Chapter Twenty Eight


On Saturday, Mike sat in one of the chairs that lined the side of the wall. He kept his eyes glued on the kids who were practising Aikido forms. He knew he should be polite and at least smile at the other parents who lined the wall with him. But he couldn't bring himself to do so as he was afraid of the small talk.

Small talk was riddled with uncomfortable topics; there wasn't one person in the room who hadn't lost someone to the virus. Then there was the 'You served on the Nathan James' or the general conversation of 'You're in the Navy'. Men thanked him for his service and then tried to explain why they could never do what he did. The women, if they were single would hit on him even though he still had on his wedding ring. It was just painfully awkward all round.

Right now, he was sitting next to a blonde woman who looked around his age. She kept throwing him side glances which he ignored. He was sure she was probably a lovely lady but he liked his social circle as it was and had no interest in dating. Well, at least not her. He still wished his wedding ring had meaning to single women but instead they saw it as sentimental and caring; him as wounded man in need of help. Basically catnip to women, for him pure hell.


"I'm glad you're here." Amy whispered to Mia with a shy smile as they were taking a small water break before going into practising kicks.

"Me too. This is kind of fun." Mia confessed as she had expected something very different. She waved at her Dad and smiled when he waved back. He'd kept his promise and even turned off his iPhone for the class.

"Yeah." Amy said in agreement.

"How's your Mommy?" Mia asked her, Amy smiled, a spark of excitement in her eyes.

"She's better. Beth was right. Uncle Joey said she'd be coming home tomorrow. I'm really excited." Amy told her, her smile turned serious and she motioned for Mia to come closer. "I got to tell you that my Uncle really likes Beth. I heard him tell Mommy that she's pretty and very nice. Mommy asked him if he was going to ask her on a date." Amy told her.

"What's a date?" Mia asked her with a frown, she had to admit she didn't like the sound of it. Not that she hated Amy's Uncle. He's wasn't very funny but he tried and he was nicer than the guards she'd known.

"Don't know." Amy said with a shrug. "But I felt I should tell you." she added, Mia nodded but before she could ask more questions Sasha clapped her hands getting their attention.

"Ok, everyone. Time to gather around again." Sasha told them.


"Is everything ok?" Beth asked Sienna as she balanced Kaito on her lap. She shifted his weight so he was in a better place as she fed him his bottle. Though he was getting stronger and more capable as the days passed to hold it on his own. Sienna had been more introspective since yesterday when Beth and Mike had spent majority of the day out coming home after 2 o'clock.

"I don't want Dad to treat you like the guards do. You two left yesterday, I was worried." Sienna told her, Beth inwardly groaned as she wished that she could just wipe away Mia and Sienna's ingrained perceptions of how the world worked.

"Sienna, he took me to the DMV and then the bank. Then we had a milkshake in the park. Nothing else happen." Beth told her, it was all true but something had changed between her and Mike. She wasn't going to say that to Sienna as she felt it would muddy their conversation.

"I know but, what if it's just a game? He's pretending to be good to lull us in and then he'll turn bad. Then he'll be like the guards. I don't want him doing what they did to you. I don't want you having to do what you did with them; with my Dad." Sienna told her, Beth's heart sunk at Sienna's concerns. She took a moment to think of how to address the topic. She knew there was no safe ground to stand on and she figured it was best to be blunt and ask for forgiveness later from Mike.

"Let's just say it. I had sex with the guards, and what you need to know about sex is that it can be many things. It's emotionally and socially complex. Our life in the factories was unhealthy, the relationships-" Beth paused as she hated saying 'relationship' but she couldn't quantify it any other way. " The relationships I had with the guards were very unhealthy and abusive. They are the kinds of relationships you look at and learn to not emulate and avoid at all costs. Learn the signs of, so you can avoid them because no man should ever treat a woman that way." Beth told her.

"I know, Mom told me." Sienna said in a desolate tone. Beth gave a sad smile at Christine not being here and a little for herself as she'd become an example of what not to do. But as long as Sienna never had to do what Beth had to, then it was worth the cost to what was left of Beth's pride.

"She's right, I did what I did back then because I felt I had no choice and for many reasons I just don't want to get into. But you're going to get older and boys will notice you. You are going to meet guys throughout your life who will try to treat you that way even some women too. But that's beside the point. The most important thing you can take away from what you saw in the factories. Is that you have the choice; you can walk away at anytime. You have family and friends who will help you and support you." Beth told her, "Your Dad, he's different. He's a good man. He's treated me with nothing but kindness and respect. Do you know what he's asked for in return?" she asked Sienna, she needed to reinforce that Mike wasn't like the men.

"I don't know." Sienna said, Beth could see Sienna believed her but there was still a small part of her that couldn't let go of the notion because of self preservation.

"Nothing. He did everything yesterday asking nothing in return. He never will demand payment from me like the guards did because he is not them. We're friends, and that helps us be able to support you, Mia and this little guy a lot more fun and easier." Beth told her.

"I know you're right, do you think if he wanted to date you, that you'd do it?" Sienna asked, Beth gave her a kind smile as she wondered how the thought ever got into Sienna's mind.

"Sienna, your father; he lost your Mom. She was the love of his life. I don't think dating is on his mind. It's not on my mine either, I'm more concerned about you, Mia and Kaito being happy and healthy than about dating." Beth told her.

"But if it did?" Sienna asked.

"I don't think it will and frankly thinking about dating anyone stresses me out. It's a lot of expectations on me that I'm not ready for." Beth confessed.

"Like what?" Sienna asked curious.

"Brushing my hair, being charming, and putting on a dress. I don't even own a dress or a purse. I'm so ill equipped for dating." Beth said making face, it made Sienna smile.

"Sasha and Kara could help you. They are good at shopping." Sienna told her.

"I know, but I'm really kinda happy hanging out you and the family. One day I'll be ready but I think that if your father wanted to start dating that he'd talk to you and Mia first. He'd want to know how you felt about it. So if he hasn't brought it up then I wouldn't worry about it." Beth told her.


"So what did you think of Aikido?" Mike asked Mia, they were sitting on a bench in a park; the same bench he and Beth had sat on yesterday except he and Mia were eating ice cream. Mike knew it was probably counterproductive to be feeding Mia sugar but wanted to treat her for being brave and giving Aikido a chance. That and she'd been so happy with the class she had decided she wanted to come back next week.

So here they were enjoying fresh air, sunshine and vanilla ice cream in cones. All around them the park was in a flurry of activities given it was the weekend. It all seemed so normal and a pleasant way to pass time.

"It was really good! So can I really go next week?" she asked him, it was the second time she'd asked him.

"Yes." he assured her.

"Daddy, what's a Date?" Mia asked before she took a lick of her vanilla ice cream.

"A dried palm fruit." Mike answered without much thought as he ate some of his own ice cream.

"Oh." Mia said confused as she pulled a face.

"Why?" Mike asked before he took a bite of his cone. He made a mental note to buy some ice cream for home so Sienna and Beth wouldn't miss out. But for now his focus was on Mia as this was their time.

"Amy said her Uncle was going to ask Beth out on a date. But why's he got to get Beth onto a date to ask her stuff?" she asked. Mike frowned as he realised he'd answered the previous question wrong but then it left him a little stumped on how to answer the current one. He also had a feeling he wasn't going to like this conversation.

"Ah, well actually in this case a 'date' is when two adults go for an outing to see a movie or have dinner together. It's so they can find out if they like one another." Mike told her. Mia thought on his words for a moment like they were discussing matters of National Security not Dating.

"Oh, but he met her at the Sasha and Uncle Tom's house. Can't he already know if he likes her from then?" Mia asked, Mike loved his daughter to bits for not being able to completely comprehend what he was saying. It was adorable and it reminded him that he had to simplify his answers so Mia could understand.

"It's different." Mike told her.

"How?" she asked.

"Well, when I met Mommy; we liked one another as friends but felt something more. So we went out on dates, got to know one another better. Then we fell in love, got married and had you, Sienna and Lucas. Dating is about seeing whether you like someone enough to marry them." Mike explained, he hoped he made it a little clearer for her.

"So Amy's uncle wants to marry Beth and make babies with her?" Mia asked him, Mike's eyebrows rose in surprise as Mia took a huge leap in conversation. It just confirmed his suspicions. This was going to uncomfortable places.

"I don't know, but your Mommy didn't know that she wanted to marry me until we had been dating for a couple of years. Like I said it's about getting to know another to see if you could end up loving them. It's not automatic; you don't fall in love or marry every person you date." Mike said as he was pretty sure he was botching this talk up.

"So how many girls did you date until Mommy?" Mia asked, her question only confirmed it.

"Two other women and we were like 35 when we both started dating people. So you have many years before you have to worry about that." Mike said lying about his age and the number of women he'd dated. He didn't need that one biting him in the ass further down the track. But for now, he

"Ok, so do Mommies and Daddies have to be married to have babies?" Mia asked him.

"Ah, um that's a complicated question." Mike said, he was now starting to regret the celebratory ice cream as he and his daughter were skating into conversation he was not ready for. He was half tempted to ask Mia what her kind of dog she'd want just to not have this conversation but he had to man up. Christine was not here and he couldn't pass the buck onto Beth even if it was preferable.

"Why?" She asked, she looked at him with such innocent curiosity. If only she knew the levels of discomfort she was putting him through by asking.

"Well-" Mike started, obviously too slowly for Mia as she cut him off.

"Where do babies come from?" Mia asked, Mike gave a half groan and chuckle as there was the other question he wanted avoid more than prostate exam.

"Oh jeez." He said, he rubbed a hand down his face.

"Are you ok Daddy?" Mia asked before she licked her ice cream again. She had no clue the door she had opened and so clueless and curious.

"Yeah, I'm good." Mike lied, he took a moment to think of how he was going to explain this. "The uncomplicated answer is 'Yes' most Mommies and Daddies are married before they have babies." He told her, he could amend that statement when Mia was old enough to understand but for now he figured he'd keep that one straight forward without confusion. "And Babies come from their Mommy's uterus." He said.

"What's a uterus?" Mia asked with keen interest.

"A conversation I didn't want over ice cream." Mike said under his breath before he ate the last of his cone.

"What?" Mia asked as she obviously hadn't heard him.

"I said that a uterus is a place inside the Mommy where babies grow." Mike lied.

"How do the babies get in there?" Mia asked with a frown. His daughter was just killing him.

"Well, the Daddy has seeds, called sperm, which are made in the testes, in that special pouch of skin hanging behind his penis. Millions of tiny sperm are made there all the time. They get mixed with a white liquid called semen." Mike told her, he was in the seventh layer of awkward hell and his daughter was rapt by what they were talking about. She even turned to sit on the bench sideways and looked up at him as she ate her ice cream.

"And the mommy's eggs are inside her body, in her ovaries which is connected to her uterus. Every month the mommy's ovaries make an egg. When grownups make a baby, semen from the Daddy's penis carries the sperm into the Mommy's womb. Just one sperm joins up with the egg, and that's the start of a new baby." Mike finished, he felt like he was covered in a cold sweat as he could only imagine the next few questions were going to be uncomfortable for him.

"What's a penis?" Mia asked him.

"It's the no no touch touch square of boys." Mike answered quickly as he didn't want her asking if she could see one. He knew his answer would be 'wait until you're 35'.

"Oh, ok. Do I have a penis too? What does it look like?" She asked.

"No, you have a vagina which is the no no touch touch square of girls." Mike clarified but ignored the last question completely. He really hoped by next Aikido class this conversation was forgotten as he didn't want to be the parent of the child that gave the other children a sex ed talk.

"Ok, so how do babies who don't have Mommies get Mommies. Like Kaito, is he going to get another Mommy?" Mia asked him.

"Ah, I don't know. Is it important that he have a Mommy?" Mike asked as the conversation took an interesting turn.

"All babies need a Mommy." Mia told him in a matter of fact tone.

"I don't completely agree, I think all babies need people who love them. They don't need to be a Mommy and Daddy. Babies can have two Daddies or Two Mommies. Then they have siblings, uncles and Aunties and so on." Mike said.

"But Kaito only has one Daddy. You." Mia pointed out.

"True, but he's got a lot of uncles and aunties from the Nathan James." Mike countered.

"I guess so but I think Beth would be a really good Mommy for Kaito." Mia informed him, he suddenly realised what Mia was getting at. He wondered if Mia didn't like the idea of Meylan dating Beth. If he were honest he didn't like it either. But it was only because he felt it would upset the delicate balance with the kids and him. At least that what he was telling himself.

"Well, Beth is his Nanny and he has us." Mike said, making titles fairly clear to Mia.

"True, but I still think she would be a good Mommy. " Mia said mirroring his same intonation and facial expression from a second ago. "You should think about it, you can be a Mommy and Daddy together. It'd be good for Kaito." she told him.

"Ok, I will think about it. You finished your ice cream?" He asked her, as he wasn't ready to delve deeper into the topic.

"Yep." Mia told him.