Too Many Years
Chapter 21
Matty was a bit more upbeat, probably because he had been able to spend some time with his mom and younger siblings. He seemed genuinely interested in Gabby's books and listened to her tell all about her time with Mike. She was talking a mile a minute and even Charlotte listened to her intently. Mike did know, he was going to have to also make a point to spend time with Tommy and Rebecca. He didn't want them to feel left out. He and Polly stepped out for a moment alone before she took the kids home.
"So, did Grace come by?" Mike asked.
"Yes." Polly said. Mike looked at her expectantly.
"And?" Mike asked.
"She visited with Matty for a while." Polly said.
"Did she say why she hadn't been coming around? I can't fix it if I don't know what it is." Mike asked. He was getting aggravated.
"Mike, settle down. It is going to be a work in progress." Polly said as she put a hand on his arm and gently massaged it.
"Why?" Mike asked angrily.
"You have to get past this anger and move on. Grace is a lot like you. A lot of this is my fault for bringing the emotional abuse thing up. It has brought every argument and disagreement up that you've had with her for the last thirteen years. Everything you didn't handle well. She is fixating on it." Polly stated.
"So, how?" Mike asked.
"Do what you're doing. Take care of Matty and repair things with me and the kids, specifically Gabby. Keep your distance but make it clear that you love her no matter what. Gabby mentioned that she helped you pick out a birthday present?" Polly asked.
"Yeah. A locket." Mike said.
"Alright, I grabbed a birthday card and I want you to sign it. Something generic like 'I love you, Dad.' I will give her the locket and get some flowers for her on your behalf. I know how special the kid's birthdays are to you, Mike and I know that it will hurt, but I think that if Grace realizes that you still love her, and are fixing things, she'll come around. Now, you are both angry and will strike out at each other." Polly said.
"I…miss her." Mike said simply.
"I know, Mike. I wish I could fix this easily. Most of it is my fault and I am sorry. I do think that the kids will help. Mikey was crying because you weren't here. He misses you." Polly explained.
"I miss him too. This hurts." Mike said quietly. He didn't mean to guilt trip Polly, but she pulled him into a hug.
"I know, babe. Do you want me and the kids to stay the night?" Polly asked.
"Of course, I do." Mike said. He would have wanted them there regardless.
"Care if I run back to the parsonage and pack some clothes?" Polly said as she pulled away.
"Of course not." Mike said before leaning down and giving Polly a kiss.
"And maybe I can convince Charlotte to sleep in her old room." Polly said.
"Didn't figure you were ready for that?" Mike said.
"I'm not but it would be nice to share a bed without a kicking four-year-old." Polly said.
"I see." Mike said. It was hard to hide his disappointment. He just wanted his marriage and family back.
"I'm getting there, Mike. I want it to be special, not just because we can." Polly said.
"Yeah, sorry. Just…tired, I guess. I do want you and the kids here." Mike said as they walked back into the house.
"It'll get better, Mike. And don't think for a second that she doesn't love you." Polly said as she grabbed her purse.
"Not so sure about that. Drive safe." Mike told her before giving her another kiss.
"I will. Kids, we're staying here tonight. I'm going back to the parsonage to get clothes for tomorrow and your school bags." Polly explained before walking out.
"Hey, Dad; can you come sit here for a minute?" Matty asked, while patting the couch next to him. Mike immediately complied; not knowing what Matty needed.
"What do you need, son?" Mike asked.
"Just…wanted to make sure that you're okay. I knew that you were missing Grace and I tried to get her to stay, but she wouldn't." Matty was touched by his thoughtfulness. Matty had a lot going on and sometimes seemed a bit selfish.
"Thanks, Son. Yeah, I miss her but I don't want you to fight with her. Don't worry about me." Mike said as put an arm around Matty. Matty kind of melted into him and Charlotte jumped onto his lap, almost sensing his mood.
Polly came back within an hour with clothes for the kids and herself for the next day, school bags and extra bedding. For Mike, it felt good to kiss his younger kids good night and help Matty get ready for bed. And it felt even better to fall asleep with Polly on his chest.
Tuesday Morning
Polly was taking the locket and card to Grace along with a floral arrangement that she had picked out. In years past, Mike had taken Grace for lunch and they had a big dinner at the house for her, complete with her favorite foods and a homemade cake. That wouldn't be happening that year.
Matty was having a rough day, pain wise and wanted to stay home but would have done anything Mike asked him to do. While he slept, Mike looked through a baby book of Grace's. Christine had loved scrapbooking and their kids had baby books. As the kids got older, Polly had taken up the hobby. It spanned Grace's lifetime and included pictures of her own kids.
It made Mike remember the day, thirty-four years before when he become a father for the first time. He was in love. Before Christine got pregnant with Grace, he didn't think he wanted kids. The first time he held her was like magic. He remembered crying. She was a perfect eight-pound bundle of beauty.
He was not a perfect father. He had a temper and sometimes his kids got the brunt of that. He couldn't even say that he had loved them perfectly. Before the Red Flu, he had taken them for granted. Just assumed they would always be around and perhaps he had fallen back into old habits. He was smart enough to know, he was lucky to have Grace and Hannah back, and to have his other kids. A lot of men were not so lucky after the Red Flu.
Matty's accident and his separation from Polly had been a wake-up call. He was growing tired of being Matty's caretaker but would never ask someone else to care for him. It had been hard enough the day before when he left Matty with Polly. He thoroughly enjoyed his time with Gabby and it had been a breakthrough with her, but he also felt a bit guilty about leaving Matty.
The bright side was at least Matty had gotten to spend time with his oldest sister, nieces and nephews. He was much more upbeat, despite the pain and felt horribly that Mike hadn't gotten to see them. He slept through the morning and after taking a rare pain pill, slept through the afternoon. Mike was watching him closely, checking him for fever and had even undone the bandages on his amputated leg to monitor it. Nothing seemed out of the norm. He finally called Sam before he called the specialists and got the very unsatisfying, "There will be days when he is just in pain. He's been through a lot. Most patients that have been through an amputation and a major brain surgery are still in the hospital. Don't hurry him."
Mike doubted it but had no reason to call the specialist. He just prayed that there was nothing seriously wrong. A little after three, Polly called to see what they were doing and agreed to come over for supper with the kids, in hope that Matty would feel better with them there.
Sure enough, as soon as they come in, Matty woke up and was genuinely happy to see them. They were visiting with Matty while Mike and Polly prepared dinner.
"So, did you take Grace her gift?" Mike asked as he cut up vegetables for a salad. Polly was battering chicken.
"Yeah, I did. Took her to lunch. She seemed to like it. Had me put the locket on and teared up a little at the card. What'd you write?" Polly asked.
"Good. I wrote a simple 'I love and miss you' on the card. Wasn't sure what kind of effect it would have. I really hate not seeing her today. I'd give about anything to give her a hug." Mike commented quietly.
"I know. Grace has made a stand and she's stubborn. Part of her wants to stick with the stand but the other part of her wants that hug. And you have an ally with Ryan and Mikey. I guess Mikey cried all last night. Ryan told her that it wasn't fair to Mikey. She just isn't sure how to go back on her stand." Polly explained.
"Do we have enough chicken?" Mike asked.
"For us, yeah; plenty." Polly said.
"Not just for us. For Ryan, Grace and the kids?" Mike asked.
"I bought plenty and will just keep frying. Can you text her? My hands are covered in breading. And Ryan's working. She's kind of depressed about that too. Before, if he was working; you'd make a point to make a big deal out of her birthday." Polly explained.
"We don't have a cake for her." Mike said as he picked up his phone.
"Look in the deep freeze. Before the accident, I had bought a couple of those frozen pies on sale. Helps to have them on hand. They'll have to work. Better text her. You know she likes to get the kids fed and settled early." Polly ordered. Mike grabbed his phone and typed out a text message.
"We're having fried chicken, mashed potatoes, creamy corn and salad. Not exactly your typical birthday dinner, but you and the kids are welcome. I hear Ryan is working?" Mike texted.
"Yes. I don't want to be any trouble though." Grace answered.
"You are never any trouble. I'd love to have you here." Mike texted back.
"Okay. Do I need to bring anything?" Grace asked.
"Just yourself and the kids." Mike answered.
Mike found the pies and helped Polly get dinner fixed. Gabby and Rebecca set the table and a half hour later, Grace was at the door with her kids. Mikey immediately jumped into Mike's arms and Andrew followed. Hope and Christa were just excited to see their uncle. As soon as Mike put the two boys down, he pulled Grace into a hug. It felt so good to hold her.
They all sat down to dinner and Grace was quiet, but at least she was there. Matty was still in pain and was sitting next to Mike. There had been no mention of the protection orders, or how Grace felt about them and Mike noticed she was wearing the locket. It made him happy.
"Daddy, when are we moving back here?" Charlotte asked innocently. Mike looked across the table at Polly, who looked like she was ready to crawl under the table.
"I'm fine with you all moving back in anytime but Mommy and I have to take care of some stuff first." Mike explained.
"Oh. I hope soon." Charlotte said. Mike had noticed how tense Grace was becoming but didn't want to address it.
"Me too." Rebecca echoed.
"I don't understand why you all would want to. You had made your break; Polly and you came back." Grace said. Mike was shocked and so was Polly. It was like someone had flipped a switch with Grace.
"Huh?" Polly asked.
"You walked out on Dad because he was horrible to you and then again to Gabby. It follows a pattern that he started with my mom and continued with us kids." Grace said. Even the younger kids were quiet.
"But…you came back…" Mike said.
"Yeah, didn't want to cook tonight and Mikey was crying because he hadn't seen you." Grace said.
"Geez, Grace. Why are you doing this?" Matty spoke up. Mike could see the pain on his face.
"Because everyone is buffaloed by all this." Grace said. Mike had thrown his napkin down and was looking at Polly with a 'what should I do look.'
"All this? Grace, Dad has been nothing but good to me. He has stayed with me every moment since my accident. He has never complained and held me when I was hurting or just needed him. He did the same for you when you were hurt. He does it because he loves us. I don't understand why you would do this." Matty said.
"Because…" Grace started but Mike stood up.
"Don't worry about it. I know how you feel about me. You might as well eat." Mike told Grace before walking towards his bedroom. The left side of his jaw was hurting and his arm was numb but he really didn't want to face his family right now. He was completely ashamed of himself.
He sat down on his bed and waited for someone to follow him. His bet was on Polly or even Matty. The numbness and pain were progressively getting worse. Mike hadn't shut his bedroom door and was shocked when Gabby peaked in. He started to stand up but collapsed instead. He heard Gabby run back into the dining room, yelling for help but everything faded to black.