FOURTEEN YEARS LATER
Tim walked in from his garage and saw Calleigh cleaning the table. He smiled and stepped behind her, kissing her exposed shoulder. She moved away from him.
"Hi?"
"Didn't you have something to do today?" Calleigh asked, an angry tone in her voice. Tim stared at her back. She turned around, an unhappy look on her face.
"Um..."
"If I show you the garbage, throw a piece of cake at you, and start singing 'Happy Birthday' will that jog your memory?"
"Honey, I'm so sorry."
"No. Don't apologize to me. It wasn't my birthday."
"Where is he?"
"Where do you think?" Calleigh snapped. Tim turned and went upstairs. He stopped at the first closed door and knocked on it lightly.
"Come in."
Tim opened the door slightly and stepped into his son's room.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"Whatcha doing?" Tim sat down on the bed, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Homework."
"Cool."
"Yeah."
"Nicky, I'm sorry I wasn't there today."
"It's okay."
"No it's not. I got held up at work and I really wanted to be there."
"Mhmm." Nicky nodded. Tim didn't know what else to say.
"Did you have fun?"
"I guess."
"Get anything cool?"
"Just the usual. Mom got me socks."
"That's good. You always need socks."
"Yeah. Thanks for the PSP."
"Mommy gave it to you huh?" Tim asked, rubbing his stubbled jaw.
"Yeah. It's cool."
"I'm glad you like it."
The two Speedle guys sat in silence for a while. Tim nodded and stood up.
"Okay uh... don't stay up too late."
"I won't." Nicky mumbled. Tim leaned over and kissed the top of his head.
"Happy Birthday."
"Thanks."
Tim stood there for a second then walked out, closing the door behind him.
"Hey where're you going?"
Jen froze in her doorway, her cleats hanging from one hand. She turned around, her black ponytail bouncing slightly.
"Bed."
"Where've you been?" Tim asked.
"Softball practice and then I went to Melissa's."
"It was your brother's birthday."
"I was there the whole party. I left about a half hour before it ended. Mom let me go. At least I didn't miss all of it." Jen said. "'Night."
She didn't wait for a response, just slammed her door. Tim sighed deeply and walked into his room. Calleigh was in the adjoining bathroom, brushing her hair out.
"So how was court?" she asked. Tim shrugged, loosening his tie.
"Like it always was."
"I thought you had it at noon."
"I did."
"It lasted for nine hours?"
"You'd be surprised. These things do last for a while."
"Wasn't Eric working that case with you?"
"Yes."
"Didn't he have to be in court?"
Tim gritted his teeth, knowing where his wife was going with this.
"Yeah."
"Funny. I thought I saw him here, at your son's party. But I must've been mistaking since you were in court for nine hours." Calleigh said, coming out of the bathroom. "You know, I'm getting older so I must be losing my mind."
Tim tossed his dress shirt into a dirty pile in the walk-in closet and helped Calleigh pull the comforter back off the bed.
"So you're mad at me? I thought you said it wasn't your birthday I missed."
"Tim, this isn't about missing a birthday party!" Calleigh exclaimed, tossing the throw pillows to the foot of the bed. "Okay yes it is. Nick is your son."
"Yeah I've noticed."
"You should've seen the look on his face. Every few minutes he'd look up at me as if to ask where you were. Tim, he's getting older and you've missed out on so much."
"Calleigh, he's eight. Relax." he muttered, walking over to his dresser.
"No I'm not! I'm sick of covering your ass for everything! I always make up excuses for you!"
"Then stop! No one's telling you that you have to!"
"Yes well I'm not going to let everyone in our children's lives think that you're some jerk that doesn't care about his family! I know you Tim and I know that's not it!"
"Well you seem to know everything so tell me what it is about?"
"This is about Abbie." Calleigh said.
"You think so?" Tim asked.
"I know so! You two were so close and when you let her walk off with some complete stranger that put you back in that damn shell you created around yourself when I first knew you! Then Jen was born and at first you acted like you loved her but you grew apart, staying at work late, making excuses to not come home, jumping at every chance to go to conference. Then Nicky and it started all over again. You're never there for anything!"
"Oh shut up Calleigh! Who was the one who was so depressed she wanted nothing to do with our daughter when she was born?" Tim yelled.
"I'm sorry that you lost our child and expected me to just get over it and replace her like that!" she screamed, tears clouding her vision. "And if you think this is just about the kids it's not! Ever since that happened you only talk to me if you have to or you want something!"
Tim shook his head and Calleigh got into bed, sobbing quietly. Tim sat there for a few minutes before he lay down as well, more space between the couple than either of them could remember. But when Tim woke up the next morning, Calleigh was in his arms like nothing had happened the night before.