Finally the next chapter. This took me a while...not sure why...the next chapter may be based on iFight Shelby Marx depending on what you think. Only Sam would be fighting of course :p
Sorry for any mistakes. I always do a spelling an grammar check but sometimes it's hard to read over a whole chapter you just typed up.
iOwn Nothing! But Nathan and Tanner and Kyler and Dannler! ...I just noticed all the -ERs...)
"Hi Carly…," he looks at me, right in the eye. "Sam." He smiles, kind, warm, just a how a dad is supposed to.
He's tall…my dad is tall, taller than Spencer (who has pretty much been the only father figure in my life that meant anything). His arms looked like how…I can't even describe it…like if you could take a small chunk of Earth and bend it…his arms would look like that. Not gnarled or ugly, but strong, like the earth. Muscles made of slim wires of strong metals that tightened and wound under the skin.
He had those hands that proved he worked to make his life what it is today. Like he's been working since he could lift his hands and make them move because he wanted them to. They looked like they could punch through and iron grate, but like they were gentle enough to make a small flower from still hot glass. Careful enough to take care of a child.
His shoulders were broad, but they seemed to have a weight…like he was Atlas holding up the world. And for all I knew about him he could be.
Everything about him spoke of power and care and tact. Everything my mother hadn't been for sixteen years to my brother and sister.
I finally take in his face. He has a laughing face, carved of marble. He's smiling down at me now, it's nice. His cheeks have dimples, like mine and Melanie's. I can see why mom said we have the same eyes. They're the same shade of blue/green that always seems to change color depending on the mood. Like my eyes, Melanie and Nathan have mom's eyes…only slightly plain (just like she usually is). But he and I…our eyes have that twinkle…that spark of laughter with that twist of mischief and creativity just underneath.
His hair is blonde, only just curly and just over his eyes; the rest is tied back with a few loose strands. It's the exact same shade as mine with a few spots of brown here and there that make people think we dye. Only we don't, it's just a natural thing for us. Melanie's hair has a few sports like it but hers are a lighter tone. Nathan's hair is just golden blonde. His chin has a small glaze of stubble on it.
Give or take…if I were a grown male I'd be my father's spitting image. And even as a young teenager I still look a lot like him.
Of all the things I'd picture my dad to look like…this had not been it. My images were of jail cells or a strict businessman kind of deal. Not this man of height and muscle with his laid back style of a knit blue shirt and black jeans with high-top sneakers. (Now you know why I can pull off blue so well…it's in my blood.)
"Hi." I mumble, not as nervous now.
"You want to sit down and chat or would you both rather we stand till we can't feel our legs?" He was good natured in his sarcasm, his smile grew. And it wasn't uncomfortable…the pain in my chest just told me that I'd missed so much from not having this man as my father actively in my life.
"We'd like to sit." Carly wasn't nervous, she didn't really have a need to be. I didn't either. I don't think I really was nervous…but the weirdness of it got to me. Kids go through this everyday don't they? Find their missing parent…isn't that a TV show?
He nods, turning and leading us towards the section he'd apparently walked to us from. The open doorway he leads us to is streaming sunlight and blowing a small breeze through our hair. I blink and we're on a balcony looking over the side of the ware house. Filled with art works in the making. I spotted Dannler putting in a window on the car he was working on.
Tanner sat at a table made of metal with see through spots of colored glass here and there. "Have a seat." He motions to the free seats.
Carly sits and I sit beside her; it's only slightly embarrassing that my girlfriend is taking all the first steps. But right now I really need her to. "So, how long have you done this?" Carly looks around over the side of the balcony. We're pretty high up…if you fell over…your neck was doomed to snap and your spine to shatter into millions of tiny shards. You'd be doomed to die if you fell from such a height.
"Since I could hold a blow torch properly. Sooo…since I was just about seven. Maybe eight, not so sure anymore." He looks thoughtful, but his eyes shine with pride and love for his life's work.
"Wow, you're really good at it. I loved that flock of birds made from stained glass."
"Thank you, you can have it if you like."
"Really?"
"I made them for Sam and Melanie before they were born (obviously), I was gunna hang them in their room. But…well you know the rest." He chuckles, looking at me with a smile.
I finally spoke, something besides my small greeting of hello. "You made that for Mal and me?"
"Yeah. I was gunna have a whole theme for you two."
"Those birds look way to big to hang in a room."
"They look bigger than they are because of the space they hang from; they would have fit in your bedroom. I suppose now they'd just fit in your living room. Seriously, I can get them taken down and shipped tonight."
I nod. "Can you send it to Carly's place?" I wanted to see it at the place I spent most of my time.
"No problem."
There was a silence. And just like when I argued with Benson…I wanted to say and ask so much but I didn't know where to start or how to end. So I started with something simple. At least to me. "How come you never came around?"
"Your mom wouldn't let me."
"…Why not?" She seemed to love him so much.
"She wouldn't tell me. So I just sent her things I knew she'd need every now and then. Not sure if she ever used the stuff or not." He shrugged, giving a half smile.
So that's where Nathan's crib came from. "Did you make most of the stuff for us before we were born?"
He nods. "Yep, I made those old cribs for you and your sister. I brought them over but she sent me away." He looked thoughtful but sad.
"…Are you gunna come around now? Mom misses you a lot."
He gives me a smile; something I've seen on Spencer's face when he looks at Carly after she gets another great grade…it's wistful. Like…'when did you grow up?' or 'I miss this.' That kind of smile you get when you realize something good…but it's so sad.
"Still planning on it. Maybe at Nathan's birthday this year."
I smile back, just as wistful. "I think he'd like that a lot."
He puffs out a breath of laughter. "So…anything else?"
There were still a few things I wanted to know… "Do you have any brothers or sister I don't know about?"
"Your uncle Sean. He's my twin. Much more formal, he's a lawyer." He puffs up his cheeks when he talks about his brother's job and make a funny voice, sticking his chest out and acting like he was Superman. It made Carls and I laugh.
"You have a twin too?" I grin.
He nods, letting the air in his cheeks escape up as his head fell back and he looked at us again, his chest seeming to deflate like a popped balloon in slow motion. "Identical, they run on my side of the family. A few cousins are twins, my grandmothers are twins." He answers.
"Cool." I breathe. I wasn't nervous anymore…just happy. And I felt more like Sam than like 'Sam'. It was a nice feeling.
"So…" he looks between Carly and I. His blue eyes keen and full of 'know'…about what I'm sure everyone can guess. "How long?" He asks with a smirk.
Carly gives me a confused look, I just smile. Because now I'm back in the game. I'm three steps ahead. But something tells me he's just a step ahead of me.
"Just a bit over a month." I answer easily, smiling wider when I hear Carly give a breathy 'Oh' when he chuckled with a nod.
"Nice and I suppose it has its perks huh? Knowing each other for so long."
I nod. "Sure does, how long were you and mom friends before you got married…or whatever it is you did."
"We were friends, and then we were married. I knew your mom when I was thirteen and she was twelve. We started dating in high school, we got married after college. And we're still technically married I guess." He explained, sighing and getting that wistful look again.
I wasn't expecting that…all this time…all this time she'd been trying to prove she was worth my father. And even after all this time she was still trying, true she had given up for a time but under it all she was still trying so hard. Trying so hard to be on equal ground when she didn't have to try at all. "You love mom?"
"Of course I do. She knows that. But she has this crazy idea she won't tell me about, but she always makes a comment every time we meet. Like she thinks I'm better or something. It's crazy."
I don't comment on it, mom wouldn't want me to. So I settle for something easy and more like myself. "Cool."
"Okay, no more uncomfortable talk for today." He smiles, lips curling up. "How about I show you around the shop and order some pizza or something?"
…Dude, where has this guy been my whole life. "I love that idea. Can we get wings?"
He scoffs, like he was planning on it anyways. "Of course."
I lean forward, eager. "What about ham topping?"
"Course!"
This sounds nuts….though maybe not for the kind of person I am but I like to dip my ham pizza in gravy. What? Ham tastes good with gravy! So do chicken wings. "With gravy for dip?"
He furrows his brow but still smiles. "What are you crazy? Can't have ham pizza and wings with no gravy! And the mix up will be good for dinner."
"What's for dinner?"
"Steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. Once we mix in the wings and ham taste it should be pretty nice." He grins.
Where has this dude been my whole life man! This is awesome! "Let's do this!" I grin, only letting go of Carly's hand to give a hyper clap before taking her hand again.
"Yeah!" He laughs, standing. "Dannler call the pizza place!" He shouts over the edge.
"Ham pizza with wings and gravy again?" Dannler calls back. Tanner shoots a glance of embarrassment at us before answering his assistant.
"Alright…let me show you where I work." He claps as Carls and I stand.
He shows us all his old projects. Paintings that were painted with melted down metals of different colors. Some were cheetahs in motion, some were people with animals.
The first metal tree he ever made. It was small, with winding skeletal limbs and a rickety trunk.
The first car he reassembled sat in a far corner of the room filled with his old projects. Its royal blue skin held a small layer of dust. I think it's a Ford…or was it a Fred…I was bad with cars.
He had things like Spencer's Bottle Bot, only made from other things. I don't think there was any objects here made from bottles as the main idea.
We were led around the ware house and showed objects he had up for sale, good looking things, scary looking things.
…Strange looking things.
He had a giant skull top carved from stone with huge metal plates melted into it. The eye sockets were filled in with stained white glass, the iris of the eyes were blue and the pupils were shrunken to points of black with a white spot in the middle. The effect left you with chills…those wide staring eyes…like a dead giant buried in the sand.
Dannler came in later after we'd seen only half of the work shop with pizza and wings. We sat outside this time. You know…you'd think sitting in a yard full of half-baked works of art and a giant yard of 'junk' sitting just a few several feet away would be kinda…awkward. Or maybe it'd make you feel cheap. But it was actually really nice.
And Carly was smiling and laughing with my dad and his assistant. "So how many people work here with you?" She asks, and I look over, curious to know too.
"Three others. Two lady's into the welding business at college and another boy who is working to get credit for college early." He answers.
I nod, glancing at Carly. "Nice." She giggles, nodding too.
"So, sorry if this is nosy, but I was wondering what you were like back in high school." She knows all the things I want to ask, most likely because that's what she'd ask if she hadn't met her father…or mother.
Tanner laughs, shaking his head as he swallows the bite of food in his mouth. "A bit of a trouble maker. I caused lots of trouble…though somehow passed every class even though I never really went." He looked thoughtful.
"You never went to class and you passed? How'd you manage that?" I laugh.
He shrugs. "I got some notes from other kids and only took the tests. Got Cs and Bs in every class. Got an A+ in gym though." He sighed, smiling fondly with yes turned skyward. "I loved throwing bigger kids over my shoulder. And Dodge Ball was always a favorite."
There was a pause…I was just like him! Besides the grades anyways. "You're huge…you must've been at least a few inches shorter than that in school." I laugh.
He shakes his head, looking at me with a smile. "Nah, I was your height in school."
I grin. "I'm learning so much about myself right now."
That whole trouble making spark, mom had said I got it from my dad…but I had never met him and she was always doing bad stuff…I thought I was copying her. But this whole time I was just acting how my dad did….my troublemaking ways are in my blood! I have an excuse!
He laughs and we make less interesting chatter through the rest of lunch.
Dannler's school life.
What working at a place like this was like.
How many accidents had happened. (A lot…apparently someone lost a limb here once; lucky they didn't sue because it was the guy's fault.)
After we finished he showed some more of his art projects and he even took us into the junk yard and showed us some of the machinery.
You have to be super careful around this stuff…like that guy who lost his arm; one wrong move and you're done.
This was just so cool! My dad had an awesome job that gave him a lot of things…and it was like…mind blowing.
We sat outside to eat dinner, ordered out my Dannler again. It was just about six, the sun was going down fast. Carly sent my mom a text halfway through the end of dinner.
And finally it was time to go. I headed to the front with Carly, but I turned back to Tanner as Dannler started closing down the ware house for the night.
"I had a lot of fun. Me and Carly did I mean."
He nods. "It was great to finally meet you Sam." And now it was only just almost awkward. "I hope you visit again soon."
"I will. Maybe Nathan and Mel will come with me."
"I'd like that. Oh and I'll have those birds sent to Spence, he should be able to set them up, being a sculptor himself and all." Did artists have like a special meeting or something they went to? They all seem to always know each other.
I nod. "Great."
And now the awkward moment set in. I didn't want to say it, because it may hurt him…but I had to make something clear. "Look, I know you're my dad and all…but I don't think I can call you that yet. I mean…,"
He raises a hand. "I get it. Trust me. No pressure or anything and no rush. It's a lot to take in. I understand that more than your mom."
I nod. "Thanks…so I guess I'll just call you Tanner until I can call you that. Or Mr. T." I joke. He laughs, making me laugh.
"Whatever you're comfortable with is fine." He holds out his hand. I shake it. "Firm grip." He compliments.
I smile. "Thanks."
He could hold my hand in his and all you'd see of mine were the fingertips and my wrist. He could crush my hand if he wanted. But his grip is firm and gentle, like he knows how strong he is. How could he not? He bends metal and burns it down with these hands. There are small calluses on his fingertips and his palm.
"Tell your mom I said hi." We let go and I nod.
Carly is already buckled in and waiting patiently. When I strap myself in she takes my hand and mom starts to drive away. She asks how our day went and I look through the back window with Carly as she speaks about it absentmindedly.
He's standing there…the giant metal doors make a loud clanging sound as they slam shut and I see Dannler walk up and stand beside him. They wave, smiling, before turning away and finishing closing up shop.
And even when we turned the corner and Carly sat looking forward again I kept staring out the back window. Like I couldn't bring myself to look away from something that was already gone.
"Dad said Hi mom." I mumble, still staring hard through the window, only now I'm looking more at my reflection as the sky turns gray and starts covering Seattle with cold drops of hard water.