"What did you want to talk about, Dad?" I ask as I sit down in the worn out red booth at the diner. Remy's was an old family favorite, what with the 50's atmosphere and friendly waitresses in old fashioned uniforms. My dad's graying hair is shadowed in the dimmed lighting, making him look ten years younger. "What do you want to eat, Katie? Your usual bacon cheeseburger?" Jim asks as he glances at the brown and red menu on the shiny table top in front of him. My dad's wearing a red dress shirt, a black leather jacket, and a pair of faded blue jeans. "Dad, don't even try it. I know your tricks." I say as I give him a warning look. He just grins at me as he shoves the menu across the table to me. I take a glance at the menu, already knowing that I'm going to get my usual, as my dad takes a sip of his coffee. "I had a doctor's appointment last week. My doctor he told me I've got mesothelioma lung cancer, It's so advance that the doctor says I have maybe four years to live." Dad says as he folds his hands on the table top. "Oh God, Dad. Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, astonished. "Katie, I needed to let it sink in, and deal with my emotions." Dad explains. "So what's the plan? Do you go through chemo, radiation, or what?" I ask taking his hand. Before he can respond the waitress walks over in her authentic pink poodle skirt, Mary-Jane shoes, and ponytail with a matching pink scarf tied around her hair. "Hi, Mr. Beckett. Detective Beckett. Do you two want your usual?" She asks as she pulls out her little notebook. "Hi, Ginger. How are the kids? And yes, we'll take our usual." I say as I hand her the menu. "They're great. My oldest just started college, the middle one is in high school, and the youngest is in middle school." Ginger says, smiling as she collects the menu and pouring me a cup of coffee before walking of. "Katie, my doctor recommended I start chemo mixed with radiation. He says that over time I'm going to have difficulty breathing and doing things on my own." Dad says as he stars at starts on his coffee.

Three weeks later I have booked an appointment for my dad with a specialist in South Carolina at Fort Marshall. Since his appointment is at the end of the week I have put in for an indefinite leave of absence. Basically, I can be gone for as long as I need and get my old job back without having to go through all the paperwork. Lanie and the boys helped me pack up my apartment, along with my dad's. And I had our doctors send all of our medical records to Mercer Army Medical Center. "So, for how long are you going to be gone, Girl?" Lanie asks as we pack my more important belongings into the back of my car. "I don't know, Lanie. I mean, my dad's really sick and I don't know what the new doctor is going to say." I explain as I push on the top box to shove it in further so I can shut the door. "I wish I could go with you to make sure everything was alright." Lanie complains. "I know. I wish you could too, especially now that Josh and I broke-up." I complain as I draw her into a tight hug. "That man was never any good for you. You need a man who's going to be there for you no matter what. A man that will put you above everything else in his life, that will love you the way you should be loved." Lanie exclaims while holding me at arms length. "I know. I know, Lanie. And I do want someone like that. I want a marriage and kids...the whole thing." I say looking down at the sidewalk as heat floods my face. "Don't be ashamed of that, Girl. It's normal." Lanie chides as she lifts my chin with her fingers. After another hug from Lanie, and saying good-by to the guys, I am on my way to pick up my dad. I pull into the gas station and get forty dollars in gas, then go inside. I pick up a couple of bags of chips, bottles of water, and some little Debbie's snacks. I put the bag on the floor between the front and back seat. When I get to my dad's place I walk up and let myself in with the key I still have from my youth. Dad is sitting there on one of the last barstools in the apartment. Since the dinner Dad has lost some weight, and it's been harder and harder for him to go up and down the stairs, or to walk too far. His clothes are starting to be too big, his skin is starting to highlight his bones. "Morning, Dad. How are you doing?" I ask as I start picking up his bags. "I'm doing okay, Katie. Just...reminiscing about all the memories we have here." He says wistfully.

When I put all of his bags into the car, and Dad has taken his new medication, we are out the door. "Everything we don't need right now, I sent to a storage place near Fort Marshall. Also, I stopped and got some snacks and bottled water." I offer as I pull out into oncoming traffic. Dad doesn't say anything for a while so I turn on the radio for background noise. I tone out everything, just focusing on driving. The drive seems to be going on forever. We don't talk, we just sit there, trapped in our own thoughts. We only stop a couple of times to get gas, food, and bathroom breaks. It is nearing ten that night when I find a motel 6. I pull into a parking space and cut the engine, noticing for the first time that my dad has fallen asleep. The gravel walkway is uneven under my sneakers as I make my way up to the front office on numb legs. Inside it looks like any other motel office. Red and silver walls, with basic worn out tan carpet; plants in the corners and flowers on the counter. The man behind the counter is no older than twenty, with blond hair and a lean body. "Good evening." He acknowledges as I walk up to the counter. "Good evening. I'd like one room with two beds, please." I say as I get my credit card out of my wallet. "That will be eighty dollars. That includes the breakfast bar in the morning." The man announces. I slide my card through the reader, and sign my name. Then I take the key card from the man. "Your room is on the first floor. room five." The man states. I nod and go out to the car. Dad is still asleep when I get back, so I gather our bags and take them into our room. Then I go out and gently wake my dad and help him into our room. I put Dad into the bed against the wall of the bathroom, then I close and lock the door, change into pajamas and get into the bed on the wall closest to the door. Waking up that morning with the sun shining through the slats of the blinds, I get up and take my small overnight bag into the bathroom and have a quick shower. When I am done I get dressed in a clean pair of jeans, a Mets t-shirt jersey, put my hair back into a ponytail, and slip into a pair of black heals. Since Dad is still sound asleep I go out to the hotel office and gather two plates of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and two cups of coffee. When I get back to the room, Dad has just gotten dressed from a shower. I have him take his morning dose of medication, then we eat and get ready to get back in the car to finish the short drive to his doctor.

The drive today is pretty much the same as yesterday, music playing in the background and Dad staring out the window. We make one stop to use the bathroom, about tree miles from Fort Marshall. There is a long line at the entrance gate which takes forever to inch our way along. "Can you turn your lights off and show your ID's?" The soldier at the gate asks while other soldiers search under the car with dogs and metal detectors. I pull out my ID from my wallet and grab my dad's wallet to show his while he sleeps. "He okay?" The soldier asks as he examines our ID's. "My dad's sick. Cancer. And we're here to see his new doctor." I explain as I receive our ID's back. Before we are able to coast through the gate, the soldier hands me a map of the post with the hospital circled with red marker. "Thank you so much, thank you." I respond. As I drive through the winding roads, seeing the different little homes and shops, tones of flowers everywhere, people running in army clothes, and lots of kids running around climbing trees. "This place is beautiful, Katie." Dad whispers. "Jeez dad!" I squeak. He startled me, since I thought he was still asleep. "Look at how peaceful it is hear, the scenery, the clean ocean smell." Dad describes with a smile while watching out the window. Going down what I assume is the main road, I can see a nice rose garden in front of an important looking building, Humvee's are pretty much every other car. "Wow. Okay, this place is different." I mutter under my breath. "Katie, this is a military post. They take rules, image, and loyalties extremely seriously around here." Dad comments as he gets out his paperwork for his appointment. I pull into a parking space in the hospital parking lot. When the sliding glass hospital doors open, a small little girl with red pigtails comes barreling out, crashing into my legs. "Alexis, Darling. Wait for me." A woman exclaims as she comes out of the hospital. The little girl looks up at me with big blue eyes, a sticker stuck to her arm, and a sucker sticking out of her mouth. "Sorry I ran into you." The little girl apologizes as she pats my arm. "That's okay, not your fault." I explain while I unwrap my arm from around the girl. "Katie, I'll see you after my appointment." Dad comments as he walks off into the hospital. "Hello, Dear. My name's Martha and this adorable little girl is my granddaughter Alexis." Martha proudly introduces.