Annie smiles, then looks at the floor and groans. “Leia pooped on the floor again.”

Finally, we’ve found one thing I actually don’t want to help with.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The next day, I stop by Dad’s to pick him up for a follow-up appointment at the doctor’s. Since I’ve been so busy with wedding prep, I haven’t been by his place as often as usual, and of course I’m feeling guilty.

As I lift my hand to knock on Dad’s door, I hear voices on the other side and frown. Dad doesn’t have a lot of other visitors, although he does pal around with some of the other residents here (not the ones he accuses of breaking his TV). But this voice sounds young. It sounds like . . .

I open the door. “Milo?”

He waves and offers up a smile. “Hey. Dad and I were watching . . . uh, what were we watching?”

Dad snorts. “We’re watching the best television show ever made, M*A*S*H.”

“We’re watching M*A*S*H,” Milo says, giving me a wide-eyed look. “I don’t know what’s happening and everyone has a weird name, but the theme song is tight.”

“This is an American classic,” my dad grumbles, and I squeeze in beside Milo on the love seat, thinking about how Nick and I sat here together not too long ago. The three of us sit in almost-silence, and I’m grateful once again for the healing balm of television. Sure, we may have our differences, and my dad may have his bad days, but classic television is a surefire way to spend a little bit of bonding time without talking to one another.

We don’t have long before we have to leave, so I make sure he has plenty of reading material (I don’t know how much he retains, but every week he picks up a few paperbacks from the library truck) and crossword puzzles, then check to see that his fridge is fully stocked.

“I’m just gonna go talk to Milo for a minute in the hallway, but I’ll be right back to take you to your appointment,” I tell him as another episode of M*A*S*H starts.

He stands up and gives me a big hug and a kiss on the head. “It’s so good to see you kids together,” he says, his arms around me. “I’m glad you’re still best friends.”

I meet Milo’s eyes over Dad’s shoulder, and he looks away.

“Be right back,” I tell Dad as Milo gives him a goodbye hug, knowing he’ll probably forget about the appointment by the time our conversation is over.

I shut his door and wait until we’re a respectable distance down the hallway before I turn to Milo. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Visiting Dad,” he says defensively, then gives me puppy-dog eyes that would rival Leia’s. “I knew you wouldn’t respond if I texted, but if I showed up here, you’d have to talk to me.”