When You're the Captain CH 12
As long as she was in trouble today, Karla figured in for a penny in for a pound. She turned Dans car toward Nancys house. It was time they met face to face and at least talked. There were too many misunderstandings and it was hurting Dan. Not that Karla cared one way or another what Nancy thought of her, but if it hurt Dan it was a whole different story.
She called ahead and asked Nancy if she could come over. "Uh, I guess. Is Danny alright? He's not…."
"He's fine. He was sleeping when I left him a few minutes ago."
"Then why do you want to talk to me?"
"I think it's important and I'd like to meet you face to face."
"My husband is here."
"Good. I'd like to meet him too. I'll be there in about 10 minutes."
"I'll be waiting for you."
Karla hung up the phone and took two turns before she turned the corner of Nancys block. She considered going around it again and decided she needed to get this over with before she chickened out. She pulled her best meet the guys and play nice face on and walked up the sidewalk.
Nancy was well along in pregnancy and looked more than a little nervous. Todd was standing behind her trying to look impressive without looking confrontational. "You must be Karla. I'm Nancy. This is my husband, Todd."
"Hello. It's nice to meet you. Thank you for seeing me." Karla greeted them both affably.
"The boys are at a friends house so we can talk freely." Nancy said. "Please come in."
Karla stepped in and looked around. The house was very nice with polished hardwood floors, expensive furnishings and knick knacks on the tables. It showed a lot of care and work.
"Nice house you have here." She complimented them.
"Thank you, won't you have a seat?" Nancy indicated the living room as though Karla had come by to talk to a friend.
"Thank you. I won't stay too long, I have things I have to do. Dan is coming home from the hospital tomorrow. I have things to get before he does. The reason I'm here is to try to make things smoother for him. I was wrong in telling the boys, Brent in particular, that I'd cuff him to the railings if I had to. I was worried about him being in the crowd and getting hurt. The only experience I have with teenaged boys was the ones I met at the stationhouse. I want you to be assured I would only use such techniques as a very last resort.
I do not consider Brent and David bad kids and I'm sorry if this has gotten so out of proportion. Dan is a wonderful father and he loves his sons very much. I don't want to change any of that. The boys are getting older and the time is coming when they won't want to be around any adults. At least I never did."
Nancy and Todd exchanged a look. "I'm sorry too, for making comments before I even knew what was going on. That was unfair of me and unkind. You have been good for Danny, uh, Dan, he's happy with you and the boys tell me you were not as bad as they thought you were going to be. They expected you to want all their fathers attention and you were cool in the car. They thought I wanted them to dislike you. That's why they were so difficult."
"They weren't that bad and they didn't know me from Adams left ox. It's water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned. Dan is still pretty sore and emotionally under a lot of stress, but I'd like to surprise him and have the boys come over for a little while Saturday afternoon or Sunday if it's alright. It won't be much activity, but I think it would be good for all of them. I can't say I won't be there, in case Dan needs anything the boys can't provide, but I'll stay out of the way if you want me to."
"I don't think that will be necessary." Nancy said. "I appreciate you coming here. What we all want is what's best for the boys. With the new baby coming, it might set off some problems again. They say they're fine with it, but it's going to be an adjustment. We'll have to make sure we are all on the same page."
"When is the baby due?"
"Two more months. A-Are you and Dan planning on having children?"
"I was pregnant, but when I was kidnapped I miscarried. That was a miracle baby. I doubt if I'll ever have another chance. I guess that's what's meant to be. I want this visit to be a surprise for Dan. Should I come get the boys or can you bring them out?"
"I can bring them out." Todd offered.
"Is there anything I can do? For Dan and you, I mean?"
"Just tell me when we make the final arrangements what exactly you've told them about Dans condition so I know what they know and how they reacted. I won't tell them anything you say I shouldn't." Karla rose to her feet. "I need to scoot. I'll call you Friday while the boys are at school?"
"That would work. And, Karla, I'm sorry for your loss. The baby. Dan had to have been disappointed too."
"That man. He still thinks it's possible. And who am I to argue with him."
Nancy smiled and escorted her to the door. "You know, if you want to make a dinner for them that all the guys like, they love to make tacos ala Ross. I'll give you a list of ingredients when you call and you can surprise them. They haven't had those in years."
"Thank you, I'll look forward to it."
Her next stop was the grocer store and she stopped at home to drop everything off, made a strawberry shake for Dan and one for herself, grabbed a bag of cashews for him before she headed for the hospital again.
He was sitting in the chair again impatiently flipping through the television channels. "There you are. I'm ready to go out of my mind here."
"Ah, I bring contraband." She pulled two cups out of her oversized bag and passed one to him. Then she passed him the bag of cashews.
"I am going to have to marry you soon so you don't get away." He told her grinning taking a huge drink of it. "Mmm. That's good."
"All talk and no action, buddy." She teased back.
He gestured her over and gave her a big kiss. "Very, very soon." He said.
"Keep that thought handy. I also brought you a book, but I'm not sure you'll like it. It's a mystery novel, you'll have it figured out before the first chapter is done, but it beats what's on tv and it was all I could find unless you want to make Chinese food on a grill or make lots of money using your womens intuition."
"Those were my choices?"
"Well, it wasn't quite that bad. I did get the novel, but if you don't want to read it I will. I brought several from my library."
"Chick novels?"
"Aren't we full of ourselves tonight. No, smarty pants, I do read other things. Here, have a look."
Robert Ludlum? Piers Anthony, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Robert Jordan? You do get around. Do you have a favorite?"
"It depends on why I'm reading it. With Anthony it's light, sarcastic almost, Eddings is whimsy, Brooks and Jordan is more long winded than I like, but someone gave them to me. I can't get into them like he could, and Ludlum is popular, but it's for when I need to focus on creativity and solving a work related problem."
Dan gestured for her to lean close. "Do any of them have sex in them?"
"You are feeling better. No, I left those at home. I didn't want to explain that to the nurses."
"I'm sure they're used to that."
"Not from me, they're not. Patience, my Dan, tomorrow you'll be home and we can work on your condition."
Dan groaned and rolled his eyes. "So did you get your errands done?"
"I did. I'm all set for you to come home. I'm only missing one thing."
"And that is?" he asked.
"What do you want for your welcome home dinner? Anything you want."
"You're killing me here." He groaned.
"To eat, sir. I want that as much as you do. Don't torture yourself. Tomorrow is a big day. What time do you want me to come get you?"
"I can be out of here at 9:00."
"Good. I'll treat you to breakfast before we go home."
"I'd really like to just go home. Let's get it to go."
"Home, it is."
"I don't suppose you'd mind sitting on my lap again."
Karla smiled and slipped onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She held him and he held her for quite some time. He would sigh from time to time and snuggle closer. She held him as close to her as she could, kissing his head and stroking his back and shoulders. He grew still. She looked down at him. He was dozing, sitting upright, contentment on his face.
"Hey, sleepy head. Time for you to hit the hay so I can be here bright and early tomorrow and take you home."
"Do you have to leave?"
"I do. Just for tonight."
"Alright. I love you."
"I love you, too."
TBC
