Yup, yup. Thirty-eight years old, with fifteen years of experience in construction and scaffolding. Theo was expanding the former, which was why we needed to hire at least three new guys.
“If we’re low on construction gigs, I can always use an extra guy on my crew,” I said.
“All right, I’ll make some calls,” Theo said. “When are you off?”
I checked my watch. “In fourteen minutes.”
An extra minute to get out of the building and lay eyes on my girl again.
Nathan had promised he’d drop her off on time.
My brother tilted his head at me. “What’s on the forget-about-reality agenda today?”
I wasn’t forgetting anything. Thiswasmy new reality.
“Video games with Hallie,” I replied. “Probably pizza first.”
I had three good hours almost every day after work when I spent time with one of the kids.
It was the next step in this excruciating transition, to get the kids used to spending more time with us one-on-one. Food, homework, hanging out, then back to the house—in that order. I’d be there for the bedtime routine, read a story or two to Lily, and then I left to return to a studio apartment I hated.
I died there every night.
We shared a pizza on the way to the apartment, and then Hallie finished her homework while I prepared our video game date. The coffee table she’d picked out was my kitchen table, my nightstand, occasionally my desk, and my hallway dumping site.
I’d had a choice when I’d found the place. Use up the space for a comfy bed and a small-ass couch—and never have the kids over. Or turn the single area into a living room. It’d been a no-brainer. The big sectional was also a pullout bed, so if sleepovers happened in the future, I was ready.
Hallie had helped me decorate, but it hadn’t been a fun experience for either of us. Copies of school pictures had ended up on the walls, she’d chosen dark blue drapes and blankets for me, and I’d assembled the tiny entertainment unit for a flat-screen and some macaroni art I’d stolen from the house. Some drawings and clay trinket dishes too.
I didn’t want anything else, and I hoped to whoever listened that I wouldn’t stay here for a long time. A year, max.Max.
After that… Unless Nathan hit his head and decided to take me back, I was gonna have to find a proper house.
“Dad, when are you seeing Dylan?”
“Later tonight when I drop you off.”
“I mean, like this—when it’s just you and him.”
“Uh, on Friday, I think,” I answered, pouring a bag of popcorn into the bowl. “If he doesn’t cancel.”
I wouldn’t blame the kid. Fridays were sacred to teenagers, and I’d already offered to change our day. But so far, so good.
“I don’t think he’ll cancel. He wants to talk to you about something.”
I glanced at her, curious. She was sitting in the corner of the couch, holding a textbook, and I hoped the gossip was juicy. Otherwise, I couldn’t allow her to stall the damn homework.
Hallie smirked. “He told Dad last night that he wants to join the military after high school.”
Uh…
I squinted, wondering if this was separation-related.
Hallie had been easy in terms of Nate and me knowing how to handle her, ’cause she made shit very clear. When she was sad, she showed it. When she was pissed, she slammed the door. Dylan, on the other hand… He stewed in silence, whether he was upset or angry or just annoyed.
We’d been making progress lately, though. Nate and I had tapped into their language by embedding questions into activities. When Hallie and I fought zombies together on a TV screen, she was weirdly talkative. I could ask her almost anything. And when Dylan and I went to the driving range a couple times a week, his guard was lowered. As long as I never lost my patience, I could get a good sense of his mood.
Nate shared a similar dynamic with them, only he went swimming with Dylan and took Hallie out for ice cream after soccer practice.
