Chapter 3

I love You….And I miss you

You know, some of my coping mechanisms, come in weird ways. Like on our wedding anniversary, last year, I was all set to spend the day in bed, crying. I wanted to be left alone to reflect on the past 14 (now 15) years, but Jen wouldn't let me have any of that. She made sure it was a day I had to remember.

Flashback
1 Year ago

"Come on dad!"
She barged into the room and threw a pair of jeans, and a long-sleeved shirt onto the bed.

"Ugh…What? Jen…"

"Come on…You're gonna have fun with me today. We're gonna go get breakfast, and then go get some flowers for mom, and then we're gonna go get lunch, and then see a movie, you're gonna go to the mall with me, and then we'll go get TJ from Heather (His last girlfriend)'s house, and we're all gonna have dinner…No moping around this year!"

Flashback Ends

She didn't give me a choice last year…I went with her and we had a lot of fun, but some how, it seemed more like the day was for her…but like I said, she's her mother's daughter... And we had fun…

I walk into the living-room, and my cell phone is ringing…that's odd. The kids are at school, and I'm not working today…I pick it up anyway…it's Jen

"Jen, what's up?..." Something about her needing a certain book for class.

"Yeah…I'll be there..." I get a weird idea…one I haven't had since before we had Jen and TJ.

"How would you like to ditch the rest of the day?" Wow, that one was easy…I should do this more often…

I grab the book from her room, and decide to make my stop on the way to the school. I grabbed some flowers from a near-by florist, and then went to see her.

This would be new though…I wanted to warn her in advance.

"Hey girl…I know it's been a while."

"Yeah…long enough if you ask me, Quinc…" I could feel her say…

"I wanted to come by and tell you happy anniversary…I know it'll be a first…but I'll be back with Jen and Tom later…I think it's time I'll tell them the story…They deserve to know…but you…Sometimes I feel like you abandoned me, girl…"

"Sorry…" I felt her say it…or maybe it was me dreaming…

"I just wanted to tell you…You know, Jen, she won the talent competition at her school… though I'm sure you knew that…"

"That'd be you Quincy…always stating the obvious…"

I brushed some of the dust and debris of freshly chopped grass of the marble.

"Anyway, I have to drop a book of to Jen,…but I'm gonna rescue them for the rest of the day…We should be together today…I love you though…"

"I love you too, Tommy."

I set the flowers in a vase I'd put there after she'd first passed, and then walked back to the car…