I looked at Tara and bit my lip. “I’m not sure what he thinks is going to happen.” My throat was tight. “He thinks they’re going to have some kind of magical reunion and Mike will be a real dad.”
Tara rubbed her hands briskly up and down my arms. “He has you, right?”
“Always.”
“Then he’s one up on where you were at his age. He’ll be ok.”
I nodded.
Charlie was leaning forward as I drove down the driveway, as if he could push the car faster with his body weight.
“Pal, do you remember before your dad left?”
“Yeah.”
“What did you guys do together?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Stuff.”
“But you were telling me that you thought he would come to your meets, and you would go fishing together now. Do you still think that will happen?”
“Yes.”
I bit my lip. “Charlie—”
“I don’t want to talk about my dad right now.”
We rode the rest of the way in silence, my stomach churning with nerves. When I slowed down to turn into the driveway, I glanced over at Charlie. He had a huge smile on his face. “There’s his car!” He jumped out of the Bronco and ran up the steps, and I followed as quickly as I could behind him.
Mike and Cassie were in the kitchen among the dirty dishes, Mike smoking again, Cassie looking like death warmed over. “Daddy!” Charlie yelled, and threw himself at Mike.
He looked surprised, but genuinely pleased. “Hey, little man, what’s up? How’re things?”
“I missed you, where have you been?” Charlie asked, his voice muffled against Mike’s chest.
Mike laughed a little, then looked at Cassie helplessly, gesturing at his son with his cigarette.
“Charlie, get off him,” Cassie said.
“Come here, pal.” I put my hand on Charlie’s shoulder, and reluctantly he let go of his father and stepped back.
“What are we going to do today?” Charlie asked him.
Mike looked puzzled. “I’m going to watch the ballgame. It’s spring training. I don’t know what your mom has planned foryou.”
“Cable’s out,” I informed him. “Charlie, please go upstairs and put away your stuff.” Slowly, he turned away and picked up his bag. When he was gone, I turned back to Mike. I was trying very, very hard to reel in my temper. “Mike, he thinks you guys are going to hang out today. He hasn’t seen you in a long time.” Start small.
“Well, if the cable is out, I’m going to try to find somewhere that has the baseball game on.”
“Uh huh.”
“Emmy, leave him alone and let him relax. He doesn’t want to have to watch Charlie today,” Cassie said. She rubbed Mike’s neck and smiled hugely at him. “Go find the game, and we’ll call to get the cable fixed, ok?”
I turned and walked after Charlie up the stairs. He was sitting on his bed, holding a Lego spaceship.
“Hi, pal.” He didn’t answer. “I was thinking about going to the beach. You interested? It’s a nice day.” Nothing. “We could ask some of the guys from your class. What about Rocco?”
Charlie shook his head. His face was the picture of misery, and it broke my heart. “Let’s get out of here,” I told him. I had to return the Bronco to Martha and Carl later, but I would worry about that when the time came.
