugging his shoulders.
“It’s kind of cool, it suits you,” she said moving towards the counter so she could set the bags down. “I’m going to make you guys dinner tonight if that’s okay?”
“That would be nice,” he said.
She knew more than the food, he would appreciate the company of someone who still recognized him, still saw him as the father, still saw him as the man of the house, still saw him as a man.
Stef set about preparing their meal as Eddie set the table.
“How is she doing Dad?”
“Not so good today,” he said. She could hear the catch in his voice and it broke her heart. “She’s had better days.”
“I’m so sorry Dad, I wish there was something we could do.”
She couldn’t stand to see her father looking this way, defeated, sad, and worried. He’d always been so vital and had always been there for everything, for every school event, for every graduation, for every time they needed a hand to hold. Stef could feel the tears rising towards her eyes.
“Why don’t you go get mom up now, dinners almost ready,” she said.
“Okay.”
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