Full Circle
The sun was high in the sky before Steve woke that morning. He had had a rough night, unable to sleep as thoughts of Cheryl crowded through his head and it wasn't until the early hours of the morning that physical exhaustion had overtaken him. For a few seconds he lay there, still in that half way place that the brain occupied before full wakefulness occurred, totally relaxed. Then he thought of Cheryl and the small smile that had been playing around his mouth disappeared. However, unlike other mornings, there was still a small butterfly of excitement fluttering around deep in the pit of his stomach. It was like when he had been a child and it was his birthday. It was as if something nice was going to happen but he didn't know what. For the first time since Cheryl had died he realised that he wanted to get out of bed and face the day.
Swinging his feet out of the bed and onto the floor Steve padded across the bedroom and into the bathroom. Getting into the shower and standing under the nozzle he shut his eyes and allowed the water to cascade down over his body. Stepping out a few minutes later he towelled himself dry, pulled on a pair of sweatpants, t-shirt and wandered out through the lounge into the kitchen. The house was silent and for the first time that morning Steve looked at the clock and was a little surprised to see that it was gone nine am. Pouring himself a coffee and grabbing a donut from the fridge he walked back through the house and out onto the decking. Putting the mug on the wooden balustrade Steve leaned his hands either side of it and looked out over the ocean. As always the sight and sound of the ocean had a soothing effect on his spirits and he took in a deep, soul cleansing breath.
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A couple of hours later Steve pulled up in the alleyway behind Bobs. Opening the rear door to the restaurant he stepped inside and watched, with pleasure, the hive of activity that was going on in the kitchen. He looked around at the gleaming stainless steel that surrounded him and smiled. Stainless steel gave the impression of an alien environment but recently it had been a haven. Being at the restaurant had been some of the few times, over the last few months, where he had been able to forget what was happening with Cheryl. He was able to pretend, just for a while, that everything in his life was normal.
Walking through the kitchen Steve entered the restaurant itself and greeted the two young waitresses who were busily preparing for opening. He looked around, pleased with the re-furbishment that he and Jesse had recently commissioned. Gone were the square tables, white walls and in their place were octagonal tables which were covered in pale blue tablecloths topped by a cream damask square and pale blue walls, which gave Bobs a stylish air. The customers had loved the changes especially the new, hand-painted, sign behind the counter. A young artist, who frequented Bobs, had offered to create a new sign for them and hadn't asked for any payment. All he asked was that if anyone asked who had created it, that they would be given his name and phone number. Steve and Jesse had readily agreed to that, adding into the deal the offer of an occasional free meal whenever the young mans money ran out as it occasionally did.
Checking that everything was ready Steve unlocked the main door to the restaurant and turned the sign from 'Closed' to 'Open'. In recent years he and Jesse had made the decision to remain closed, on one day a week, until lunchtime. They knew that their staff worked exceptionally hard and had played a large part in the success of all the restaurants that they now owned that they, as owners, ought to give something back. That something resulted in extremely good wages, comparatively so in the catering business, and the ability to have a lie-in one day a week.
A few minutes later the first customers of the day entered and from that point onwards Steve had very little time to think or reflect upon anything other than making sure that his customers received their meals in good time. Bobs, as all their restaurants were collectively known as, had a reputation for good food, great atmosphere and excellent service which encouraged new customers to come in and existing customers to keep coming back.
The people who frequented the original Bobs were very loyal many of them, in fact, had become friends of Steve, Jesse and their families. They had given Steve and the children a great deal of support since Cheryl had died. Some of the more elderly ladies had come in for their lunches bringing with them cooked chickens, casseroles and the widest varieties of fruit pies that Steve had ever seen. It didn't matter to them that Steve continually protested that they were managing okay; they kept on bringing them in. Others, their younger clients with teenagers the same age as Carrie, Beth and Chris frequently issued invitations for them to join their families on picnics, visits to the cinema or bowling. Steve and the children had been more touched than they were able to communicate. Frequently reflecting on all the invitations and pies Steve thought that he hadn't realised just how many lives he and Cheryl had actually touched and to what extent.
Even though there was a steady stream of customers throughout the lunch period and on into the early afternoon Steve would occasionally be aware of an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach. He tried without success to make sense of it and finally gave up choosing instead to concentrate on work and trusting that whatever was causing those feelings to make itself known in the fullness of time.
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The afternoon rush had finished and Steve was sitting at one of the tables drinking a well earned mug of coffee and picking at a bowl of tomato sauce covered fries. He was enjoying the silence of the empty restaurant which was only broken by the sporadic clattering from the kitchen when he heard the sound of a car drawing up outside. Fervently hoping that the car didn't herald another customer Steve sighed as he heard the tinkle of the bell which sat over the door. Looking up a smile broke out on his face as he saw that his adopted godson entering the restaurant.
"Dion!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here? I thought you were on duty today."
"I was...I am," when Dion spoke he seemed unaccountably nervous and ill at ease.
Steve looked at him with confusion, he couldn't for the life of him figure out what could be the matter with Dion. Then a hideous thought struck him and he spoke,
"Has something happened to my kids Dion? Is that why you are here?"
A smile flitted across Dions face as he replied, "The kids are fine, as far as I know Steve. No I came for quite another reason. I had an old friend visit me at the station today and I thought that you might like to meet him."
A look of confusion crossed Steve's face as he listened to Dion speak. The young man in front of him was a dedicated detective and he knew that he would not leave his work just so that he, Steve, could meet an old friend. There had to be something more to it than that. Suddenly the odd feeling in the pit of his stomach returned and it was like there was a whole host of butterflies in there trying to get out. Something big was about to happen, he could feel it.
Dion watched the emotions drift across his friends face and he gestured for Steve to follow him. Rising from his seat Steve made his way around the blue covered tables and followed Dion outside. The first thing that he noticed was Dion's car parked very close to the main entrance. The second thing was a tall, elderly man standing by the passenger door that looked tantalisingly familiar. A tentative smile crossed the mans face and recognition flooded Steve's entire being.
Slowly, as if in a trance, Steve moved from where he stood until he was almost toe to toe with the man that he hadn't seen in nearly twenty years. He reached out, his hands trembling with emotion and touched the face in front of him.
"Dad," his voice managed to choke out the one word before his emotions got the better of him and he flung his arms around his father, sobs wracking his body.
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Steve sat down at the table opposite Mark. His father was looking around the restaurant taking in the changes which gave Steve time scrutinize him. He saw a man who was looking older which was no real surprise but Steve was pleasurably amazed to realise that, general aging apart, Mark looked very much as he remembered from two decades earlier.
Becoming aware of his sons scrutiny Mark looked at Steve and waited for the inevitable question. He didn't have long to wait.
"Dad, where have you been? Do you know what I have gone through?"
Succinctly Mark explained what had happened, where he had been and what he had been doing. For the first time in weeks Steve felt a crack appear in his armour of grief and a sliver of joy broke through. He smiled as he contemplated his next few words, words that he knew Mark would love to hear.
Answering Marks comment about how he had been doing children's birthday parties Steve concluded by saying, "Carrie, Beth and Steve would have loved that."
Mark, as Steve had known, was unable to prevent himself from asking who they were and was stunned to hear that they were his grandchildren. His second reaction was to ask to meet them and their mother. At the mention of Cheryl Steve's face became serious again as he explained to Mark that that was not possible, very nearly losing it again as his dad reached out across the table and gripped his hand in a silent gesture of support.
Pulling himself together Steve stood and insisted, much against Mark's wishes, that he took him to hospital for a check up. He knew that both Jack and Jesse were on duty that day and that they would be as thrilled as he was that Mark had re-appeared. He was right. Jack was as stunned as Steve had been and Jesse had simply passed out. The hardest thing that Steve had to do during that first, ecstatic, day was to tell Mark about Amanda and CJ. Mark was shocked, as he had expected him to be, but the overwhelming emotions of being back home with his friends and family managed to put the sadness he felt into some sort of perspective.
Putting aside his natural inclination to have his father to himself that first evening Steve invited Jack, Jesse and their families to the beach house for a barbeque courtesy of Barbeque Bobs. Mark spent time talking to everyone telling them, time and again, of the last twenty years. He was sitting on the sofa sandwiched between Matt and Luke, Jacks two teenage boys, when tiredness suddenly same over him and he yawned. Seeing that yawn Steve saw an opportunity to turn the tables on his father at long last. Grinning he said, "I think it's time you were in bed dad."
Although Mark protested, it was a token protest and he was soon ensconced in his room getting ready for bed. Leaving him in peace Steve went out to rejoin his friends. The adults sat out on the deck chatting about the amazing turn of events whilst the youngsters went down onto the beach. As everyone had to be back on duty the next day no-one stayed very late and by ten thirty Steve was left alone on the deck. He sat looking out over the ocean mulling over what had happened still unable to completely take in the fact that his dad truly was back.
He leant back in his seat and sipped from his can of beer. That morning he had still been mourning Cheryl's death and although he was beginning to come out of the fog of despair that he had been in, he had still felt that life was more of a millstone around his neck rather than a gift to be celebrated. Now though, he could see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and he was looking forward to making his way towards it and out of the darkness.
With his family and his friends by his side he knew that he would make it. He turned to watch the sunset over the ocean and smiled. Life would be good again, he just knew it.
THE END
Authors Note: This is the final instalment in the series. It was never meant to be a series, it simply evolved that way. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to review these stories - I am very grateful.
Just as a final note (for those who perhaps may not be aware ) this series comprises of four instalments : Only Time Can Tell (dealing with Marks disappearance and eventual re-appearance) ; The Fall Out (Steve's breakdown after Marks disappearance) ; Steve's Return (Steve's recovery and return to LA) and Time Passing (a series of short episodes dealing with events during the twenty years Mark was absent).
The sun was high in the sky before Steve woke that morning. He had had a rough night, unable to sleep as thoughts of Cheryl crowded through his head and it wasn't until the early hours of the morning that physical exhaustion had overtaken him. For a few seconds he lay there, still in that half way place that the brain occupied before full wakefulness occurred, totally relaxed. Then he thought of Cheryl and the small smile that had been playing around his mouth disappeared. However, unlike other mornings, there was still a small butterfly of excitement fluttering around deep in the pit of his stomach. It was like when he had been a child and it was his birthday. It was as if something nice was going to happen but he didn't know what. For the first time since Cheryl had died he realised that he wanted to get out of bed and face the day.
Swinging his feet out of the bed and onto the floor Steve padded across the bedroom and into the bathroom. Getting into the shower and standing under the nozzle he shut his eyes and allowed the water to cascade down over his body. Stepping out a few minutes later he towelled himself dry, pulled on a pair of sweatpants, t-shirt and wandered out through the lounge into the kitchen. The house was silent and for the first time that morning Steve looked at the clock and was a little surprised to see that it was gone nine am. Pouring himself a coffee and grabbing a donut from the fridge he walked back through the house and out onto the decking. Putting the mug on the wooden balustrade Steve leaned his hands either side of it and looked out over the ocean. As always the sight and sound of the ocean had a soothing effect on his spirits and he took in a deep, soul cleansing breath.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
A couple of hours later Steve pulled up in the alleyway behind Bobs. Opening the rear door to the restaurant he stepped inside and watched, with pleasure, the hive of activity that was going on in the kitchen. He looked around at the gleaming stainless steel that surrounded him and smiled. Stainless steel gave the impression of an alien environment but recently it had been a haven. Being at the restaurant had been some of the few times, over the last few months, where he had been able to forget what was happening with Cheryl. He was able to pretend, just for a while, that everything in his life was normal.
Walking through the kitchen Steve entered the restaurant itself and greeted the two young waitresses who were busily preparing for opening. He looked around, pleased with the re-furbishment that he and Jesse had recently commissioned. Gone were the square tables, white walls and in their place were octagonal tables which were covered in pale blue tablecloths topped by a cream damask square and pale blue walls, which gave Bobs a stylish air. The customers had loved the changes especially the new, hand-painted, sign behind the counter. A young artist, who frequented Bobs, had offered to create a new sign for them and hadn't asked for any payment. All he asked was that if anyone asked who had created it, that they would be given his name and phone number. Steve and Jesse had readily agreed to that, adding into the deal the offer of an occasional free meal whenever the young mans money ran out as it occasionally did.
Checking that everything was ready Steve unlocked the main door to the restaurant and turned the sign from 'Closed' to 'Open'. In recent years he and Jesse had made the decision to remain closed, on one day a week, until lunchtime. They knew that their staff worked exceptionally hard and had played a large part in the success of all the restaurants that they now owned that they, as owners, ought to give something back. That something resulted in extremely good wages, comparatively so in the catering business, and the ability to have a lie-in one day a week.
A few minutes later the first customers of the day entered and from that point onwards Steve had very little time to think or reflect upon anything other than making sure that his customers received their meals in good time. Bobs, as all their restaurants were collectively known as, had a reputation for good food, great atmosphere and excellent service which encouraged new customers to come in and existing customers to keep coming back.
The people who frequented the original Bobs were very loyal many of them, in fact, had become friends of Steve, Jesse and their families. They had given Steve and the children a great deal of support since Cheryl had died. Some of the more elderly ladies had come in for their lunches bringing with them cooked chickens, casseroles and the widest varieties of fruit pies that Steve had ever seen. It didn't matter to them that Steve continually protested that they were managing okay; they kept on bringing them in. Others, their younger clients with teenagers the same age as Carrie, Beth and Chris frequently issued invitations for them to join their families on picnics, visits to the cinema or bowling. Steve and the children had been more touched than they were able to communicate. Frequently reflecting on all the invitations and pies Steve thought that he hadn't realised just how many lives he and Cheryl had actually touched and to what extent.
Even though there was a steady stream of customers throughout the lunch period and on into the early afternoon Steve would occasionally be aware of an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach. He tried without success to make sense of it and finally gave up choosing instead to concentrate on work and trusting that whatever was causing those feelings to make itself known in the fullness of time.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
The afternoon rush had finished and Steve was sitting at one of the tables drinking a well earned mug of coffee and picking at a bowl of tomato sauce covered fries. He was enjoying the silence of the empty restaurant which was only broken by the sporadic clattering from the kitchen when he heard the sound of a car drawing up outside. Fervently hoping that the car didn't herald another customer Steve sighed as he heard the tinkle of the bell which sat over the door. Looking up a smile broke out on his face as he saw that his adopted godson entering the restaurant.
"Dion!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here? I thought you were on duty today."
"I was...I am," when Dion spoke he seemed unaccountably nervous and ill at ease.
Steve looked at him with confusion, he couldn't for the life of him figure out what could be the matter with Dion. Then a hideous thought struck him and he spoke,
"Has something happened to my kids Dion? Is that why you are here?"
A smile flitted across Dions face as he replied, "The kids are fine, as far as I know Steve. No I came for quite another reason. I had an old friend visit me at the station today and I thought that you might like to meet him."
A look of confusion crossed Steve's face as he listened to Dion speak. The young man in front of him was a dedicated detective and he knew that he would not leave his work just so that he, Steve, could meet an old friend. There had to be something more to it than that. Suddenly the odd feeling in the pit of his stomach returned and it was like there was a whole host of butterflies in there trying to get out. Something big was about to happen, he could feel it.
Dion watched the emotions drift across his friends face and he gestured for Steve to follow him. Rising from his seat Steve made his way around the blue covered tables and followed Dion outside. The first thing that he noticed was Dion's car parked very close to the main entrance. The second thing was a tall, elderly man standing by the passenger door that looked tantalisingly familiar. A tentative smile crossed the mans face and recognition flooded Steve's entire being.
Slowly, as if in a trance, Steve moved from where he stood until he was almost toe to toe with the man that he hadn't seen in nearly twenty years. He reached out, his hands trembling with emotion and touched the face in front of him.
"Dad," his voice managed to choke out the one word before his emotions got the better of him and he flung his arms around his father, sobs wracking his body.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Steve sat down at the table opposite Mark. His father was looking around the restaurant taking in the changes which gave Steve time scrutinize him. He saw a man who was looking older which was no real surprise but Steve was pleasurably amazed to realise that, general aging apart, Mark looked very much as he remembered from two decades earlier.
Becoming aware of his sons scrutiny Mark looked at Steve and waited for the inevitable question. He didn't have long to wait.
"Dad, where have you been? Do you know what I have gone through?"
Succinctly Mark explained what had happened, where he had been and what he had been doing. For the first time in weeks Steve felt a crack appear in his armour of grief and a sliver of joy broke through. He smiled as he contemplated his next few words, words that he knew Mark would love to hear.
Answering Marks comment about how he had been doing children's birthday parties Steve concluded by saying, "Carrie, Beth and Steve would have loved that."
Mark, as Steve had known, was unable to prevent himself from asking who they were and was stunned to hear that they were his grandchildren. His second reaction was to ask to meet them and their mother. At the mention of Cheryl Steve's face became serious again as he explained to Mark that that was not possible, very nearly losing it again as his dad reached out across the table and gripped his hand in a silent gesture of support.
Pulling himself together Steve stood and insisted, much against Mark's wishes, that he took him to hospital for a check up. He knew that both Jack and Jesse were on duty that day and that they would be as thrilled as he was that Mark had re-appeared. He was right. Jack was as stunned as Steve had been and Jesse had simply passed out. The hardest thing that Steve had to do during that first, ecstatic, day was to tell Mark about Amanda and CJ. Mark was shocked, as he had expected him to be, but the overwhelming emotions of being back home with his friends and family managed to put the sadness he felt into some sort of perspective.
Putting aside his natural inclination to have his father to himself that first evening Steve invited Jack, Jesse and their families to the beach house for a barbeque courtesy of Barbeque Bobs. Mark spent time talking to everyone telling them, time and again, of the last twenty years. He was sitting on the sofa sandwiched between Matt and Luke, Jacks two teenage boys, when tiredness suddenly same over him and he yawned. Seeing that yawn Steve saw an opportunity to turn the tables on his father at long last. Grinning he said, "I think it's time you were in bed dad."
Although Mark protested, it was a token protest and he was soon ensconced in his room getting ready for bed. Leaving him in peace Steve went out to rejoin his friends. The adults sat out on the deck chatting about the amazing turn of events whilst the youngsters went down onto the beach. As everyone had to be back on duty the next day no-one stayed very late and by ten thirty Steve was left alone on the deck. He sat looking out over the ocean mulling over what had happened still unable to completely take in the fact that his dad truly was back.
He leant back in his seat and sipped from his can of beer. That morning he had still been mourning Cheryl's death and although he was beginning to come out of the fog of despair that he had been in, he had still felt that life was more of a millstone around his neck rather than a gift to be celebrated. Now though, he could see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and he was looking forward to making his way towards it and out of the darkness.
With his family and his friends by his side he knew that he would make it. He turned to watch the sunset over the ocean and smiled. Life would be good again, he just knew it.
THE END
Authors Note: This is the final instalment in the series. It was never meant to be a series, it simply evolved that way. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to review these stories - I am very grateful.
Just as a final note (for those who perhaps may not be aware ) this series comprises of four instalments : Only Time Can Tell (dealing with Marks disappearance and eventual re-appearance) ; The Fall Out (Steve's breakdown after Marks disappearance) ; Steve's Return (Steve's recovery and return to LA) and Time Passing (a series of short episodes dealing with events during the twenty years Mark was absent).