Bitter
Chapter 7
Mike had managed to find an open medical clinic in Indiana, and they were able to x-ray Christine's leg, clean the wound and give her high-powered antibiotics. It took them a couple hours before they were on the road again and it was getting late so Mike found a hotel in eastern Illinois. They could only get one room with two queen-sized beds and Mike helped Christine settle into the bed with her foot up on a pillow.
"Will you be okay while I find food? I can take Hannah with me and leave Katie since Hannah is a bit hyper." Mike asked.
"I'll be okay. What's even open?" Christine asked.
"There's a diner. I would ask what you want but I probably need to figure out what they have first." Mike remarked.
"Just whatever is fine. Thanks." Christine asked. She was a bit shocked how sweet Mike was being.
"No problem. Katie, do you mind staying with Mom?" Mike asked their oldest daughter.
"Not at all. There's hot water! I can take a shower." Katie said. Mike looked at Christine in complete confusion.
"We've had showers. They were just cold and it bothered her arthritis." Christine explained.
"Oh. That makes sense." Mike said.
"We'll be fine, Mike. Thanks." Christine said.
"Alright, Hannah; c'mon?" Mike told their younger daughter. He gave Christine and Katie a smile before heading out the door with Hannah. A moment later, Katie went in for her shower; leaving Christine to her own devices. Mike had picked her up a book while he was in the pharmacy, but it was more one he would prefer. Still, it gave her something to occupy her mind. Finally, Katie came out looking much fresher.
"I feel better." Katie remarked.
"I figured you would. You excited for St. Louis?" Christine asked.
"I'm excited to be in a house with Dad for a while, even though he will have to leave again soon. I've missed him just being there." Katie remarked.
"I know you have, sweetie." Christine said. Her and Mike's separation had a profound effect on their kids, especially Katie, who blamed herself for it. She couldn't understand that it was her parent's poor decisions that had caused the separation. Just then, Mike came in with Hannah at his heels.
"So, the menu was limited but I got cheeseburgers and fries. Hope that's okay?" Mike asked.
"Its fine for me." Christine said. Mike handed her the food container and a bottle of water. The girls settled at the table and ate their dinner while Mike settled on the other bed with his.
"I figured we'd go to sleep early and get headed out early. That way I could get you girls settled in. I have a meeting tomorrow at nine am, and I would really like to be in St. Louis early." Mike explained.
"That is fine. Sorry I am slowing you down." Christine said.
"Daddy told me we'd have our own rooms, Katie!" Hannah said. The girls had always shared a bedroom but without Lucas, there was no need for that.
"The rooms are set up but eventually your mom will want to redecorate a bit. Its all kind of basic but it was the best I could do." Mike said.
"It'll all be fine." Christine answered.
"I am glad I found a one-story. I didn't know about your leg when I did but it'll be handy. I was thinking more in terms of Katie at the time." Mike remarked quietly. They had discussed their daughter's disability and how they might need to adapt their lifestyle to accommodate it in the future before for the Red Flu.
"She does struggle with stairs some so it'll help." Christine said. It was the best conversation she had had with Mike in a long time.
"And the kitchen is remodeled. Once you get to feeling better and there's supplies, you can go back to your baking." Mike said with a grin. Christine had always loved baking and Mike had always loved eating it, so it worked out.
"Sounds nice." Christine answered.
"You okay? You don't seem so excited about the house." Mike asked. The girls were in their own conversation and completing ignoring their parents.
"Its hard to be excited about a house when Lucas won't be there." Christine admitted.
"That is true. I hated not setting up a room for him." Mike said.
"And I don't have any pictures. We had to leave the safe zone so quickly." Christine said.
"I found those and have them. Once things settle a bit, we will pack up the house in Norfolk too. I had it secured." Mike said.
"Oh, good. I was really torn up about that." Christine remarked with a smile.
"Yep, they are in St. Louis at the house." Mike told her.
"When do you leave?" Christine asked.
"They haven't given an exact date, of course; but within a month. It's a humanitarian trip, distributing the cure so they want us out as soon as possible. Hopefully, I get a little bit of time before I do so you can be okay." Mike said, gesturing at her leg.
"I hope so too. So, you'll be able to call and email?" Christine asked.
"As much as possible with our present communication difficulties." Mike answered.
"Good." Christine told him.
"Tom is promoted to CNO. I was given the captaincy of the James." Mike told her.
"Good. I'm proud of you. Its what you've worked for all these years." Christine said.
"You worked for it too." Mike remarked.
"True, but I haven't been the most supportive the last year." Christine said.
"Well, we both screwed up this last year and right now is not the right time to discuss it but maybe we both need a do-over." Mike said. Before Christine could ask what he meant, Hannah jumped onto the bed next to him.
"Daddy, I didn't want my pickles." Hannah said as she put them on Mike's food container.
"You never want your pickles which is odd because it was your mom's craving when she was pregnant with you!" Mike teased the little girl.
"Pickles and peanut butter." Christine said with a laugh.
"Gross!" Hannah said.
"Now that I think about it, it was, but having to make pickle and peanut butter sandwiches every morning at two am for eight months was entertaining. The smell was terrible." Mike said. Katie was collecting all the food boxes to throw away.
"Mom, do you want me to help Hannah with her shower before we go to bed?" Katie asked.
"That would be good." Christine said.
"Are you and Mom sleeping in a bed together?" Hannah asked Mike. Christine could only look at her in horror. She hadn't thought about sleeping arrangements. Leave it to Hannah to create an awkward moment.
"Sorry…" Christine started.
"That might be the wisest choice. You and Katie can share one bed, and Mom and I can sleep in one, that way if she needs help; I'm close." Mike said. It surprised Christine.
"C'mon, Hannah; shower." Katie said, maybe figuring out that Hannah had created a weird moment between their parents. Hannah followed her sister into the bathroom with her pajamas and Christine waited for the shower to turn on before she spoke.
"Mike; you don't have to do this." Christine said.
"We were married for fifteen years before either of us cheated, its just sleeping in the same bed together. We don't have to make it permanent if we don't want to." Mike said.
"Mike…are you wanting to get back together? I know how much you cared about Michelle." Christine asked. Mike only blinked in pain.
"She is probably dead and we need to concentrate on a united front for the girls right now. I don't know if that means being together or not but now is not the time to figure it out. For tonight, its just a matter of sleeping together in the same bed. Something we've done thousands of times. And I don't want to talk about Michelle right now. It hurts too badly." Mike said.
"Understood." Christine said. It hurt to know how much Mike had loved Michelle. It was not something she was sure she had ever shared with Mike. Sure, they had loved each other, but they probably were never 'in love.' They married because she was pregnant with Katie, and then Hannah and Lucas came along. It was never a love story. Just a good marriage for fifteen years before they both gave in to temptations. Christine dropped the subject so Mike could reign in his emotions before the girls came back in the room.
