I blinked, a little stunned. Not just because dad had essentially said that he was moving back to the East Coast. But also because I hadn’t actually known which international anti-crime organization he worked for. Apparently, it was the Drug Enforcement Administration. That explained a lot.
“That’s great news,” I said, recovering. “When will you guys be moving?”
“Actually. That was what I was calling to talk with you about. I’m moving us East next month, and I was hoping maybe you could come down.”
“I would… love that,” I answered, genuinely shocked at the invitation. “I’ll come for a visit after my thesis presentation. And maybe in June, you and mom can come up for my graduation from RhIDS.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Dad said with another wry chuckle. “You made up for a lot when you came down to sit with Doll before her surgery. Maybe she can swallow her pride now and watch you graduate from that art school. Good strategy.”
“Dad, that’s not why I came down.” Irritation made me grip the phone a little tighter. “You left her all alone in Texas. I was genuinely worried about her.”
“I know, I know, sweet pea. And believe me, I’m grateful. That surgery went off without a hitch. But I wouldn’t have ever forgiven myself if anything had gone wrong.” He cleared his throat. “I love your mama with all my heart. You too. You know that’s why I’m moving us back East, right? To help her and be closer to you.”
I lowered my chin, a little weirded out by my father’s emotional statement. We had never been the kind of family that said I love you all the time. It was always just assumed. “Dad, I love you too. But is everything all right?”
“Everything’s better than all right,” he assured me again. “Actually, I was hoping maybe you could come down a little earlier than June. Thing is, the Attorney General’s giving me a lifetime achievement award at this year’s International Law Enforcement Gala. It’s a little embarrassing. I keep on telling them I’m not all the way through my lifetime yet. I’m not even retiring for real. But they say I deserve it, so I guess I have to get all gussied up and go on ahead and accept this award for my service.”
I laugh at his self-deprecation. “Dad, that’s great! Wow! I’m so proud of you!”
“The thing is, your mama has some stuff she has to take care of in Texas. So she won’t be able to join me until June herself. But the ceremony’s in late May. Your brother is coming down for it, and I thought maybe you could too. You free on May 25th?”
I winced. “I’m so sorry, dad. That’s my big thesis showcase. If it were any day, but that day, I’d totally be there. I wouldn’t miss you getting this award for anything. But if I don’t present my thesis, then I won’t be able to graduate with my MFA.”
“You can’t get out of it? Maybe switch dates with somebody else?” My dad sounded legit disappointed.
“No, I can’t. Jacoby Pirelli, the head of the program, said absolutely no switches allowed.”
“Even if your dad is receiving a once-in-a-lifetime award?”
Guilt crashed over me in waves because I couldn’t even tell my dad the worst part. I’d used family as an excuse to get out of so many May 25th events. Jacoby wouldn’t even believe me if I tried to tell him that my former undercover agent dad was receiving a huge award. I was basically the grad student who called wolf.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” I said again, truly meaning it. “Jacoby’s a total hard-ass. He told us at the beginning of the year that there was no getting out of our presentation date, no matter what.”
Dad audibly sighed. “Well, I guess Byron’s better than no family at all.”
The mention of Byron made a new suspicion fire off in my head. Byron had been so worried about Dad discovering he was bi in Japan. But when Dad found out years later, he’d taken it unbelievably well. I’d assumed when Byron told me that we’d both underestimated him.
But now, I had to wonder if maybe his easy acceptance had come with time. Like, way more time than we’d initially thought.
The question needled at me. To the point that I had to risk our newfound peace to ask, “Dad? When Byron and I were in high school, did you…”
I trailed off when the doorbell rang. “I have to go. I’m hosting this grad school thing, and the pizzas just got here.”
“All right, if you change your mind about the ceremony, let me know,” Dad said.
“I will,” I promised, even though there was no way of that ever happening.
The doorbell buzzed again as I dropped my phone back in my tote bag.
Wow, the pizza delivery guy was kind of impatient. I rushed to answer the bell, a little surprised that the guy got all the way to the front door. Usually, Wayne intercepted all deliveries and dropped them outside the kitchen with a sharp rap on one of the windows.
