I didn’t say anything, knew that my contribution on the matter wouldn’t be appreciated. As far as I could see, the one and only good thing Gary Dutton had ever done was help create Kayla. Though I’d bet her mother was more responsible for that. After all, Gary didn’t mind putting his burdens on women, so my sympathy for him was limited.

But my care for Kayla was deeper than I cared to even contemplate. So I said, “And your mother is okay with that?”

She gave a low, throaty chuckle, one that made me smile. “Not at all. She is doing her best impersonation of a straitjacket. But I don’t know how long that will hold,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s tough on her. And I know she wants to give him space and defer to him. He has always been the head of our family, and even if she has resistance, she’s followed his lead. So she’s hovering now, the pain of having almost lost him driving her. But soon enough, he’ll go back to their old ways, with my dad trying to work himself as hard as he can. And I don’t know if she’ll be able to push back against that,” Kayla said.

“And he won’t listen to you?”

“Now, Elias, you know he won’t. And what can I say?” she asked, clearly exasperated.

“You haven’t told him about the debt being gone?”

I glanced over my shoulder at her, and she shook her head.

I didn’t press the issue, feeling a sudden burst of anger and annoyance.

Tried to calm myself.

After all, this was new, and not just to her.

We were both trying to feel our way through whatever the fuck this was, so I understood why she wouldn’t want to upset the apple cart, at least not until she had a better idea of where we stood.

And though I had no proof of it, something told me that Gary wouldn’t mind trying to milk a little bit of money out of her.

Probably my bias, but I still had that suspicion.

“You know, your father is an adult. More than. He can make his own choices,” I said.

I listened intently, not sure what her reaction would be, but then I heard chuckle.

“Are you telling me to mind my business?” she said.

“Yes. You’ve done more than anyone could or should do for their parent. At some point, you have to let go,” I said.

A few more tosses of the pasta, and I turned to her. “Dinner’s ready.”

She shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips.

“You’re doling out advice like a meditation app and cooking. I just can’t even,” she said with a little laugh that made my entire body feel warm.

“You said it yourself. I contain multitudes,” I said.