“Have you spoken with him lately?” Callie asked Scott, trying to keep the despair from her voice. They all hated Jack’s predicament but Callie had guilt on top of it. If it hadn’t been for her, Jack wouldn’t be running around the country avoiding anyone with ties to Victor. And Victor had many ties.
“A few days ago, he had to fire some men from the site he’s working on. He told me about the tricycle and said he’d try and see Jonathan tonight.” Scott owned a large construction company and Jack was able to hop from site to site to keep from staying in one place too long.
Heather sat next to Callie. “Someday it will all work out. They’ll put you-know-who away for good and Jack’ll be able to be here. No more hiding him in the closet.”
Scott tilted his head. “You’ve hidden Jack in the closet?”
Callie laughed. “No, but I keep the few pictures I’ve taken of him and Jonathan over the last couple years in the closet, locked in a box whenever Victor comes over. I should move them back.”
Getting up, she picked up the picture of Angelo and the small photo album she’d cobbled together for Victor’s benefit. It wasn’t shown to Jonathan unless Victor insisted. Sliding it on a shelf, she pulled out the strong box she’d shoved under the extra blankets in the hall closet then set that on the large wooden trunk she used as a coffee table. It was usually kept inside. When her son saw what she had, he lumbered over, a toy car in each hand.
“Dah dee?”
“You want to see pictures of Daddy? We can do that. He wants to be here with you, sweetheart, but he can’t. We’ll think of him though.” She said, these words daily to remind her son who his father was. It reminded her of what they were all missing.
Jonathan pouted but she distracted him by unlocking the box. He crawled on to her lap and she settled the large picture album in front of them. Her throat closed up as she looked at the pictures Jack had taken the day Jonathan was born. It had been the one time Jack had seen his son when he was that small.
Blinking back tears, she remembered the few times Jack had seen his son in the past two years. Each visit had been brief and almost painful. She allowed him to spend every second with Jonathan when he showed up. It was all he would get for a long while.
Passing the pictures she’d gotten from their video chats, she turned to the page of Jonathan’s first birthday. Jack had managed to stop by much later than everyone else. His disappointment that Jonathan was asleep was evident, so she’d suggested he look in on their son while he slept. Jonathan stirred awake and she’d allowed Jack the pleasure of changing the soiled diaper that had awakened him.
They’d played for a short while and Jonathan had been excited to see the man from the pictures and computer and had actually taken four or five steps in a row. It was more than he had ever done. Jack had scooped him up for a bear hug, proud as any dad. She’d captured the moment in a picture.
Those hugs weren’t enough to sustain her son. There was nothing she could do though. The e-mails from her to Jack were frequent and filled with details of Jonathan’s life. But other than a brief ‘thanks’ there was never any mention of Jack’s life. He claimed it was safer that way.
In all their communications, their son was all they ever discussed. No mention was made of the two of them. It was as if their relationship hadn’t happened. But Jonathan was proof it had.
She touched the picture showing Jack snuggling Jonathan against his strong chest as he rocked the baby back to sleep. Callie wanted to snuggle there too. It’d been far too long since she’d been held.
It would be longer still before she could seek comfort in another man’s arms, if ever. Her relationship with Jack was too complicated for any prospective lover to understand. But she’d made a promise to Jack and she’d keep it no matter how much the pain of never being able to have him hurt her. She wouldn’t let her son think his father didn’t love him.
Jonathan became bored with the pictures and wiggled to the floor toddling around the room, checking out his gifts. He passed the book shelf, pointing to the laptop.
“Mama, see Dah dee?”
Callie looked at the clock, it was already six. She’d been so steeped in memories she hadn’t noticed. Getting to her feet, she grabbed the laptop. As she set it up on the old trunk, she smiled at her son. “We’ll see if he’s around. You can tell him about your presents.”
Jonathan jumped up and down in excitement, waving his three fingers again. “I two.”
Heather grinned from her reclined spot on the couch. “You might want to work on the two fingers thing again. I don’t think he’s quite got that number down.”
Callie glared at her friend as she clicked on the video icon. Jack’s, or rather Aunt Agatha’s, avatar was dark. He wasn’t on yet. She flashed disappointed eyes to her son who was still skipping around the room.
Scott’s sympathetic voice drifted to her. “He wanted to see Jonathan today. Said he wouldn’t miss his birthday for anything.”
Callie nodded, willing the little avatar to light up and flash at her. Jonathan scampered around then giggled, squealing, “Dah dee!”
“Soon, sweetheart.” She sighed. “He wouldn’t miss your birthday.”
Jonathan continued chirping his daddy song.
“Hey, pal, Mommy’s right. I would never miss your birthday.”
Callie froze, her heart skipping a beat. Her head turned toward the low voice. Standing in the doorway was the most breathtaking sight she’d ever seen. Jack Holland.
