The Transplant ✔️

24. Better Late Than Never

Jobe's POV:

I spent last night in the eyes of a woman I couldn't have, and could barely touch. Jolie Drake had once been a girl I barely knew, but thanks to an unconventional meeting given by my father, she was the girl I couldn't afford not knowing.

I hated to get out of bed, wanting to spend more time thinking about Jolie, but I had too many plans for the day. I was going into town to change the locks of my door. I couldn't have Lisa or my father wandering around my house anymore, and if by chance Jolie would ever show up, I didn't want our time as friends to be interrupted.

I lazily got out of bed, not bothering to change my clothes as I walked outside to check the mail. Usually, the maid was in charge of the mail, but I decided to lift the burden off of her for one day.

I stepped outside onto the gravel, my bare feet getting soaked from the ground being saturated from last night's random downpour. With the high wind gusts of last night and the mystical, purple sky, you'd swear there was a tropical storm coming.

I was a yard away from my mailbox when my father's truck edged onto the side of me. What does that man do, wait here all night until I come out of my own home? That's almost as bad as my stalking episode with Jolie.

One of the back doors opened before the truck engine had time to cut off. I could see small tennis shoes under the door, and knowing exactly who it was.

"Avie." It didn't take long for her to grab onto me for a hug, only reaching a little above my knee.

"Hey, Jobe."

I grabbed her under her arms and picked her up to hold her.

"Hey, girl, what have you been up to?" I asked.

"Nothing, daddy came to check on you...again. I came to see you too." She said.

"You did? I missed you; it's been a few few days since you've come over." I looked over Avie, reluctantly waving at my father, who didn't bother to get down.

"I know, I missed you...and Jolie. Remember our pillow fort? That was so much fun!" Avie smiled, her teeth red, from what I assume was her favorite cherry slush that she has to have at least once a week. Dad was undeniably against junk food, but Avie was the princess and she fought for what she wanted until dad got tired of it. All I have to tell Avie is way to go; I wish I would've learned her techniques earlier.

"It was fun. We will all hang out again, I promise." I set Avie onto the ground so I could talk to my father. With no intention on coming out of the truck, I knew his goal was to force me to go up to the driver's side so he didn't have to move.

"What's up, pops?" He hated when I called him pops.

Instead of having to knock on the window, which I assumed I was going to have to do, Dad finally slid the window down.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. You didn't answer your phone yesterday evening and I was afraid you might have been having one of your parties again. You know you can't afford to have the cops over here." My dad ran his hands through his short, brown hair, then turning the vents from the truck onto him so he didn't sweat. I swear, he's such a girl sometimes.

Dad might have accused me of a party, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Yesterday was spent with Jolie, and thoughts of a party weren't even there. At one time, I had a party every week, and if I didn't have one, I was going to one. I was living a totally different life now, and he needed to acknowledge that.

"Dad, I'm not having a party, not doing drugs, and not doing anything illegal. I have my priorities straight because I know what I needed to do to change."

"Are you really changing? After years of trying to get you to change, but now  out of the blue you change? Is it her...the girl? Is it really because of Jolie?"

Just then, a mustang pulled over on the side of my father. Great, now Lisa was here.

"Dad, I gotta go. Avie, get in the car with Dad."

I knew I'd have to kick my dad out but now I have to get rid of Lisa too. This day just kept getting better.

I needed to collect my thoughts for a while, go to town and get some fresh air. I couldn't do that if I was surrounded by these people.

**

The first place I stopped was the hardware store to get a set of locks for my home. After the deed was done, I drove over to the grocery store and put some of Jolie's shopping advice to good use. I wasn't an independent shopper, but at least I remembered most of what Jolie had told me.

Surfing through the laundry aisle, my eyes landed on Arty, the heartbroken man that started a bar fight because of Lisa. I should've been mad seeing him there, but something inside of me wanted to thank him for getting me into the mess I was in.

Instead of ignoring Arty, like my father would advise, I took my chances and went toward Arty.

Arty's face didn't hide his lack of amusement, but I'd take it as a good sign that I hadn't gotten hit yet.

"Hey, Arty, I know you don't want to talk."

"That's an understatement." He barked.

"Wait, come on man, don't be so hard on me. I didn't know Lisa was your girlfriend, and I certainly didn't go to the bar for a fight." I explicitly explained.

"You took my girl, bro. How can I ever forget about it?" His face softened, one more of pathetic sadness than an angry disdain.

"Lisa isn't a one man type of girl. If you want a serious relationship, she's not the right person for you. I am the guy of the moment for her, and you were for some time as well. I used to be like her, in a way, which is why I decided to get with her. But I'm a different person, more mature, and now I know the minute you said that Lisa was your girl, I should've backed off. I'm really, truly sorry."

I should've apologized a long time ago, but it's never too late.

Arty raised his hand, and I was getting ready for a nice mark on my cheek, and I was going to let it happen. When nothing came, I realized Arty held out his hand to me, as a sign of truce.

"I went overboard and shouldn't have attacked. Men like us can own up to mistakes and put the past where it needs to be. I forgive you, bro."

I had gotten great advice from the man I least expected. Arty reminded me that my past could be forgiven, but forgiveness started with myself.

Maybe if I learned to forgive myself for my wrong doings, I could be the person my father, and I, wanted me to be. And, if I was lucky, Jolie would see it too.