2005
"How did you meet my mother?" Charlie suddenly asked. He was curious to see how accurate Don's theory was.
"It was at a park. One day, I saw your mother there, watching your brother, and I impulsively did that sketch of him for her." David said. Don had been right.
"Did you exchange...numbers?"
"No...after givng her the drawing, I asked if I could do one of her. She was about to say no, when your brother yelled at some kid to let go of his shovel. She had to go to take care of the ...situation"
"Then how..."
"I ran into her two more times. Once in the supermarket, and again in the farmer's markert, where she agreed to let me give her drawing lessons..." David told him awkardly.
"Oh..."
2004
"A penny for your thoughts" Alan said softly as she sipped the tea. He then kissed the top of her head and started towallow in his own memories.
Alan, when Charlie was about one, had decided to take the two boys to a game for some father/sons time. Besides, the toddler had yet to go to his first baseball game.
"Can't he stay with mom?" Donnie protested. "He'll make funny noises and stuff."
"He's going, and that's final!" Alan said firmly. "Go put on your jacket, while I get the car seat."
During the game, the baby sat on Alan's lap, eating popcorn, while Don shared a dodger dog with his father.
"Ah..ah!" Charlie tried to get a piece of Don's hot dog.
"Charlie! No! Eat your popcorn!" the boy protested.
"Ah!"
"Here, I'll give you some of my hotdog" Alan offered the toddler, who took it. Sometime later, he started to throw popcorn at Donnie.
"Charlie! stop it!" Don groaned.
"Charlie no!" Alan scoldedand made his point by waving his right index finger. "We don't throw food. There are too many starving children in the world."
99999
"I wanna play baseball when I grow up" Don announced after the game.
"You'll need to work hard at it" Alan said, happy that both his kids had enjoyed themselves. The baby had fallen asleep by this time.
All too soon, Alan found himself back in the present.
TBC