The heat is on

 

Chance wondered why his parents were still here. It was just so out of the ordinary to see them so often. Of course, they liked to show up without calling ahead.

"When are you guys going back?" Chance wondered if his brother knew. Just how long could they live in his brother's basement. "Don't you miss the ocean?"

"I don't miss it as much as you'd think," his dad shrugged. "It's too expensive."

Chance nodded. It sounded funny coming from someone who had raised him all these years in Hawaii. "But, it'll be cold come winter."

"I grew up in Seoul, your mother knows how cold it can get." His dad assured him. "We've sold our home. Now, we are just waiting to find us a good place here." It sounded as if it was settled.

"I don't guess you'll be getting a tiny house," Chance grinned. About then Rosie brought out cold drinks under the shaded area where they had a picnic table. 

"No, I don't think so. We'd like to be close to you boys."

Chance nodded.

"There are good hospitals here," Of course, his parents were too young for assisted living, but if they could find a condo that was on the ground floor that would be nice. "Your brother is looking into it."

Chance figured as much from Casey.

"No, your other brother Torry."

"Torry?" Chance winced. Funny, the brother they came to visit all those years ago, they hardly saw him anymore. He was busy teaching art or working on murals on old buildings in small towns. The guy was always busy with his partner Arlo. Torry was still waiting for his longtime girlfriend to get her memory back. Unfortunately, she was also paralyzed and had been sick with COVID at the assisted living place where she lived.

It would be weird having the whole family together for the holidays. There always seemed to be one of them missing.

"When are you two getting married?' His father finally piped in.

Chance tried to smile. He scratched the back of his head, but Rosie reached for him with a hug.

"Your mother and I married young," he said.

Honestly, he thought his dad was exaggerating. After all, his dad had Torry a few years before he even met Chance's mom. From his understanding, his dad was teaching at a University and his mom was a foreign exchange student from mainland China. 

Chance winced wondering if his dad had forgotten this, or maybe it was just an excuse. His dad acted as if he'd help them if they got married by September.