“Ya know, this reminds me of a story of when I was just a lad.” Pa said to break the awkward silence.

            We both looked to him as if children waiting for a story.

“I was about 10 years old and my favorite dog caught a bad virus that we caught far too late for any medicine to save him. My Pa told me that Jax was suffering as he was. He was going blind and could hardly walk because he was so weak from us trying medicine and the virus beating it down and not working. I don’t recall what he had, but it was sad to see him like that. My Pa told me I was almost old enough to be man of the house while he was out on the farm to protect mama. He then told me that sometimes as man of the house, you have to make decisions that hurt you a lot to make even though it is the best choice to make. He told me that my choices here were to let Jax suffer until he died but enjoy his company a little longer or to let Jax go and let him go to heaven. I was repulsed by the idea, because as my pa had said to let Jax go, he had pointed toward the family rifle. Pa set me down and told me I had ‘til sundown to make a decision on what was best for Jax. He told me he knew I would make the right decision.” Pa explained.

            Sam and I looked at each other, then to Pa.

“It was hard to make the choice huh Pa?” Sam said, touching his arm gently.

            Sam then looked to me and I could tell she understood now, was decisions I had thought through and the end result was saving her life at all costs. I was Saint Rita in her eyes and I couldn’t help but feel much better. 

            We finished out meals and Pa paid the tab. We went our separate ways. We all kept in contact. Heck Sam even showed up for Pa and my wedding. After 5 years of knowing Pa, visiting him and his daughter, I had begun to feel like family and it felt good. One night when he had me over for dinner like he often did, I came in to find a fine dinner with the same kind of bouquet he gave me the first day at the café. He got down on one knee before his daughter who was wearing a fancy pink dress, her favorite dress. Pa was 56 and I was 45, but I would not have loved that man any more than he loved me. He worked the farm until he passed away at 86. He had written a will; to my surprise he wrote the will with his daughter present. The farm went to Samantha.