Another Father's Advice
Chapter 4
Mike was meeting Tom for steaks, beer and a game of darts. He texted Mike fifteen minutes before their meeting that he was running late and was just leaving work and would need to go home and change clothes. It gave Mike time to collect his thoughts regarding what he was going to say to him and what his feelings were in regards to Madeline.
As he nursed his first beer waiting on Tom; he saw Danny come in. Fortunately, he didn't have anyone with him and Mike decided to take the opportunity to talk to the younger man. Danny seemed set on enjoying his night out; which was annoying to Mike. He knew that Kara would let Danny see Frankie anytime he wanted. If he was in Danny's shoes; he would be spending time with his son; not drinking.
"What's going on?" Mike asked as Danny started a pool game. He drafted himself to play against Danny, to give himself a chance to talk to him.
"I am so sick of Kara nagging at me!" Danny complained.
"What's she nagging you about?" Mike asked.
"When am I going to see Frankie? Frankie this…Frankie that…" Danny continued. He was obviously venting.
"Why do you not want to see your boy?" Mike asked. Danny looked at him like he had lost his mind.
"It isn't that I don't want to see him." Danny stated.
"So, what's the deal?" Mike questioned.
"My dad never spent time with me when I was that age. Kids that age need their moms more." Danny had made his lame excuse.
"No, kids that age need both their parents. Any age really." Mike stated.
"Not what my old man said. Besides, what do you know? You aren't a dad anymore." Danny stated, and Mike realized that he had already been drinking. Tom had also walked in and stared at Danny like he had lost his mind.
"True, I'm not. But when I was; I spent every moment I could with my kids. I was not a perfect father and I do regret the time I didn't spend with them now. I would give anything to have a do-over." Mike admitted as Tom eyed him.
"Frankie can be so whiny though." Danny continued complaining.
"Alright, I am going to jump in; Frankie is young yet. Kids that age need guidance from both their parents. It will get better." Tom added.
"Why didn't you go to his birthday party?" Mike asked.
"A bunch of screaming kids at the park?" Danny joked.
"I was there. I like walking through that park. Reminds me of when my kids were small. I saw Kara sitting on one of the benches with Frankie and he was crying because you weren't there. I went and got him a present and then stayed. Not how I wanted to spend my day off but at least he stopped crying." Mike told Danny firmly.
"Uh…I…" Danny stammered.
"You were home over Frankie's birthday and didn't go to his party?" Tom asked.
"Yes…" Danny answered.
"Look, I have issues with my own kids and I am definitely not a perfect father but deliberately missing his birthday when you are in town in not excusable. You will miss a lot more because you are deployed. The ones that you are here for, you need to be there for. You and Kara need to work something out; even if you don't stay together. She's open to co-parenting, correct?" Tom asked.
"Yes." Danny admitted.
"Your old man doesn't sound like the greatest example. Maybe you think he was, but I promise, if you don't spend time with Frankie now while you still can; you will regret it later. I certainly do where my kids are concerned. I would give anything to have another birthday with them, or just another day in general." Mike stated, and he could see the guilty look cross Danny's face.
"I suggest you go get sobered up and then call Kara and see if she is open to you having a day with Frankie. We all have our ghosts and we are all haunted, but our kids deserve better. They didn't ask for this life." Tom told him.
"Yes, sir." Danny said as he handed Tom his pool cue. Apparently, he was leaving.
"And get a cab to take you home. You are already drunk." Mike ordered.
"Yes, sir." Danny agreed as he walked away.
"Figured it would be more of a fight." Mike stated after he had left.
"I didn't know he had missed Frankie's birthday. Ashley said you and she had talked." Tom said.
"Yeah, I saw her and Sam the other night at the pizza place. She was pretty agitated." Mike told him.
"Yeah, we got in a pretty bad fight the next night. I think we are okay now." Tom told him as they both deserted the pool table and found a table.
"Good. Just don't slip into old habits. She said something that did concern me. Wished that you had given them up after Darien died. Let them be adopted." Mike disclosed.
"Yeah, she said as much to me. Was a reality check." Tom admitted.
"Good, I will save the lecture then." Mike teased.
"Thanks. You okay? I heard what Danny said about you not being a dad anymore. That had to hurt." Tom asked.
"It did a bit but its true. I'm not." Mike said as he surveyed the menu.
"Just because your kids have died doesn't mean that you stopped being a dad. Besides, you never did get confirmation on Hannah, correct?" Tom asked.
"Yeah but its been long enough, if she was alive she would have surfaced. I can't keep hanging onto the maybes. They hurt too bad." Mike stated.
"Which is why you have a bedroom in your apartment decorated for a teenage girl?" Tom questioned. It was true, Mike had the extra bedroom at his apartment decorated how he thought Hannah would like her room if she was still alive. Granted, it wasn't perfect because it was him decorating it, but it had the robin's egg blue on the wall that Hannah had loved, along with a floral bedspread, pink curtains and a wrought iron, antique headboard and footboard. The door to the bedroom stayed closed.
"Yeah, I really should redo that room." Mike said, ending the conversation.
"So, a little bird told me that you had been seeing someone that Kara knows? A young widow with two small kids?" Tom asked.
"Kara has a big mouth. We've been on one date and that was with her kids. She couldn't find a babysitter." Mike stated after taking a drink of his beer.
"How serious then?" Tom asked.
"One date? When did you know it was time to move on after Darien died?" Mike asked.
"Are you thinking its time? I've met this girl. Seems nice." Tom questioned.
"She is. I don't know. The other dates I've been on have been a disaster. Christine and I had our issues, but I thought I would be married to her for the rest of my life. She is gone though, and I am tired of being alone. I just want to fall in love…rather its Madeline or someone else. I don't want to fall in love with the idea of being a husband and father again. Madeline deserves better and so do her kids." Mike stated.
"Sounds to me like you're already there." Tom told him.
"We've been on one date. With a six-year-old and a six-month-old. It's a bit soon to call it love. Christine and I dated for a year before I even told her that I loved her, granted; we were high school sweethearts." Mike told him.
"Not that I really want to know this, but I would guess Christine is the only woman you've been with?" Tom asked.
"What a weird question." Mike told him.
"So?" Tom asked as the waitress showed up with their food.
"Still weird but yes." Mike teased. He had always been kind of proud of it. Now, it just seemed odd. In the last six years, Mike had never felt right about casual sex.
"Mike, all I'm saying is; Madeline is nice, her kids are cute and so is she. I truly don't think she has a hidden agenda so even if it doesn't go anywhere, what's wrong with having a little happiness? You are certainly deserving." Tom stated.
"She also is a widow with two small kids. I'm sure she is not ready to jump into bed." Mike argued even though he knew that Madeline was practically begging Mike to spend the night.
"Just keep yourself open to it. Nothing wrong with it. You do have confirmation of Christine's death. It isn't cheating. And I do think Christine would want you to be happy. She wouldn't want you to be alone." Tom told him.
"True. She would have kicked my butt if she knew I was alone this long." Mike admitted.
"I also think she would have liked Madeline." Tom continued.
"She isn't much like Christine. Doesn't look like her or even act like her. Madeline is direct. Christine would beat around the bush." Mike confided.
"Well, Sasha is not like Darien. You don't want a carbon copy. I can feature you with a redhead, by the way." Tom stated.
"Uh…okay." Mike agreed. He really didn't care about Madeline's hair color.
"So, what are you waiting for?" Tom asked.
"I wanted to finish this steak and her mom is visiting. She is going to text me once she leaves and I am going to help her move Elizabeth's crib into the extra room." Mike confided. His steak was eaten, and his phone had dinged a moment before with a text from Madeline.
"Mom just left if you still want to come by." Her text read.
"Well, that's my cue. Just a piece of advice, unless you want another baby soon; stop by the store and get what you need. Unless, you do want a baby." Tom stated as he stood up and grabbed the ticket. He paid for their dinner and walked out without saying another word. Mike pulled his phone back out and sent Madeline a reply.
"Be there in a bit. Need to make a pit stop at the store." Mike texted back.
"For?" Madeline asked.
"Unless I read into what you said this morning; I am guessing you don't want another baby so close in age to Elizabeth?" Mike hinted.
"You aren't reading into it. I meant exactly that but wasn't sure you were ready. I didn't want to be presumptuous." Madeline texted back.
"You weren't. No promises how well I will do but I will give it some effort." Mike teased as he stood up, threw a tip on the table and walked out.
"Just some? Better hurry. Elizabeth is fading fast and I really don't want to wake her up to move her crib. Course, I guess I could lay her down on my bed for the time being." Madeline sent back.
"I will. See ya." Mike answered.
Mike ran by the store and got the needed item in addition to a bottle of red wine and a bouquet of roses. He didn't particularly care about the wine, but it seemed like something Madeline would like. One of the things that occurred to him as he drove to the apartment was that he wouldn't have to walk by Hannah's 'bedroom' door. When he was home, the worst part of his day was walking by the bedroom door. Despite all his saying that he couldn't hang onto maybes; the bedroom hurt but he also couldn't clean it out. If by some miracle, Hannah was found; he didn't want to send a message that he had given up hope to her.
I know I seem to have taken an odd turn, both with Danny being so rude and with Tom not getting his lecture but instead giving Mike his advice. I said this would only be 5-6 chapters long, but it may become longer because that bedroom is going to become prevalent…hint! Love reading the reviews, thanks so much!