"So, what happened with you and Casey?" Tobias asked after they ordered their lunches.
Cappie fed Kevin a bottle and started to explain.
"So, Casey and I sort of had sex on the beach last spring break."
"How romantic!" April interrupted.
"It would've been had we actually been together. At the time her sorority little sis had just broken up with me in front of literally everyone in Myrtle Beach. So that night resulted in Casey getting pregnant. But I had gotten back together with her little sis Rebecca before I found out about the baby. For a few weeks I was trying to balance being a boyfriend to Rebecca as well as a dad to this little dude by helping Casey whenever she needed me. Well that didn't work out so well and Rebecca dumped me as soon as she found out about the baby. But then by some shot of fate, Casey and I got back together over the summer and were doing really well. I thought we were going to be one little happy family. Just me, Casey, and Kevin all living in the KT house. And we did for a while. I mean everyone in the Greek system thought we were finally going to make it and that we were the end-all-be-all, you know. I finally thought I got my stable family. No offense to you guys, but-"
"But you didn't exactly have a stable childhood. We know we moved around a lot, but we thought you loved it and we thought we were doing what was best for you." April interrupted.
"I did love it. I got to see more of this country in my first 18 years than most people do in their entire life. But when I got here I saw another life that I could have that I also loved, one where I didn't have to pick up and leave every few months and I could actually put down roots somewhere."
"So do it! What's stopping you? We always said you could take as long as you'd like. If you want to stay in college for a few more years by all means you should do it!" Tobias explained.
Cappie bounced his son on his lap. "What's stopping me is this little guy's mother. She is graduating in the spring and wants to leave CRU and go to law school. I haven't even declared a major yet and to be honest I don't plan to because like you said, why should I leave if I'm not ready to. After getting into an argument with Casey over it she left me and took my son with her. Thankfully some of her sisters were on my side so we were able to do a sort of joint custody arrangement, which seems to be working out so far but I don't even want to think about what's going to happen in May when she graduates."
April and Tobias listened to their sons concerns. They sat in silence for a few moments, not knowing if they should bring up the real reason they were there or not. The silence continued as the group ate their lunches. Once the waiters cleared their plates, Cappie got the conversation going again.
He picked up Kevin out of his baby carrier and handed him to April. "Looks like somebody wants more bonding time with grandma!"
April happily accepted and began bouncing her grandson and making silly faces at him.
"So, what really brings you guys here?" Cappie asked. "Last time you guys came to find me was freshman year and that was to tell me that Grandpa Tom had died."
April stopped playing with Kevin. Now it was the parents turn to try and explain themselves.
"Son. Your mother and I are currently in a very similar situation to you and Casey." Tobias said.
"What your father means is that we are on two different spiritual and physical paths." April added.
Cappie was a little unsettled by the conversation.
"But you guys have been through this before. You'll figure it out like you always do. Adapting is just what we do." Cappie argued.
April shook her head. "Not this time sweetheart. That's why we came to tell you that your father and I are getting a divorce."
"What?" Cappie was even more dumbfounded.
"Look, son, sometimes people just can't get past being on two different paths." Tobias added. "And they shouldn't have to."
"Your father is right. We were fighting a lot and finally realized that all the spiritual healing in the world was not going to fix it. Funny enough once we came to terms with our marriage being over the fighting stopped." April continued explaining. "When we heard about you and Casey and our grandson, we thought this conversation was going to go better because we thought you'd be settled into your own little family and didn't need us anymore."
"You know I'm always going to need you guys, no matter how settled I am. Especially now with this little munchkin." Cappie rubbed his son's cheek.
"We know. But we also know that losing two families in a matter of weeks isn't easy." April added.
Cappie shook his head. No, it definitely wasn't easy.
"Can I ask why?" Cappie asked. "Like I get the being on two different spiritual journeys, but what else aren't you telling me?"
April looked over at Tobias. "Do you mind giving me and our son a few minutes?"
Tobias nodded. "I'm going to put gas in the car. I'll be back in a few."
Tobias left, allowing April to have a heart-to-heart with her son.
"What aren't you telling me mom?" Cappie was getting a little nervous. How bad could it be?
"Cap, we've been living in Maine for a while and now your father got an offer out west. To tell you the truth I feel like I'm turning into you a little bit. Being in the same place for this long has made me realize that I don't want to travel anymore. I'm happy staying put for a little while. Using Grandpa Tom's ostrich money, I'm going to buy an acre of property in this nice place in Maine and go completely off grid. It'll be a fun adventure, and you and little Kevin are welcome any time."
Cappie soaked in everything his mom said. He couldn't believe his mom was ready to settle down like that.
"Mom, you know I would love to join you, but my life is here. And also, I don't think Kevin will be there because I have no idea what is going to happen when Casey graduates. She could take him with her for all I know."
April shook her head understandingly. "Well I sure hope not. You're a great dad and I would hate to see your new family fall apart the way your old one is. Especially when you and Casey seemed so good together. You know when I first met her at your freshman parents weekend I could tell she was going to be the one."
"I thought so too. And then once we were set on raising Kevin together, I could finally picture what my life could look like, you know."
"And who says you still can't have the life you pictured? What I mean is, when you pictured your life with Casey and Kevin, did you picture the exact house and the exact yard and neighborhood? Or did you just picture yourself living in a house? When I first met your father, I actually had a really settled and stable life. My parents were ostrich farmers, but other than that I went to school in the same town for all twelve years, got a job at the local diner when I turned 18. I had no plans of ever leaving. But one day your dad showed up at the diner and sat in my section and told me all about this cross-country adventure that he was going on. The way he described it made it sound so fun. After a little persuading, I decided to join him for a weekend and I never looked back."
"Yeah and it was probably the best decision you ever made." Cappie added.
"It was. Because I was going with the man I loved. Love makes you do crazy things. Like follow a man across the great United States…or follow a girl to law school."