"I..." I leaned forward, "Now I know I didn't hear that right."

"Yes you did." Dad squeezed my hand. "I want you to take care of her in every way Jason, I want you to not just share her house, but her bed and of course her heart. That's why I want you to start thinking of her as Cynthia, not mom"

I sat there stunned, trying to figure out if this was a bizarre prank. Dad didn't look as if he were kidding and with a sinking feeling in my stomach, I recalled how he had started this conversation; he wanted me to think of mom like..."

"Dad, that's..."...