Deer Park

Chapter 2

Slowly but surely, tourists started appearing in Deer Park. Most didn't like it because there still wasn't any phones or internet. Christine didn't own a vehicle either, so the little café she ran was run using farm vegetables and fruits, in addition to meat that a grocery company drove in. Christine had no interest in leaving. Katie didn't either. But, as Hannah grew up; she would leave someday. She had the same wanderlust as her father.

Her mom helped her with the restaurant. Her dad was still farming. Katie worked at a local gas station. Hannah was still home-schooling. Their lives were simple and Christine was happy. News trickled in and she knew Mike was well. She figured that last fight was why he didn't find them, but it made no sense. Mike was a good dad. He would want to reconnect with their girls. That last fight haunted her.

Despite the fact that he refused to leave the Navy; he had been a good husband. Never hurt her. Was faithful. Tried to take her on date nights. Was an amazing lover. While she complained at the time, their house was nice. She didn't have to work and could raise their children. Was good to her parents when they visited. She loved him but she wasn't in love with him. One day; she was mixing up a pie when she heard a customer come in. Her mom was at home with Hannah so Christine stepped out to assist the person.

"Christine?" A familiar voice asked. Christine had looked up and her jaw dropped.

"Mike? Its been…years since I wrote that letter." Christine said as she crossed the room to give Mike a hug. She immediately noticed how tense he was when she wrapped her arms around him.

"Great Lakes was shuttered a few years ago. We didn't have the personnel to keep it open and it was a non-critical base. It just took this long for your letter to find me." Mike answered as he pulled away.

"I…guess I didn't think about that. I also should have added Michigan when you called." Christine remarked. Mike had sat down at the bar and was looking at the menu.

"I should have thought of it. But the omission of that one word or me thinking it was somewhere other than Virginia would have changed the trajectory of all of our lives." Mike said.

"Can I get you something to eat or drink?" Christine asked.

"Just a cup of coffee if you have it? Where are the girls?" Mike asked.

"I do and Katie is work. She works at the gas station. Hannah is home with Mom. She's supposed to be working on her algebra." Christine explained as she placed a cup of coffee in front of Mike.

"I'd like to see them." He remarked.

"I figured." Christine said.

"How are they? I can't imagine they love how quiet it is here at their ages." Mike asked.

"Katie loves it. Hannah is biding her time before she can leave. They are both good girls." Christine explained.

"You shouldn't have kept them here. You should have tried harder to find me." Mike said.

"Mike; seriously? I went home. To the most obvious place in the world. It was safe here. Closed off. Until the last year, there haven't been any tourists. I have to wonder if you just didn't want to find us." Christine remarked. She hadn't wanted this to dissolve into a fight. The girls needed them to get along.

"I was busy." Mike answered. There was an edge to his voice. But not an angry edge. More like a guilty edge. He also suddenly wasn't meeting her eyes. It was odd for him.

"With your job?" Christine probed gently, wanting to deescalate things.

"Yes." Mike answered, fiddling with the coffee cup. Something was off with him.

"I am just going to ask. Have you moved on? Found someone else? God knows, I gave you reason enough to." Christine asked.

"No." Mike answered. His one-word answers were aggravating.

"Just no, huh?" Christine probed further. Mike had never been a good liar. There was something on his conscious.

"I've…had some one-night stands. No relationships." Mike answered simply.

"Okay." Christine said. She wasn't shocked by the admission. Mike had thought she had died. He was a male. She wouldn't have ever expected him to remain celibate. After a long pause, she spoke again. "Mike; I am not shocked by that. Is that what's bothering you?" Christine asked.

"No…kinda. I received your letter yesterday and of course, couldn't get a direct flight to Detroit until this morning. It left me with nothing to do so I went to a bar and picked up a woman. That's a frequent thing for me now, but I suppose what bothers me, is that I knew you were probably still alive and I did anyways." Mike explained. It did sting but Christine didn't see a point in rubbing his face in it.

"And you didn't care for any of them?" Christine asked.

"Most of them, I didn't even get their names." Mike admitted.

"Mike—it isn't like you to be careless. Why? I could completely understand you finding a nice woman and making a life. But…what you did, I don't understand." Christine asked.

"I…honestly don't either. Up to the last few years, I had never even looked at another woman. The weird part, I stayed away from dark haired women. They reminded me of you. But its not like we had some great love apparently, so it makes no sense." Mike remarked.

"About that. Mike, I should have never said what I did. You and I built a good life and we have amazing daughters. I did grow to love you and I did miss you all these years." Christine said.

"I missed you too and yes, I did as well." Mike remarked, still picking at his hand.

"I appreciate your honesty. I suppose, we have to figure out our next steps." Christine said.

"Do you still want a divorce?" Mike asked.

"Not particularly but I also don't want to leave here. My parents are older now. Katie loves it here and its home to me. But your life is out there." Christine remarked as she filled his coffee cup again. She gestured to the kitchen and went in and took a pie out of the oven. Normally, she'd put it in the case, but it was Mike's favorite so she cut two pieces and put whipped cream on them. Mike smiled when she carried the plates out.

"I am tired. Tired of being on the go constantly. Just tired." Mike admitted as he waited on the pie to cool.

"You are welcome to stay as long as you want. I know your job is important and I don't mean to harp on retirement but it sounds to me like you are ready." Christine said.

"I've actually been thinking about retirement a lot. Now that I have the girls back…you back if you so wish; I am really thinking about it." Mike remarked.

"I think you need to spend some time with the girls and hang out here for a bit before you make any decisions. How long do you have?" Christine asked.

"I have three weeks of leave." Mike answered.

"At the end of the three weeks, you will have your decision. And Mike, I so wish." Christine said. She reached over and touched his hand. Yes, him talking about the one-night-stands hurt but she wasn't shocked and it was how their relationship had started. He turned his hand over and squeezed her's. It was simple but strangely intimate.

"Is…there any chance of us…building something even better? You have to admit, we didn't have a healthy relationship before." Mike asked.

"I think we could. It'll be a lot of work but I think so." Christine said.

"Good. I am so tired of being alone." Mike admitted.

"Well, you've come home. You just need to rest, spend time with the girls and I, and think about what you want next. Its best not to make snap decisions but I think you've already made your decision." Christine said. She stood up and kissed the top of Mike's head. She honestly felt a bit sorry for him. He seemed kind of hopeless. Before; he was almost arrogant. Now, he just seemed bereft.