It’s like a handful of chocolate. I skipped dinner last night. Wait, did you just wink at Libby’s daughter? Christ, who winks anymore?”
“Um, a lot of people wink.” Garrett appeared bewildered. “I wink. She’s cute.”
“She’s barely out of college.”
He gave her his “What’s the problem?” look.
“You’re thirty-four,” Makenna added.
“And?”
“Ugh, men are disgusting.”
They laughed and Garrett bumped her with his shoulder.
“I’m just kidding, Ken.”
“No, you’re not and don’t call me Ken. I’m not a man, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“I always call you Ken.”
“Travis calls her Ken now too and she hates him,” Logan said.
“Hate is a strong word.” Kenna looked up from her spreadsheets.
Interesting.
“So we’re making money?” their dad tried to redirect.
“Dad, yes, the farm is looking good. We’re managing our money well and if we keep this up there will be reserves to buy another cultivator early next year.”
“That’s great news.” Their father flipped his packet of papers closed.
“Yeah, when we do that, I found this guy who refurbishes old equipment. I’d like to try him first, see what he has. Some of the older models are actually better. They’re tested in operation,” Garrett said.
They all agreed Garrett could handle the purchase when the time came and Makenna filled Garrett and their father in on The Yard. It was doing incredibly well and was poised to make a profit in only its second quarter. Logan wasn’t sure why good news tended to make him more nervous; it must have been the whole negative and positive energy thing again. After a round of coffee cup and Coke glass clinking to celebrate the good news, Libby, accompanied by Paige—who was now wearing a frilly apron—dropped off their breakfast. Paige paused for a moment so she could kiss her mom on the cheek. Kenna beamed and they all put away the money talk and passed around stories, gossip, and thoughts on the upcoming holidays. To no one’s surprise, Garrett shared that the ballet teacher he’d dated for all of six days didn’t work out. That led Makenna to ask the question that silenced the table.
“Dad, have you ever thought about dating?”
Garrett got the same look on his face he used to get when Makenna would ask him to pick up some tampons on the way home from work when they were younger.
“What? Why the hell would he want to do that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. He’s a man. He’s been single for over twenty years. What do you mean, ‘why?’ You date half the damn female population. Why should Dad be any different?”
“Yeah,” their father added with a smile, “why should I be any different, lover boy?”
Garrett shook his head and poured more syrup on what was left of his pancakes.
“Okay, are you serious, Dad?” Logan asked.
“I’m just giving him a hard time. Kenna, I can’t say I have thought much, or think now, about dating.”
“Really? I mean don’t you want to have someone to be with, someone to love and, you know, be physical with?”
“Holy hell! Do we need to be having this conversation?” Garrett looked like he was in pain. “I’m kind of visual, Ken and some of this shit I can’t unhear.”
“Oh, grow up. I’m just curious. It’s been the four of us for so long. I’m simply talking about Dad’s individual life.”
“And I appreciate that, honey. It’s nice that you still think of your dad as a human being. Truth is, I’m busy. I like what I do and sure I get lonely sometimes, but I have a full life. I’ve got you guys.”
“You get lonely?” Logan asked.
“Sometimes.”
“Well, give one of us a call next time that happens. I’ll take you to a movie. Can this little talk be over?” Garrett pleaded looking at Makenna.
“Jesus. Fine. Let’s talk fertilizer.” Makenna handed her glass to Libby’s daughter for more Coke.
“Now that’s a great idea.” Garrett finished chewing his last bite of pancakes.
“Um, a lot of people wink.” Garrett appeared bewildered. “I wink. She’s cute.”
“She’s barely out of college.”
He gave her his “What’s the problem?” look.
“You’re thirty-four,” Makenna added.
“And?”
“Ugh, men are disgusting.”
They laughed and Garrett bumped her with his shoulder.
“I’m just kidding, Ken.”
“No, you’re not and don’t call me Ken. I’m not a man, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“I always call you Ken.”
“Travis calls her Ken now too and she hates him,” Logan said.
“Hate is a strong word.” Kenna looked up from her spreadsheets.
Interesting.
“So we’re making money?” their dad tried to redirect.
“Dad, yes, the farm is looking good. We’re managing our money well and if we keep this up there will be reserves to buy another cultivator early next year.”
“That’s great news.” Their father flipped his packet of papers closed.
“Yeah, when we do that, I found this guy who refurbishes old equipment. I’d like to try him first, see what he has. Some of the older models are actually better. They’re tested in operation,” Garrett said.
They all agreed Garrett could handle the purchase when the time came and Makenna filled Garrett and their father in on The Yard. It was doing incredibly well and was poised to make a profit in only its second quarter. Logan wasn’t sure why good news tended to make him more nervous; it must have been the whole negative and positive energy thing again. After a round of coffee cup and Coke glass clinking to celebrate the good news, Libby, accompanied by Paige—who was now wearing a frilly apron—dropped off their breakfast. Paige paused for a moment so she could kiss her mom on the cheek. Kenna beamed and they all put away the money talk and passed around stories, gossip, and thoughts on the upcoming holidays. To no one’s surprise, Garrett shared that the ballet teacher he’d dated for all of six days didn’t work out. That led Makenna to ask the question that silenced the table.
“Dad, have you ever thought about dating?”
Garrett got the same look on his face he used to get when Makenna would ask him to pick up some tampons on the way home from work when they were younger.
“What? Why the hell would he want to do that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. He’s a man. He’s been single for over twenty years. What do you mean, ‘why?’ You date half the damn female population. Why should Dad be any different?”
“Yeah,” their father added with a smile, “why should I be any different, lover boy?”
Garrett shook his head and poured more syrup on what was left of his pancakes.
“Okay, are you serious, Dad?” Logan asked.
“I’m just giving him a hard time. Kenna, I can’t say I have thought much, or think now, about dating.”
“Really? I mean don’t you want to have someone to be with, someone to love and, you know, be physical with?”
“Holy hell! Do we need to be having this conversation?” Garrett looked like he was in pain. “I’m kind of visual, Ken and some of this shit I can’t unhear.”
“Oh, grow up. I’m just curious. It’s been the four of us for so long. I’m simply talking about Dad’s individual life.”
“And I appreciate that, honey. It’s nice that you still think of your dad as a human being. Truth is, I’m busy. I like what I do and sure I get lonely sometimes, but I have a full life. I’ve got you guys.”
“You get lonely?” Logan asked.
“Sometimes.”
“Well, give one of us a call next time that happens. I’ll take you to a movie. Can this little talk be over?” Garrett pleaded looking at Makenna.
“Jesus. Fine. Let’s talk fertilizer.” Makenna handed her glass to Libby’s daughter for more Coke.
“Now that’s a great idea.” Garrett finished chewing his last bite of pancakes.
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