Chapter Four

She gently pats her eyes, "No I was….come on we're blocking traffic." She escorts her son through the crowd of people and he notices his father's car. "Dad's car?" he stops in his tracks. "What's going on?"

"I told you, we're going to visit Dad."

A puzzled look appears on his face, "I thought you refused to go up there," she opens the driver's side door, Robby remains motionless.

"Robby come on, get in the car." She eyes him as he takes a step forward then stops, she continues, "The car has been sitting in the garage for two months, it needs a run."

"Something's the matter. Because I know how stubborn you are and when you make up your mind about something, it's hard to get you to change it."

Alex has to smile at her son's perceptiveness; she leans over the roof of the Mustang, twirling the key ring on her finger. "Your Dad is not feeling well."

He frowns walking slowly toward the car. "He's not feeling well? You mean, like before?"

"No, no," she shakes her head. "No, not like that," she answers assertively.

He opens the passenger door, noticing the two suitcases in the back seat, "We're going to stay overnight at the motel, like the last time?"

"Yes, all weekend, maybe until Monday."

He questions her, "Monday? What about school?"

"Robby you can miss school for a couple of days. Besides I spoke to your teacher, and she will give you extra time to catch up if we need to stay there longer."

"Longer?" He closes the door, "What does he have?"

"He has an infection, in his lungs."

"Is that bad?"

"It….it can be," she pats his arm reassuringly; "He'll be fine." She says lightheartedly. She places the key into the ignition, turning it. She steers the car into traffic and they begin their journey north. Robby removes his DS from his jacket pocket; Alex hears the beep-beep sound as he starts his game. "Robby you know you get car sick when you play your DS in the car, put it away."

He huffs but agrees, nodding his head as he stuffs the hand held gaming system in his pocket. He clicks on the radio and after pushing the buttons fifteen times, he finally finds a song he likes. He opens the window, and then closes it immediately; the traffic noise is drowning out the music. He fidgets in his seat playing with the seat belt. The sound of the music is the only noise in the car.

Alex reaches down and lowers the volume, he is about to object when she asks, "Robby, do you remember Steven? Dad's lawyer."

"Yeah I remember him."

"He phoned me earlier today and told me that Dad was in the hospital and he needs to know that….I'm not sure exactly what the problem is but he needs to see us."

"So, you're not mad at him anymore?"

"I'm not mad at him anymore."

Robby leans forward placing his hand on the volume button for the radio, raising it; moments later, he lowers it, "Mom?"

"Yes Robby."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry, sorry for what?"

"Being mad at you when Dad left, I'm sorry."

She presses on the brake as they approach a red light, "You don't have to apologize Honey, I understand, I really do." She holds out her arm, "Come here," A quick and much needed embrace both wiping their eyes as the light turns green, "Tissues in my bag," Alex says sobbing.

Six Weeks Earlier

"Goren you have a phone call." He removes himself from the small bed and follows Justin Palmer down the hall to the community phone. The hallway is empty of people as he picks up the receiver.

"Hello," he says timidly.

"Hi Bobby how are you doing?" she asks categorically.

"I'm alright," he shuffles his feet, "How about yourself?"

"Fine thank you," he can feel icicles forming on the receiver. "I asked my Dad to do me a favor and take Robby up to visit you, you...you need to talk to your son and explain things."

"Explain things? Where does….what does he know?"

"I explained to him about what happened but he needs to talk to you."

"So what's the problem?"

"Are you deliberately acting stupid?"

He stands erects, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me…." she holds the phone away from her ear feeling the need to scream. She regains her composure then continues, "He's very upset….with me. I can understand why but it hurts me to see him this way."

She can hear him thinking, "I….I know how he feels, when are they coming?"

"Saturday afternoon."

"Fine," he says bluntly. "Am I to assume that you will not be with them?"

"We've already discussed this…."

"No we haven't discussed this you just made up your mind."

"Well you didn't find the time to discuss what was happening with you that night…Bobby I don't want to argue with you now."

"Yeah, fine," he answers in a huff.

"Take care of yourself."

"I will, you too."

"Bobby?"

He blurts out, "What?"

"I love you."

She can hear him expel a long breath, "I love you too, bye Alex." She disconnects the call first. His first thought is to rip the phone off the wall but that won't solve anything, he replaces the receiver softly.

Gainsport Rehabilitation Facility

"Thanks John, I really appreciate this."

"No need to thank me. I was happy do it. My daughter can be very stubborn but I can understand her feelings. I was thinking….there is a great place around here to get ice cream, how about I take a ride around the town, pick up some and," he pats Bobby on his back. "Give you two some time to talk."

Robby watches with intent as his Grandfather and Father shake hands, "Be back in a awhile," John says.

Robby waves, "Bye Grandpa."

Bobby places his hand on his son's shoulder, "Come on, let's take a walk."

"Sure," Robby walks ahead as he looks around the grounds. "This place is huge, the last time we came up here to visit it was winter and we stayed inside."

"I remember," Bobby scans the grounds. "Either time it's not exactly the place I want to be."

Robby stops and stares at the tall chain linked fence that surrounds the grounds. "It says facility on the sign, but it's…." he pauses, sheepishly looking up at his father. "You're….you're not allowed to leave, are you?"

Bobby frowns, surprised at the question, "It was the same the last time, you know that."

"It was different the last time, Mom was here and I….didn't think about it," he stuffs his hands deep in his pockets, "Does that make sense?"

"Yes it does," Bobby, says as nods his head.

"Mom's really mad at you," he shrugs his shoulders, "Why? I'm not sure; it's her fault you're here."

"You know that's not true," he takes a firm but gentle hold of his sons' arm, "It's not her fault it's mine. If you want to be pissed off at someone, be pissed off with me, not Mom."

"She didn't have to call the cops, she could have just…." He turns his head away as he wipes his eyes with his shirtsleeve.

"She did the right thing and I suppose I am grateful for that."

"Grateful? I….I don't understand Dad."

"Your Mom did what she had to do, not only for me but the both of you. I am responsible for what I did and I have to pay for it. She took a stand to let me know that she was not going to turn the other cheek and look away hoping that it would not happen again. Do you understand?"

He nods his head slowly, "Yeah I think I do, it's like when you make a mistake and people just let it go and don't say anything to you so you figure it's alright to do it again."

"Yeah that's right." Bobby says as a faint smile appears on his face. "I wasn't thinking about you or Mom just myself. I left you alone, I'm sorry Robby, I will never do that to you again, I promise."

"Dad I didn't even know you were gone."

"I know, but you see," he places his hand on his chest, "I did, and it bothers me that I did that to you." He points to a bench that sits under a tall oak tree. "Let's sit down." Robby jogs ahead and immediately sits down on the end. Bobby takes the spot in the middle. "I know you're not a baby anymore but I should have been there for you if you needed me and I wasn't. My father well...he use to do that to Uncle Frank and me all the time, leave and not come back for hours and hours. And most times when he did come back, well that meant an argument between my parents," he pauses. "No more of a screaming match, with neither listening to what the other had to say. They were so….so wrapped up in themselves and what they wanted they never had time for us."

He leans back on the bench, stretching his long legs forward. "I use to sit alone in my room and try to think of what I did that would make him treat me like that. Then one day I realized it wasn't anything and no matter what I did or didn't do he was going to treat me the same way."

"What about Grandma?"

"She was always to busy worrying about Uncle Frank."

"Why? He's older than you are."

"Yeah I know," he chuckles softly. "I know who they are and for some reason that night it bothered me, I felt used and unappreciated. They expect me to take care of everything for them," he bows his head, "I….I can't do it anymore. Ah, it's been that way," he chuckles, "Forever. I just want you to know why, I did it. It's not an excuse, because there is no excuse it's just the way it was." He places his arm around his sons' shoulder pulling him closer. "I love you Robby and I want you to know that what I did had nothing to do with you or Mom."

"I love you too Dad." Bobby removes a handkerchief from his pocket, nudging his son, Robby laughs as he wipes his eyes, handing it back to his father who does the same.

They notice a small family of rabbits hopping across the well-trimmed lawn, "I saw a deer up on the ridge over there," Bobby points. "Yesterday."

"Are there any bears around here?" Robby asks excitedly.

Bobby answers, eyes wide. "Man I hope not."

John returns with the ice cream and he notices immediately the pleasant demeanor of his grandson and son-in-law, "It took me awhile to find it but I did." He digs into a small bag and pulls out three bowls of ice cream sundaes. The three generations of men sit and enjoy the warm Saturday afternoon sun, eating their ice cream in a comfortable silence.

TBC