Long Road Home

Chapter 10

It was a very tense meal. Katie and Christine tried to keep it light and Mike knew that Christine had insisted that Hannah eat with the family. Mike was very uncertain of his own place within the family.

The girls went to bed early. Not unusual for Katie but it was for Hannah. It was almost like she was trying to avoid him. He had thought they were doing really good. Christine had a rule that the girls left their bedroom doors open while they slept and so Mike stood at Hannah's door, watching her toss and turn. It made his heart hurt.

"Mike; why don't you come to bed?" Christine suggested. She was already in her pajamas.

"I'm just worried about her." Mike admitted.

"I know, babe." Christine said, tugging at his arm. He followed her into the bedroom and got ready to go to sleep, but his mind was too active.

"What was her response?" Mike asked.

"Mike; please. I know her thinking you had another family out there hurt but understand she is only fourteen. Her imagination ran away with itself. Just love her. That is all you have to do." Christine said.

"She won't let me." Mike answered.

"Then be gentle." Christine said. She shut the lamps off, indicating she was done talking. She cuddled up and fell asleep quickly, but Mike didn't.

Hannah cited an early morning tutoring session and was off to school early. Mike offered to drive her to school but she refused the ride. He helped Katie with one of her classes and they went for a walk while Christine worked on a baby shower cake. Hannah had texted Christine that she was working that evening after school, and didn't get home until seven, long after the hardware store closed. Mike kept his mouth closed, letting Christine handle it.

"The hardware store closed at five. It normally doesn't take you two hours to do the closing." Christine remarked as she heated up Hannah's dinner.

"I was helping with something." Hannah said. Mike immediately picked up that she was lying but continued keeping his mouth closed. Thankfully, Christine picked up on it.

"Hannah, what is going on with you? You have never lied to me before." Christine asked.

"I didn't lie." Hannah said, backtalking her mother. A pet peeve of Mike's.

"Hannah, you can think whatever you want to about me. You can't with your mother. Be respectful. What were you doing?" Mike asked. He kept his tone low to keep Christine happy. Hannah only rolled her eyes in response. Christine was going through Hannah's bookbag, which seemed a bit far to Mike.

"Why did you go to the public library? You can go to the school library." Christine asked. Holding up a book.

"They didn't have the internet at the school library." Hannah said.

"Why did you need the internet? We have it here." Mike asked, pointing towards his home office.

"I didn't want you to see what I was doing." Hannah replied.

"Gang-bangers aren't as obtuse. Why didn't you want us to see what you were doing?" Mike asked.

"Mike, look at the book. She was researching you." Christine said, handing him the book. It was more of a tabloid account of what had happened on the Nathan James.

"You know, Hannah; if you want to know what I was up to, you could ask. This is not a trustworthy account. None of us were even interviewed for that particular book." Mike said.

"I tried. You said you didn't want to talk about it." Hannah told him.

"Hannah, you need to understand that what your dad went through was painful and some of it, he would not want his fourteen-year-old daughter exposed to. He isn't hiding anything. He just is trying to protect you." Christine told her.

"He chose to go back to that ship. He chose the Navy over us!" Hannah yelled.

"Yes, I did and I have to live with that! For the rest of my life, I have to live with it. As much as I love you, I have to live with the choices I made that day." Mike answered.

"Mike, easy." Christine warned. He didn't realize it but he was standing over Hannah. Christine pulled him away by the elbow.

"The question is, when will you chose to leave again? All my life, that's what you've done. You'd barely be home a week before you would start wanting to go back out to sea. You hated having a family. Hated being tied down. I bet you've loved the past several years, not having to pay bills or be responsible for us. You chose to go back and you practically chose that we died. Almost like you wished for it." Hannah said. Mike was stunned. He looked to Christine for help and she nodded in understanding.

"Hannah, that is not true. Your father just said he loves you. Why would he wish for someone he loves to die like that? He did everything in his power to find us. I should have reached out. This was not all on him. And before you say; 'this is the most obvious place to look,' it actually wasn't. I hated this town and your dad knew it. I would not have asked to come here if every other place was on fire. But, that is all behind us. Now; I understand you wanting to find out what your dad was up to and not wanting to ask, but you are grounded for a week for lying to us. I'll drive you to school, to work and back from work." Christine answered. Hannah sighed and stood up but before she walked away, Mike stopped her.

"And remember; I love you and I always have. I missed you and I certainly did not wish you had died." Mike said.

"Well, I wish you had so our lives could be normal. Since you got here, nothing has been normal and I hate it!" Hannah said before storming off. Christine threw her hands up in frustration and Mike sat back down, destroyed by her words. Once Hannah's bedroom door slammed, Christine pulled Mike into a hug.

"She is only fourteen. She doesn't understand what she is saying." Christine said.

"She definitely does understand. You should take her dinner in. I won't withhold food from her, no matter what." Mike told her. Just then Katie appeared and took the plate and silverware.

"I'll take it. I'll try to talk to her." Katie said. She gave Mike a kiss on the cheek before taking the food into Hannah's room. Hopefully, Katie would succeed where Mike and Christine had failed.