Chapter Two

Zeek

That evening the front doorbell rang.

"Want me to get it?" Kristina asked.

"No," Adam replied, a slightly tired sound to his voice. "It's probably for me."

When he opened the door, Zeek was there.

"Son," he said before Adam could speak. "Can we talk?"

"Sure. Come on in."

"Why don't we talk out here?"

"Okay," Adam said as he shut the door behind him.

"I guess you know what this is all about," Zeek said uncomfortably.

"I don't see Haddie," Adam said, looking past his dad.

"No, she's not here. She's still at home; my – our home."

Adam crossed his arms, waiting for his father to come to the point – the "point" he knew was coming.

"It's about this thing with you and your mother. She said that as long as Haddie is staying with us, that you aren't coming over, at all."

"She's correct. I can't, in good conscience, go along with her undermining my parental authority, and her condoning Haddie's lying to us and sneaking behind our backs to see Alex. I just can't do it."

"I don't think she sees it like that."

"What other way is there to see it? Haddie took Max to the park where she knew Alex was going to be, and lied about it! How else could she see it?"

For a few seconds, Zeek was at a loss for words.

"But, but you know how much Camille loves Max, and Kristina. Don't you think you're undermining their relationship?"

"Not at all. If Kristina wants to go over there; if she wants to take Max, I have no objection. But I won't go, not until Haddie comes back home and accepts the punishment and the restrictions we set for her for disobeying us."

Before Zeek could answer, Adam continued.

"See, I don't understand – it's your house too, and you should get some say so in who comes and goes. So why aren't you...?"

"Look son," Zeek interrupted, "since your mother and I have been in couples therapy, we've been told that we should pick our battles; pick the ones we can win. Pick the ones where we know we're right. But in this, I can't fight your mother. Her mind's made up. It's a losing battle."

"Then we have nothing else to talk about." And Adam turned to go back into the house.

"Sunday, dinner. So you won't come?"

"No. I told you that. If Kristina wants to take Max, then fine. But not me.

And Adam closed the door, leaving his father standing outside.