A Reason to Exist

Chapter 69

We locked the side gate. Dad took Diesel on the lead and mum and I carried around the dishes of food to next door. Sebastian was there. He brought us through to the kitchen and we placed the food on the bench. Dad took Diesel out their side door.

'Any news?' mum asked.

'Mum just called. He's out of surgery,' Sebastian said, placing his hand on the countertop. 'He's still waking up. But the surgeon guy said it all went well. They were able to remove the cancer.'

'Thank god.' I burst into tears, a tropical storm of grateful.

'It's still a long road to recovery. But they're positive,' Sebastian said, with a new lightness back in his voice.

Dad squeezed my shoulder. Bless that surgeon. The miracle of life is being alive.

'You can put the casserole in the fridge,' mum said. 'The lasagne and bolognaise sauce can be frozen. Let us know if you need anything else. We're just next door.'

'Okay, I will,' Sebastian said.

'Hopefully you'll sleep better tonight, poor darling,' mum said. 'You're close to each other, aren't you?'

Sebastian's eyes welled with tears. 'Yeah,' he said.

'As I said, we're just next door. Please let us know if you need anything at all.'

Back home, dad said, 'Let me take a look at the fence. I'll see if I can do something about it. Have you got any wood about?'

'Darren my gardener left some in the shed. He had some leftovers after he built the vegetable boxes. And there should also be some old lattices in there too.'

'I'll see what I can do.'

It was so weird to look out the window and see my dad in the garden, nailing pieces of wood to the fence, increasing the height. I remembered when I was young and that was a common view and I felt homesick for my childhood.

After dad fixed the fence, mum offered him a cup of tea, but he said he had to get going. 'Thank you for today. And for last night,' mum said. 'It's all been full on.'

Dad nodded his head and smiled. 'I'm pleased you asked for my help today. I'm here, anytime.'

Mum's eyes glistened with a new understanding and she nodded slowly.

'I'll get Macy to call you tomorrow with an update,' mum said. 'She can call anytime. Perhaps we should get her a phone. She needed one yesterday.'

'Really?' I asked.

'Of course,' mum said. 'They're good in an emergency. Actually, they're just good.' She breathed out. Her shoulders softened.

'Leave it with me,' dad said. 'I'll get her one.'

'What about me?' Tate asked.

'I'll get you one for your birthday,' dad replied.

'Cool,' Tate said, smiling, walking over towards dad. 'Hey, I'm sorry Rex hit you. I hope that's the end of it.'

'I hope that's the end of it too,' dad said. The double meaning reverberated. Tate threw his arms around dad's waist and held him.