A good example was my ‘physically fit’ goal. Uncle John had shown me yearbook pictures of people in his high school class and then their photos from his ten-year reunion. Seeing how many of them looked out of shape or carrying too many pounds had made me realize that it was a lifelong goal. It wasn’t just something I would do while I played sports.
“I’ve been put on notice that I can’t send you on a blind date this week. You have to take Zoe,” Tracy said.
I thought about Zoe, and that sounded like a good idea. In my mind, I had slowly been moving her into the ‘friends’ zone. It seemed to link back to our conversation about religion and sex. Since that conversation, we hadn’t been intimate. We needed to decide what kind of relationship we wanted to have. I did know that she had a sexual bucket list. But I wasn’t sure if she and I would work on that list or if she needed to find a nice Mennonite boy to settle down with. I was sure that was her mom’s preference.
Tracy also told me I had to spend time with my baby mama. Pam was feeling fat after having our son and needed to be reassured that she was still attractive. I just snorted at that, because I’d told her she was beautiful every day since she’d had Coby.
Mom had pulled me aside and explained that I had to be extra careful if we had sex when that time came. Apparently, a woman’s body knew it was in baby-making mode right after the birth of a child, and it was easier to get pregnant. I thought it was an urban legend and more likely caused by the woman being in a stable relationship where sex was involved. If you weren’t careful the first time around, you probably weren’t going to be careful the second.
If I hadn’t intended to take my mom’s advice, her follow-up argument had sealed the deal. She had told me she would take both Duke and me to the vet if I got
I’d teased her with her dream grandchild produced from Beth and me, and I think she envisioned the wedding bells for about half a second. Then she gave me a look that sent Duke and me to my apartment.
I kissed Tracy goodnight and thanked her for being a good friend to Pam and me.
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Chapter 34 – How Hard Could It Be? Thursday April 21
Cassidy came home with me after our dinner and Japanese class. Tonight’s culinary treat was a simple soup called ochazuke. It was a bowl of plain white rice and green tea mixed with dashi kelp broth, topped with salmon flakes. When they told me about the kelp broth and salmon flakes, I thought it sounded a little iffy. But Cassidy dove right in, and she wasn’t the most adventurous eater. After trying a bite, I appreciated Hana exposing me to the foods I’d be eating when I traveled to Japan.
When we strode into the kitchen, we found Pam and Peggy there with Little David and Coby. Coby was in Pam’s arms and seemed like a happy boy. I smiled when he reacted to my voice. Little David was chattering away. Uncle John and Cassidy stepped into the office to get started while I played Daddy to two little boys.
Mom came into the kitchen with a stack of magazines that had a picture of Pam, Coby, and me on the cover. They’d interviewed me about my troubles last fall with Cal. I’d kept it generic, but Frank had pointed them to the details in the public records. That got me off the hook for commenting on any specifics, since I didn’t want to violate the agreement. I just talked about my feelings, probably my least favorite subject to be asked about. Then I spoke about how my parents had stepped up to support Pam and me. I freely admitted I was too young to be having babies, but at some point, I wanted a houseful.
Pam had surprised me, though I was careful not to mention it. I remembered the Valentine’s Day fiasco, where she’d gone home from New York because she didn’t want to be in the public eye. So I was stunned that she allowed herself to be in the photo for
I walked into the office, and Uncle John handed me Cassidy’s goals.
Cassidy’s Goals:
Become a Marine.
Physically Fit and Help Others Become Fit Also.
Become a Trainer
Protect People Who Cannot Protect Themselves.
Teach David to Protect Himself.
Learn Security.
Travel.
“When you say ‘trainer,’ do you mean a personal trainer like at a gym, or do you mean a trainer like a football trainer?” Uncle John asked.
Cassidy thought for a moment and seemed confused.
“What would be your perfect job?” I asked.
She didn’t hesitate. Obviously, she’d thought about this before.
“Ideally, I’d like to work with someone like you. I would help them get into shape and stay healthy and protect them from harm. I would help them be the best they could be.”
