The Wedding Guest
Chapter 7
Mike was surprised the next Monday to find Hannah sitting at the dining room table, working on school work when he got home from the grocery store. She usually stayed in her room. He grabbed two glasses of sweet tea and sit down next to her.
"Not that I mind; but what are you doing out here?" Mike asked.
"I was hoping you could help me with this geography? Islands of the Pacific Ocean." Hannah asked.
"Of course." Mike said as he opened the book. He suspected Hannah didn't really need help, but he didn't mind. He didn't have anything else to do. He had even been considering getting a job, but there wasn't much call for a fifty-year-old retired Admiral. He was bored out of his mind. At least his evenings and nights were kept busy. Christine got home and started dinner. Hannah finally finished her work and took her books back to her room.
"So…Katie called me on my lunch hour. Henry is deploying." Christine said.
"I was hoping it would be a while before he did." Mike said.
"Me too…but; she's wanting to come home while he's gone. She is going to need help." Christine said.
"With what?" Mike asked.
"Mike…she's pregnant with twins. She went for a check up and she's about four weeks along. They did an internal ultrasound already. Found two heart-beats." Christine explained.
"She's so young." Mike remarked.
"Yes. But I was not much older when we had her." Christine replied.
"So, she'll have them here?" Mike asked.
"Yes. It sounds like it might be a year-long deployment. Henry is understandably tore up about it but agrees he doesn't want Katie by herself. I hope its okay I told her yes?" Christine asked as she hugged him.
"Yeah. I agree. I'd rather have her here than alone." Mike replied.
"But?" Christine asked.
"But?" Mike retorted.
"But you seem less than thrilled." Christine said.
"I am thrilled. I just worry about Hannah. Things are going really good and I had wanted to concentrate on her for a bit." Mike replied.
"Mike, Katie needs us too. And I think you can spend time with Hannah. Katie is going to have her hands full with twins. Now; I am going to need help getting her bedroom ready. And I thought you might want to make a crib." Christine suggested, trying to distract him.
"Or we could just buy her one?" Mike remarked.
"Okay…what the hell is going on with you?" Christine asked.
"Nothing." Mike replied. Christine stood there for a moment and nodded.
"You are bored. I don't think it's because you want to spend time with Hannah. You must be jealous of Henry, being able to deploy." Christine remarked.
"Remember–I retired before I came here…before I found you all." Mike said. There was an ounce of truth to what Christine was saying, but he'd never admit it.
"Would you two stop! Dad–I get that you're bored. That's why I've been trying to keep you busy. Obviously; its not working. But you can't hinge everything on me. Katie is going to need you too. Besides; think about all the ways you can spoil those babies. Mom–you told me before that you regretted all those fights with Dad before, but you seem to pick at him; just like before…now; I am going to go for a walk. You two have this sorted out before I get back." Hannah said before grabbing her sweatshirt and walking out the front door.
"That's the most I've heard her say." Mike remarked.
"Look…she's right. I shouldn't have picked at you. And she's also right. This can't hinge on her. She needs us…but Katie does also. We have two daughters. Granted, very different daughters and yes, Katie is grown and married but I can say; pregnancy is hard, harder yet when your husband is on the other side of the world. I remember after Hannah was born; I was absolutely exhausted. I had Katie and Hannah and you were in the Persian Gulf. It was necessary but I was beyond relieved when you came home to help. I just don't want Katie to go through what I did." Christine replied.
"I can't do much for Katie." Mike said.
"You can do a lot. If memory serves; you are really good with babies. And you can build her that crib. And if memory also serves; you were very supportive when I was pregnant. No, you won't be in the delivery room with her but you can be right there afterwards." Christine replied as she wrapped her arms around Mike's waist.
"I love you." Mike said.
"I love you too. And we will work on Katie's room this weekend." Christine said before giving Mike a kiss.
"How soon is she going to be here?" Mike asked.
"Its a rapid deployment. He's driving her here next week and will head back. He'll probably be here overnight." Christine said.
"I do have time for the crib though?" Mike asked.
"Yes." Christine replied.
"Alright. Wonder where Hannah went?" Mike asked.
"Front porch." Christine replied with a wink. Mike walked to the front door, and sure enough; Hannah was sitting in the porch swing.
"Come inside. Its too cold out here." Mike said.
"Only if you and Mom are done arguing." Hannah remarked.
"We are." Mike said. He gestured at her and she followed him back inside.