Rex's Honor by Jen Talty

Author:Jen Talty [Talty, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jupiter Press
Published: 2024-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

6

“Your golf game has gotten better.” Rex took the glass of scotch his father offered and settled into one of the outdoor chairs in front of one of three fire pits. The evening sun lowered toward the horizon.

“I kind of wish yours had gotten worse. You’d think with how little you played, it would catch up to you.”

“I gave you nine strokes.” Rex laughed.

“And I still lost.”

“I once went an entire year without seeing a golf course and was invited to play with my CO. I shot a 70 on a course that was a par 71. My CO was quite happy I was his partner and lived up to my reputation.”

His father shifted his gaze. “I know it took you a lot to come home.” He stared into his glass while swirling the dark liquid. “I appreciate it as much as your mother does.”

“If I’m being honest, I’m glad I’m here. It’s uncomfortable and my emotions are all over the place, but I would have regretted not coming.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

He stared at his father, studying every line on his face. He noticed how he sipped his drink and Rex realized he did it precisely the same way. “I have to be honest here, son. I can’t help but wonder if you would have ever made it back without the nudge from Tilly, which makes me wonder if your mother isn’t right about the two of you.”

“I bought a plane ticket. More than once. I would have gotten the courage to come without you sending Tilly.”

“You say that, but yet you didn’t get on the plane. It took Tilly showing up and dragging your ass home.” His father lifted his hand. “Since your mom got sick, Judy and I have been the ones to take care of her—well, mostly Judy. When it came down to it, I wanted to be the one to come slap some sense into you. It would have been easy for me to leave for a few days thanks to the patience of my lovely bride. But if we’re being brutally honest, I knew that Tilly would be the one who got through to you.”

Rex laughed. “I certainly was shocked to see her, although I knew exactly what her purpose was, and I had my arsenal of reasons why I wouldn’t go ready.”

“What changed your mind?”

“I’m tired of running from the past. Of being angry at all of you. Don’t get me wrong, I still struggle with it. I have a million resentments. I’m not over some of them. But for the sake of Mom, I can move past them and begin to mend fences.”

“Of all my kids, you’ve always been the most sensitive and the first to put up walls. When all this happened, I told your mother to give you space, and she warned me that if we gave you too much, you’d be lost to us forever.”

“Yeah, but if you had pushed me too hard, I would have gone farther away than joining the Air Force.

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