Search and Rescue
Chapter 11
The next afternoon; Max took Mike and Maddie along to look at the spot he thought would be good for the house. It was perfect and Max could start immediately. The financing was already through, and shockingly; Max could go off of Maddie's plans for the house, with a few structural beams added in. Mike was thrilled at how easily things were happening.
Matt had tagged along, and at first Mike thought it would bother him to see how close he and Max were, but it didn't. While Mike and Max talked about footings and foundations, Matt showed Maddie the nearby pond and how he thought it was the perfect fishing spot. He seemed to really like her. Maddie was showing Mike how to sign with Matt, which was proving to be an exercise in futility; especially when Matt laughed at Mike struggling to make the hand gestures.
He was a little aggravated at Kaitlyn and Hannah; they made no attempt to get to know Maddie and had completely closed Mike off. At the present point, he stood a chance with Emma and Matt, but it was like his girls just didn't want him anywhere near them, and Maddie was a sore subject. He had been horrible to her before, but he would not allow her to be disrespected; no matter how grown up his daughters were. Thankfully, she took it all in stride, but he could tell it hurt. Feeling his family needed a little space, Mike had quietly suggested they eat supper at the RV that night when they finished with Max. He even volunteered to cook dinner so that Maddie could look through Max's design books and pick out fixtures, windows and doors.
"Mike; we have to just give the girls time. I am sure it is a hard pill to swallow. Maybe if you had appeared, and later brought me in; it would have been different. Now they feel like you've replaced their mom." Maddie said.
"At this rate; you will have the baby before we are able to tell them about it." Mike said.
"That may not be an option since I'm already showing. I also think; your mom knows. She may not say anything, but she suspects. The woman had six children of her own and countless grandchildren." Maddie commented.
"I'm not sure what she will say when we tell her. She is against us living together before marriage. Little old fashioned." Mike remarked.
"I can respect old values and traditions. I do agree, we need to wait on the whole marriage thing, especially with your older girls not being on board with me." Maddie answered.
"I guess this entire time, I thought if I was ever reunited with them; it would be hugs, tears and happiness. Its almost like I totally repulse them." Mike said as he sat Maddie's dinner in front of her, got his own and then sat down across from her.
"Did something happen before you left for the Arctic that might have caused it?" Maddie asked.
"Kaitlyn wasn't thrilled that I was leaving, because I would have missed her birthday. No huge argument though. Hannah was just eight, and I could do no wrong where she was concerned." Mike answered.
"Maybe the problem is me, more than you?" Maddie suggested.
"I doubt it. I may take them out for lunch or something, individually to try and crack through. Max is encouraging me to develop relationships with Emma and Matt, and I know he is encouraging the girls to seek me out." Mike told her.
"That might be a good idea. Matt is sure sweet." Maddie said before taking a bite.
"He was thrilled that we were building close to the pond. Max said it was his favorite spot on the farm, which I think is why he suggested building the house there." Mike explained.
"This is my first baby so I have zero parenting experience, but maybe you need to find time for all four kids, to get to know them. You knew Kaitlyn and Hannah before, but they are different people who have experienced a pandemic, most of their family and friends dying and of course, what happened to their mom. They aren't the same little girls you left, and you aren't the same person that left." Maddie pointed out.
"I think the entire problem is, I left and I didn't come back. My question is; why didn't Max or my parents look for me? I was visible." Mike questioned.
"Ask, Mike. Until you do, you'll question it and I don't think you'll progress in any of the relationships." Maddie answered before they went back to eating. Now that they weren't arguing, everything was good between them.