Jessie Pinkham [Pinkham - Pursuing Happiness

Special thanks to Katy, for making this a better story and reminding me to put away my x-ray machine.

And to my husband, who patiently listened to me talk about this book for months.

A nother Fathers Day over. Matt held up his cup in a mock toast before downing the last of his soda. Or it will be, once I get to bed.

The holiday was an unpleasant reminder for a slew of reasons. He would be glad to have Fathers Day done with so he could go back to a world that wasnt chock full of praise for dads.

And now we have eleven months before the rest of the world is celebrating their parents again, added Sarah. Just enough time to build up the strength to deal with it all over. She rolled her eyes. God, I sound bitter.

I think a little bitterness is fair.

Not everyone had a father worthy of being showered with praise, much as Hallmark liked to pretend otherwise. That was why, for the second year running, Matt and Sarah had gotten together to commiserate Non-Mothers Day and Non-Fathers Day. It helped take the sting out of seeing the parent-child bond celebrated all around them, and served as a reminder that they werent alone. How many other people spent Fathers Day trying to avoid all the cheer because it poked at the hollow place in their heart? Probably a lot more than would ever admit it.

She grimaced. Yeah. The last time I picked out a present for my dad, he returned it so he could spend the money on booze.

Sarah had dealt with this longer than Matt. The child of two unrepentant alcoholics, shed bounced around the foster care system from age twelve to eighteen. It was the kind of story at which a few years ago Matt would have sadly nodded and remarked that such things happened when people were tempted by sin, before feeling slightly smug about his own picture-perfect family.

That was before he learned there were a lot of different ways for even picture-perfect families to be screwed up.

I want to go to bed before Deidre gets home, said Sarah. Otherwise Ill have to deal with her pity, and that makes everything ten times worse.

This is why I dont have a roommate. Well, one of the reasons anyway.

You live in a cave.

Matt just shrugged. It wasnt a new debate. Rent in Philadelphia wasnt as bad as some cities, but it was still on the high side for a veterinary technicians salary. To live in a decent neighborhood, you had two options: share with a roommate or live in a small studio. While Sarahs apartment was inarguably nicer than his, the studio was his own. It wasnt spacious and the windows looked out over dumpsters, so nobody was going to call it a fantastic apartment. He was willing to take that if it meant the freedom and privacy of his own space.

Night Sarah.

Bye. Well talk soon.

Dont we always?

She grinned. Yep.

Theyd been good friends for three years now, though theyd known each other over four. As Sarah rightly pointed out, Matt was kind of weird when they first met. At that time, they had nothing in common other than both working toward being vet techs. Matt was still weird, he was well aware, but he and Sarah had a lot more in common now, including dysfunctional families.

On the walk back to his apartment he caught himself wondering about his father. He shook his head. Dont go there. Not worth the mental energy.

Instead, he turned to admire City Hall while waiting for the walk signal. Though hed never claim to be an architecture enthusiast, the ornate building was beautiful, especially when it was lit at night so the white marble almost glowed in dramatic contrast to the dark recesses. There was something to be said for the stateliness of late nineteenth-century public buildings.

He was far enough away for a good view of William Penns larger-than-life statue atop the tower, looking out over the city he founded. At a time when sectarianism ruled, Penn had stood for religious freedom. This liberty was the philosophical foundation of Philadelphia. Modern residents didnt appreciate what Penn had given those settlers in the 1600s, but Matt had an inkling.

He turned around and watched the crosswalk light. Experience had taught him that appreciating urban scenery for too long made a man miss his crossing signal, and subsequently feel rather foolish while he stood around waiting for another opportunity to continue his travels.

Happy Fathers Day, Dad. Thanks for fucking me up.

While Matt had always loved animals, he appreciated them even more once his relationship with his family fell apart and he realized how woefully unequipped he was to deal with the world at large. Animals were so much easier than people. They didnt judge, or keep secrets, or even mind that at twenty-three he had the social skills of a sixteen-year-old when he was having a good day.

Animals he understood. Matt loved creatures of all kinds with the exception of pet tarantulas, which he just couldnt bring himself to appreciate. At work he dealt mainly with cats and dogs, plus a smattering of other mammals because they were the most popular pets. His personal favorites were reptiles, and of all the reptiles in the world, he loved Dex most.

Hey, buddy, he announced upon arriving home, as was his habit. You ready to get out and play?

Dex always was. The bearded dragon had a respectable terrarium, but he enjoyed getting free range of the apartment and particularly loved the custom jungle gym Matt had put together for him. He also considered climbing Matt good fun. When motivated by a treat on Matts shoulder, Dex could make very good time up his arm.

Between the habitat and the gym, Dex took up a good chunk of the apartment, along with a not insignificant percentage of Matts limited spending money. He was worth every square foot and every cent. There was nothing like coming home, lifting the cover off Dexs habitat, and having the beardie scamper up his arm in greeting.

As usual, he read and watched Dex play for an hour or so until it was time to make dinner. Cooking with Dex free in the apartment, hed learned the hard way, was a bad idea. The bearded dragon was entirely too interested in the process and how he might work this out to get extra treats. When combined with his natural proclivity for climbing, this made for a dangerous situation. After nearly chopping off one of Dexs toes some months back, Matt now made sure to secure his pet before cooking.

He took stock of his refrigerator and concluded that he really needed to go grocery shopping. Lacking inspiration, he decided to throw together a stir-fry with frozen veggies and a fresh zucchini which was fast approaching the end of its shelf life. He ate stir-fry frequently because rice and frozen vegetables were cheap, and he could scramble an egg for protein. He set aside a small piece of carrot to thaw for a treat with Dexs usual dinner of greens and crickets. Dex was a bit spoiled.