Chapter 36

Laura was distracted through most of Matty's practice. She desperately wanted to call James but didn't want Matty to overhear the conversation. They had dinner out. She'd never been more grateful that Matty wanted to talk about every detail of his practice.

As they rounded the corner to their house, Laura finally had to ask. "Matty, where did you see the nice police man?"

He pointed towards a tree across the street, "Over there. He was just standing by that tree. I waved at him and he smiled at me. Then he walked away."

"Have you seen him before?"

He shrugged, "Once or twice. I like it when I see him."

Trying to stay as calm as possible, "Why is that?"

Opening the gate, he looked back at her curiously, "Because he got me away from the bad people. He protected me."

Laura barely stopped the strangled gasp, "Do you think mummy and Uncle James didn't protect you?"

"The mean man hit you mummy. You fell down, how could you have protected me?"

She knelt in front of him, "Matty, I would have done anything to protect you."

He touched her face softly, she was surprised when she felt him wipe away a tear, "Don't be sad mummy. They were mean people. Uncle James and the nice police man saved us. It's their job."

"Do you think you might like to meet the nice police man?"

"Can I talk to him the next time I see him?"

"Mummy knows the nice police man. Perhaps, I could ask him to come see us…you."

Matty shrugged, turning toward the house, "Do you think he might like to come to my birthday party?"

She smiled to herself, marveling at the simplicity of it all through a child's mind, "I bet he would love that."

He waited for her at the door, "Then you should ask him."

Tousling his curls, she used her key to open the door, "I will."

She finally had Matty in bed and asleep. She knew his words about Robbie protecting him would echo in her mind for a long time. Her own guilt about that night had pulled at her. What if she'd just taken him to Michael's house?

Shaking her head, trying to dislodge the thought before it could take root, she picked up the phone. Dialing the number from memory, she waited for the call to connect.

"Laura, is everything OK?"

"You act as if I never call you, James."

He laughed, "You call me regularly. But generally, it's during the day or earlier in the evening. So I will repeat my question. Is everything OK?"

"We had a visitor today."

James sat up, concern filling him, "Who?"

"Robbie, I think."

"What do you mean, you think?"

"I didn't see him, Matty did. That's why I was calling to see if it was possible."

"We were both off today, so it's possible."

"Matty says it's not the first time he's seen him."

James stared at the phone, surprised, "Has he tried to talk to Matty?"

"No. He just watches them. Matty smiled at him and waved. He said Robbie smiled back then walked away."

"Are you concerned?"

She shook her head, "No, a little curious, perhaps. Why not just call me?"

"The world's great communicator?"

She sighed, a small smile crossed her face. "I guess so." She paused, silence filled the line. "I asked Matty if he wants to meet Robbie."

James sat up, almost spilling his drink. "Way to bury the lead."

Laura laughed, "I had to make sure the person was actually Robbie."

"And exactly how was I supposed to know?"

"Well if you'd said he had been working a case with you all day then I would have known it wasn't him."

He paused, debating whether he should reveal what he knew. "He's off tomorrow too."

"What are you implying?"

"I would suspect his other visits coincide with days off. Perhaps if you wanted to talk with him, you could be home at the time Matty generally comes home."

"You think he will be here again tomorrow."

James smiled, he could hear the excitement in her voice. "I'm just saying he's booked more weekdays off in the last month than I've ever known him to do before."

She shook her head, "That just means he wants to see Matty, not me."

He rolled his eyes, "Perhaps, but there is only one way to find out. Be home tomorrow and catch him at his stalking. Maybe have an actual conversation. You know one where you tell him you miss him and can't live without him. And he tells you he loves you, can't live without you and hasn't had a drink in five months."

"What?"

"Oh for goodness sake, you love him, he loves you, be a great big family…"

"The deplorable Barney reference aside, you said he hadn't had a drink in five months."

James cursed himself, knowing he'd said too much. "He hasn't, I think he's even gone to a few meetings. We've been out a few times after cases, strictly orange juice."

"I don't know what to say."

"Laura, I've tried to stay neutral here because it's what you've needed." He paused, giving her a chance to object. "Don't wait on him to call you. Walk outside tomorrow and have a conversation with him. You owe it to each other, more importantly, you owe it to Matty. He needs a father, Laura."

She swallowed, trying to push down the tears, "I know."

"You did what you thought you had to do, Laura. Robbie…he would have made a lot of mistakes, all parents do. But he would have loved Matty, and sometimes that's enough."

She nodded, wiping the hot tears from her cheeks. "Tomorrow."