A love, A Loss, and Peace XIX

I met Erin and his wife Joanne at a steakhouse across town. I ordered a beer and sparkling water while they split a bottle of Merlot. Erin had been taking care of my father for the past few years and I wanted to take him out as a thank you...and I guess now to tell him it's all but done. Erin loves my father, after his own father left his life he grew much closer to mine and I felt guilty for being relieved my father had someone.

Erin smirked when I told him then took a large gulp of wine, he's hurting. "He's so fucking stubborn Natalie", he swallowed the last of his glass. I don't remember the last time my family gathered out of happiness and not a coffin; there are no happy reunions left, just long drawn out good byes. I smiled to myself thinking about my father and how incredibly bull headed he had been...and how he instilled that into his youngest daughter...me.

After dinner I paid the bill and hugged Joanne good night.

Erin and I are headed back to the hospital, he was not about to go home and miss his chance to send him off. Erin's a good man and I almost feel worse for him than my father; when my father goes he will be relieved of all of his pain but Erin will miss the routine of loving and caring for a man he thought of as a father. Erin doesn't understand 'give-up', his mother would move mountains before she ever gave up and he is just like his mother...my father just might have a fight on his hands. Is there a more Irish way to go?