Touching Scars(91)

Kat’s mouth dropped open, and I think mine was somewhere on the floor too. “What do you mean you’re putting my name on the deed?”

“I’m giving this place to the two of you.”

“What?” I asked. Was he off his rocker?

Ed’s smile grew wider. “Listen, I own this place free and clear. I bought it back in the nineteen fifties. Rose and I paid it off right before she passed and I’ve run my course with it. I’m too old to be running a bar anymore. I’d like to give it to you two to run and care for like Rose and I did.”

I looked over at Kat, whose eyes were brimming with tears. “You’re giving me the bar?”

“Yes.”

“And Timber?”

“Yes.”

“Just like that?”

He chuckled. “Yes Kat, just like that. I’ve come to love you like a daughter, and I’m happy that Timber has come to take such good care of you. I’m ready to pass this place on, and I couldn’t think of two better people.”

“What about Beaver or Mel?” she asked.

“What about ‘em? I love those two too, but neither of them cares about this place like you do.”

I looked at the white haired old man that was so generously handing over not one, but two things that he cared for, to me — Kat and The Hole. “What are you going to do?”

“Oh, I figured I’d go explore parts of the world I haven’t seen yet. Gotta do it while I’m still young.”

Kat and I both laughed. “I don’t know what to say, Ed, except thank you.”

He nodded at me. “Here’s a pen, and here’s the stack that I need to stick back in the mail so it can be filed with the city clerk.”

My girl sniffled beside me and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head. We went through at least two dozen papers, signing and initialing by each little sticky note. When we were done, Kat got up and rounded the bar, walking straight to Ed. She threw her arms around him and cried into his neck.

“You’ve been so good to me, Ed. I love you.”

He put his hand on her back and patted her lovingly. “I love you, too.” He pulled her away from him and coughed a few times. The old guy was trying not to choke up. “Alright, you two, I better get going. I’ve got my first plane to catch out of Houston, and I still need to drop these off at the post office. I’ll stop in to check on things every once in a while.”

“You’d better, old man,” I said, and Ed laughed.

Kat and I both saw him off and then came back to the stools we’d been sitting on. Her dazzling hazel eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Holy shit, we own this place.”

Holy shit was right. I’d have never expected this was what he wanted to talk to us about, but either way, I was happy about it. After I’d left the oil field, it was bought up by a larger company less than a week later. Roger had told me that my job was still available, but I’d had to decline. I wasn’t sure if working the rig was what I wanted to do with my life and it kept me away from Kat for too long during the day. Making that decision wasn’t hard, but figuring out what I was going to do next was. I was certain of only one thing, and she was sitting right next to me. Ed’s surprise landing in our laps was exactly the answer that I didn’t know I was looking for, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Hey, you?” I nudged her with my shoulder.

“Hmmm?” She was still dumfounded, looking around the place like she’d never seen it before.

“I say we christen the place.”

She looked over at me and smiled a devious little smile. “Where do you have in mind?”

“Well, preferably a place that Beaver hasn’t had his naked ass spread all over.” She busted out laughing. “I’m going to try my luck and say… pool table.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Pool table, huh. This could get interesting.”

“It could indeed,” I retorted.

“Especially since you’ll need to catch me first.” She took off around the bar, running at full speed to get away from me.

I chuckled at her playfulness. I was delighted to see my girl so happy again. Kat had always been vibrant and full of life. The Adam hurdle was one that we still sometimes worked to climb over, but she was slowly healing.

Kat had decided that she’d held in her secrets too long and it was time for her to talk to someone about it. She’d been seeing a counselor for just over a month now, and it seemed to be working out well. After every appointment, she walked out with her shoulders held a little higher. She was even starting to believe that she wasn’t to blame for the bastard’s decisions. She was a victim, but in the end, instead of running, she’d faced him head on and won. I admired her spirit and tenacity to keep fighting. It made me fight for myself. I’d gone with her to a few appointments and shared the dreams that I’d had every night before Kat. I too had blamed myself, taking on all the responsibility for how my life had played out, when I’d really had no control. Now I know I was meant to be here, with her, and there’s simply nothing more to it. She was my life now.