Page 6 of Wild Mistake
I grin.
“Uncle Aiden!” My nephew, Zach, shouts from behind his father.
“Aiden!” Maeve, my sister, shoves past our brother and wraps herself around me. “You’re here! I didn’t think you were gonna make it.” She releases her hold and steps back, pulling me inside before closing the door.
“Yeah, well, my plans changed.” I smile, knowing everyone in the room is staring.
“I’m glad they did.” Ryan meets my gaze and pulls me in for a hug. “Damn, brother. It’s good to see you.” He pats my back.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” I take a step back and announce the news I’ve been dying to share. “Because I’m moving back. Permanently.”
“You’re joking.” Jackson, our youngest brother comes over to join the conversation.
“Swear on my life,” I say, pulling him in for an embrace.
“Everyone’s moving back!” Maeve gives a little clap, a genuine smile plastered on her face. “First Val, then Sarah, and now you!”
“Sarah’s back?” With that one piece of information all the excitement I had about moving home is sucked from my body.
* * *
When you leaveactive duty to return to civilian life, they warn you everything is different. That it can be overwhelming to move into old spaces because everyone has moved on. They’ve changed. You’ve changed. That there will be times you actually miss life on the base.
I get that now.
Within the first fifteen minutes of my return, I find out Sarah is back, Ryan gets engaged to Val, and I have a conversation with my father that breaks my heart.
Overwhelm doesn’t come close to what I feel. The house is too full, there’s not enough air in the room, and I swear everyone is staring. I need space. I need to think. The first chance I get, I slip out onto the porch.
The cold air is exactly what I need. Closing my eyes, I take a few deep inhalations. My pulse returns to a normal pace, but my mind is a jumble of questions.
Why did I stay away so long?
Is Pops always this confused?
When did he start looking so old?
Fuck. I’m old.
And Sarah is back, with her boys and living at her parents’, which has to mean . . . she’s not married anymore. Right?Why does that idea excite me?
What the hell am I doing? Maybe I shouldn’t be here. Did I make a mistake?
“Hey.” Ryan’s voice startles me. He walks across the porch and joins me, staring out at the garden Mom used to take so much pride in. It’s empty, but it’s winter, so I guess it should be.
“Do you still plant her favorite flowers?” I ask the easiest question that comes to mind.
“Always.”
This place isn’t the same without her. I feel a pang of guilt for not visiting more when she was alive. I thought I had more time. I never expected she would pass away so young. Cancer does that.
“Pops isn’t the same without her,” I say, unease churning my gut as I recall him asking if I’d seen my mother just minutes ago.
Ryan sighs and scrubs a hand down his jaw but doesn’t respond.
“It’s more than that, isn’t it?”
Ryan nods. I wonder if he’s going to leave it at that, but after a few moments he says the words I expect, but hate hearing. “It’s dementia.” Ryan scuffs his boot along the floorboards. “He’s going to get worse. There’s no way to reverse or stop it. Right now, one of the main goals from his team of doctors is to slow the progression.”
