Chapter Eight....
Luke walked in to Kelly's and saw Lucky sitting with his back to the door. Observing his son for a bit he realized Lucky's attention was on Rebecca. That was a interesting turn of events Luke thought, especially how Lucky knew Nicholas was obsessed with her and trying to figure out how to deal with the resemblance to Emily. Oh well, that was their issue to work out. Right now Luke's agenda was only about his son.
"Mind if I join you?" Luke looked hopeful as he placed a hand on the back of the chair opposite Lucky.
"If you want to." Lucky was trying to control his emotions as his back went immediately up.
Looking at his son for a moment, Luke started thinking about where all the years had gone. He barely knew this man in front of him and yet it had been the same boy who once held his hand to cross the street. Luke thought this parenting thing got easier once they were adults, but he was finding it quite the opposite. It was easy when the thing that was broken was a toy – a little glue and off they went. But these broken hearts and spirits were more than he could handle.
Lucky just waited. He had no idea what was going on in his father's mind but knew the man well enough to know whatever Lucky assumed could be the complete opposite of what Luke was actually thinking.
Rebecca sensed the tension in the air and tried to get Lucky's eye. When that wasn't successful she went to their table with a coffee pot and poured. Looking directly at Lucky she told them to call her if they needed anything. Lucky didn't miss the life raft she had just thrown him.
"I thought you might come back to the Haunted Star after you cooled down," Luke started once she left.
"I was thinking about it. Unfortunately I got delayed along the way."
"Yeah, I saw the bruise on 'Delay's' chin. I take it he's responsible for the cut on your forehead?"
Lucky took a long drink of his coffee to keep from answering.
"I see," Luke replied. "I'm sorry Tracy rode you like that, Son. And I want you to know I don't agree that you've been a terrible son – I've been the terrible father."
"No Dad, Tracy was right. I can do everything by the book but that's not what you need in a son. You need someone who's a lot more flexible than I am."
"Lucky, there's nothing wrong with the way you do things. I don't get it half the time, but that doesn't mean you stop doing it."
"It hit me in the gut Dad, the way you and Tracy and this Ethan guy looked like the family and I was on the outside."
"Lucky, you are the fruit of my loins, not that kid who has turned Tracy to mush. He's entertaining and yeah he's interested in what I got to teach, but at the end of the day it's you and your sister who get the honoured place by my deathbed, not that guy."
"I just don't know where I fit in, Dad. The three of you were so connected and I was the odd man out."
"You didn't have to be, Son. I would have been happy to have you on the inside."
"That's what Tracy said."
"When were you talking to Tracy?"
"A few hours ago. Rebecca and I were walking on the docks and she saw us. She didn't beat around the bush. She basically told me I was an idiot for jumping all over you rather than waiting to see what was going on."
Luke chuckled, seeing the whole scene play out in his imagination. When he looked up at Lucky's face he realized his mistake and explained.
"Sorry Son, I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at the situation. Tracy is a force of nature. You know how some people mean well but end up causing more damage in the end? Well Tracy doesn't mean well. She just cuts to the point as she sees it."
Lucky grinned a little for the first time and felt his ease with his father increasing. From across the room Rebecca let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"Force of Nature. Yeah, that's a good way to describe it. She never apologized for attacking me but she did clarify things. I've got two choices Dad, I can either be your son or I can be the cop. I just have to decide which I am when I see you."
Luke was sad to hear Lucky say it like that. He didn't want his son to deny part of himself.
"Lucky, you be who you are. You don't have to choose for my sake. I'll never get it, but if being a cop is what you want than do it. You've got your own life to live – you don't need my approval to do it. Tracy has just..."
"Tracy has been fighting with you or for you since you got married, Dad. She has a right to her opinion. She understands you in ways I never will, probably ways Mom never did. The two of you are like one person and I've got to start treating her that way. I put myself on the outside. Now it's time to put myself on the inside. I can't do the stuff you and Ethan were up to today, but I can keep my mouth shut about it. You live life, Dad, and you always say it like it is. I gotta respect that."
"Thank you Son, that means a great deal to me."
They sat in comfortable silence for the first time all afternoon, drinking their coffee and contemplating how they got to this point.
"So, who's horse came in?" Lucky asked after awhile.
"Who do you think?" Luke grinned.