Chapter Fourteen

Cafe…

Margaret swallowed after a few moments, deciding that she should be the one to say something, and try to make things right.

"So… How have you been?" She asked, not sure what else she could have said

"I've been fine, what about you?" Don said, still not wanting to say too much.

"Fine, considering what has been going on." Margaret said, trying to think of something else to say to her eldest son.

"Yeah." Don said simply as a waiter came and took their orders, signaling to Margaret and Charlie that Don wasn't going to try to leave just yet.

"So, Don, are you still in Fugitive Recovery?" Margaret asked, as she had been wondering that for a while and she noticed a ring on his finger, so she knew he probably left but he wasn't sure.

"No, I work in Albuquerque now and we have a case that has similarities to the one Dad got… caught up in, so the LA and Albuquerque offices are coordinating right now, which was why there was some uncertainty on whether or not I would be able to meet with you two." Don simply said, as he knew that his Mother would have noticed the ring, and he didn't want to talk about his own family just yet.

"I see, so I gather there is a bit of conflict of interest for you with Alan being involved?" Margaret asked, hoping that mentioning the name doesn't add to further issues.

"I told them, even though we hadn't… seen each other for a long time." Don managed to say, still feeling some of those emotions since he last saw his father.

"Does that mean you might have to, um…" Margaret hesitated, "come to LA for the case?"

"As far as I can tell that, for now, no, but you never know." Don said, exhaling, as he wasn't even sure he even wanted to go to LA.

"Ok." Margaret said, struggling to think more of what to say when Don's phone rang, which he immediately answered.

"Yeah, okay, I'll be there in a few minutes." Don said on the phone as he put a twenty on the table, to Charlie and Margaret's surprise.

"I gotta go." Don just said before leaving in a hurry out the door, which wasn't a surprise to either of them, though

"Well, it went better than we could have expected." Charlie spoke for the first time, as he wanted to see how the other two would interact.

"Yes, but I don't think he was happy to be here." Margaret said sadly, as she knew it took a lot for him to even be with them, more specifically her, and she couldn't blame him.

"Hey, he came to see us, even if it was brief." Charlie said, though he knew that it might not make her feel any better.

"Think we might see him before we have to head back tomorrow?" Margaret asked anxiously

"Honestly, I have no idea but I'll see what I can do." Charlie promised, though he knew it would be a tall order, with the case and if his brother would even be willing to face them again.

He had to try again.