Learning to Live Again

Chapter 22

"I'm just saying, Dad; you're miserable. Call Libby. You'll feel better. Its been two weeks. You haven't had the divorce papers drawn up yet. Why?" Hannah asked. Mike was sitting in his recliner, at nine am on a Saturday morning, with a drink in his hand while Hannah cleaned the house.

"I don't know." Mike admitted.

"I'm worried about you, Dad. I know you miss and worry about Bobby, but you are going down a bad road. I need you. You are all I have. Bobby wouldn't want this." Hannah said as she sat down on the foot stool and patted Mike's knee.

"I haven't heard from Libby." Mike said as he took another drink.

"Have you called her? You kind of made it to where she was afraid to call you." Hannah asked.

"No." Mike said.

"I have an idea. Sober up. You're pickling your liver and like I said, I need you. Call Libby and take her out for a date or something. Try and fall in love with her the right way. You can't help with Bobby, but if something happens, maybe if you and Libby are a real couple, the judge will let Bobby visit with you or something." Hannah said.

"Hannah, I love you, but you are being a very naïve and stupid girl. There is no way that would ever work out." Mike said, before standing up and walking to the bedroom wing of his house, drink in hand. Instead of going into the room he and Libby had shared, he sat down on Bobby's bed and shook his head.

In some ways, he wished Hannah wasn't there. He hated knowing she was watching his self-destruction and he did take it out on her. She was innocent and had kept him eating, bathing, and behaving like a normal adult. She had to start riding the bus home because Mike was too drunk to get her from school and was generally passed out before she even got home. He was not even being a good father to her.

Mike only stumbled out into the living room to get more to drink and by that afternoon, was passed out. Hannah had spent the afternoon working on her schoolwork and cleaning. The next day was just a repeat of Saturday, and by Monday, Hannah was thrilled to go to school.

During her home room hour, she convinced her teacher that she needed to go see Libby at the elementary because Mike forgot to give her lunch money. It was true, but the high school was unaware that Libby was not living with Hannah any longer. Thankfully, Libby's class was at the library and Hannah slipped into Libby's classroom. She immediately noticed that Libby had gained some weight.

"Hannah, what a surprise! I wasn't expecting to see you." Libby said as she gave Hannah a hug. It was the first hug that Hannah had had in two weeks. Mike wasn't in the head space to be affectionate.

"Yeah, I told my teacher that Dad forgot my lunch money and I needed to see you." Hannah said.

"Oh. Here." Libby said. She got in her purse and handed Hannah a ten-dollar bill. It would pay for Hannah's lunches for almost two weeks.

"Thanks. I hated to ask." Hannah asked.

"Your welcome. How are things?" Libby asked.

"Not good. Dad is really upset. He drinks all the time and he is getting mean." Hannah admitted as she began crying. Libby sat her down and pulled her into a hug.

"I don't know how to help. I'll give you my cellphone number, but I don't think your dad would like it if you called me." Libby said.

"Has he called you?" Hannah asked.

"No and I really need to talk to him. Its important." Libby said.

"About Bobby or the divorce?" Hannah asked.

"No. Something else that he needs to know about, but it would be wrong for me to use you as the messenger and I don't want to make things more difficult for you with your dad." Libby said.

"Have you tried to call him?" Hannah asked as Libby handed her a tissue.

"I have but he doesn't answer. If I don't hear from him by Friday, I will come out and talk to him in person." Libby answered.

"Better get there early. He starts drinking as soon as he gets up. Its like coffee to him now." Hannah remarked.

"You said he was getting mean? He hasn't hurt you, has he?" Libby asked.

"Saturday, he told me I was being stupid. He told me he loved me just before, but it didn't help. It reminds me of my mom." Hannah admitted.

"Well, I am sure that your dad loves you very much. Bobby being taken threw us all for a loop." Libby tried to assure her.

"Is it good news? What you have to tell my dad?" Hannah asked.

"It is, but he might not see it that way. It might upset him further." Libby said.

"I can keep a secret." Hannah said, and Libby gave her a small smile. She stood up and walked to her purse and pulled an ultrasound picture out.

"For years, doctors have told me that I wouldn't be able to have a baby without IVF. Turns out, all I needed was your dad. I am six weeks along with triplets." Libby told her as she handed her the ultrasound picture. Sure enough, there was arrows pointing to three different forms on the picture.

"Oh, wow! Dad will be so happy! He loves babies." Hannah said.

"I know, but he might not be very happy, since the babies will be with me. Hannah, you can't tell him this. I do want you to call me if he gets too mean, but this has to be between him and me." Libby said as she wrote her phone number down for Hannah and handed it to her.

"But it'll make everything better. It'll give him something to look forward to and love." Hannah argued.

"You are a very dear girl, and your dad loves you. He has someone to love, he just has to realize it. Take care of him for me, will you? He is really a special guy, even though he tries to act like a…" Libby started.

"A butthead." Hannah remarked.

"Yep, pretty much. Just take good care of him. Don't confront him and just love him. He'll see the light and remember to love you. You are his whole world now. I will put money on your account next week, so you don't have to worry about lunches." Libby said as she stood up.

"Thank you. I really do love you, and I think my dad does too." Hannah said before giving Libby a hug.

"I love him and you too." Libby told her before Hannah left the room. She walked back to her school, went to lunch, and then finished her school day. She rode the bus home and found Mike passed out on the couch, an empty bottle of whiskey on the counter. Instead of getting mad or upset, she covered her dad up with a blanket, kissed his forehead, and started supper. Hannah was getting tired of being the adult.

The week went by and the days were mundane. Hannah got herself up, went to school, took care of Mike in the evenings and fixed dinners. Mike barely ate and would only complain if Hannah woke him up. It was almost more then she could handle, but she didn't fight with him. She didn't enable the behavior, but she didn't confront it either.

As promised, Libby showed up Saturday morning. Mike was in a rage because he was out of alcohol and was not thrilled to see her. Hannah wanted to excuse herself, but she was also worried that Mike might hurt Libby.

"I'll just go in my room." Hannah told Libby quietly. Libby nodded, but before Hannah could get away, Mike grabbed her arm aggressively.

"Did you invite her?" Mike asked. His grip hurt a lot and he was twisting her arm.

"Mike! Enough. Hannah didn't invite me. I invited myself because we have to talk sometime. Keep this up and you will be no better than Jerry." Libby said. Mike was completely outraged but released Hannah's arm. Hannah ran for her room, getting away from the conversation.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mike asked.

"As I said, we have to talk." Libby said.

"I don't want to talk." Mike answered as he began searching his kitchen cabinets, obviously for alcohol. "Hannah must have dumped it all. Damn girl." Mike growled.

"You are reminding her of her mother and that scares her. She loves you, but at this rate, she won't stay, and you will lose one more person." Libby warned.

"She shouldn't have spoken out of turn." Mike said.

"She came to an adult she trusted because she needed lunch money. Would you have preferred she not eat lunch?" Libby asked.

"She never asked me for lunch money." Mike answered.

"She probably didn't want to piss you off. You appear to be on a boil. Sat down, and talk like an adult. I will make you a pot of coffee. That will help with the withdrawals." Libby said as she walked to the coffee pot and began making a pot of coffee. Mike fortunately sat down at the kitchen counter.

"So, what brings you here today? Its been almost three weeks." Mike asked.

"Today is a day off. And I needed to tell you why I had been so sick to my stomach before the court hearing." Libby said. She was now cracking eggs into a bowl to make scrambled eggs. Hannah had gotten bacon out before Libby showed up.

"You said you have a nervous stomach." Mike said.

"Not exactly. Mike, I know I had told you that a pregnancy was unlikely, even impossible, but…" Libby started.

"You're pregnant?" Mike asked. His brain was still foggy, and he wasn't quite figuring things out.

"Yes. And before you ask, they are yours." Libby said as she put a cup of black coffee in front of Mike.

"Pregnant?" Mike asked.

"Yes, Mike. I'm pregnant. About two and a half months along now." Libby answered.

"I like babies." Mike said awkwardly.

"I know you do." Libby said. She pulled the sonogram picture out of her purse and paused before she handed it to Mike. "It isn't just one baby, though." Libby started.

"Twins?" Mike asked.

"No. Triplets. Here, I went to the doctor last week and they did an ultrasound. Everything is okay. I'm still high-risk, but they are doing fine." Libby said with a smile as she gave Mike the picture. He looked at it in complete confusion.

"How did this happen?" Mike asked.

"Do I need to explain that to you?" Libby asked.

"Yeah, I'm confused." Mike said.

"Well, we had sex. A lot. We had talked about it and didn't use anything to prevent this. Do you need the mechanics of sex?" Libby asked.

"No, I have that part figured out." Mike said.

"I'll agree with that. Mike, I can't bring Bobby back. I wish I could. But I do know; pushing away people that love you is not going to help you. I love you and Hannah loves you. Hannah doesn't deserve this. These babies don't deserve this." Libby said.

"But do I deserve them?" Mike said quietly. Libby turned the eggs and bacon off and walked up to Mike and pulled him into a hug.

"I think you do. First, we have to get you sobered up, coffeed up, fed, and you have to apologize to Hannah. She has tried desperately to take care of you, when the role should have been reversed. That girl has not had a good childhood, but you were her one safety net. She has to feel crushed." Libby said.

"I don't know what come over me." Mike remarked.

"I don't either. First and foremost, go in and apologize. I'll fix breakfast." Libby said. She gave Mike a kiss before pulling away from him.

"This won't be easy." Mike remarked as he stood up.

"Necessary isn't always easy." Libby answered. Mike nodded before walking into the bedroom wing and knocking on Hannah's door. She was sitting on her bed and as soon as Mike saw her tear-streaked face, his heart broke. Hannah truly didn't deserve the way she had been treated. Mike sat down on the bed next to her and put an arm around her. He immediately noticed that she stiffened up.

"Hannah, I am sorry. I could not ask for someone to do what you've done for me the past few weeks and I am sorry that I hurt you. Libby says that I've reminded you of your mom, and I hate that. You only deserve to be treated well." Mike said. He was at a loss for words and Hannah was rubbing her arm.

"It hurt really bad." Hannah admitted.

"I'll get you some ice and a muscle rub." Mike offered.

"No, the things you said. The way you didn't seem to care anymore. All my life, you were the only one to ever love me and take care of me. I think Kate tried, and Libby seems to, but I always knew you did. The last couple weeks made that untrue. Muscle rub won't help with that." Hannah said. Initially, Mike was angered, but he took a deep breath.

"Alright. I am not going to push you into something you aren't ready for. Just know, I am sorry, and I do love you. Libby is making breakfast and I can have her carry you in a tray if you don't want to join us." Mike said before giving Hannah a kiss on the top of the head. He walked out of the room and smiled at Libby's profile. She was already showing. The news of the babies had startled him, but she was right. They were innocent and he had to do better. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arm around her, putting both hands on her stomach.

"How's Hannah?" Libby asked.

"Needing some distance. I told her that I could have you carry in a tray if she doesn't want to come out." Mike said.

"Just give her time. She's forgiving." Libby said as she slid the eggs onto three separate plates and put bacon on them. She had toast already plated and the table set.

"I just feel bad." Mike said. He began fixing Hannah a tray and pouring her some orange juice.

"I know. You do need to do some grocery shopping. I used up the last of the eggs and the milk was iffy." Libby remarked.

"Okay." Mike answered. He was almost afraid to go into town, because he would be tempted to go to the liquor store.

"I'll take this into Hannah." Libby said as she picked up the food tray and carried it in. Mike was about to sit down when the doorbell rang. He was shocked to see Joey on the other side.

"Libby is fine, I promise." Mike said, sure that was why Joey was there.

"Good, but that isn't why I am here. Katherine just called me. Bobby was put back into state care last night and is currently in the hospital. Marilyn beat the tar out of him. Broken ribs, concussion, twist fracture of his arm, busted ear drum, he had burns on his back from where she had thrown scalding hot water on him, you name it." Joey explained. Libby had come in, mid conversation and was listening.

"The judge won't let us around him." Mike answered. He was outraged again.

"Actually, Bobby has been asking for you both when he is conscious. She called the judge and he gave permission for you to visit him. He'll be in the hospital for a few days, and they will do an emergency hearing, probably Monday." Joey explained.

"Alright. We'll go." Libby answered.

"Hannah might not want to." Mike remarked.

"I can take her home with me." Joey agreed.

Within just a few minutes, Hannah was headed to Joey's house with him, and Mike and Libby were headed for the hospital in Libby's car. On the way, they talked about everything. It was hardly romantic and not what Libby had wanted, but Mike told her that he loved her too and hoped they could work things out.