eyes. They were her father's eyes – piercing and searching. “Just wondering.” She grabbed a stick, tossed it and ran after Walter. She never asked a question without a reason.
I watched as they played tag. She chased after Walter. He would stop, drop the stick and wait. When she got close he grabbed it and ran. When she finally caught him he flopped on to his back for a belly rub. For all his difficulties Walter was happy and had adjusted to his new life. I envied him for this.
After a while the dog was panting heavily and it was time to go home. We found Joe and Liam playing a video game together. I went into the pantry to start dinner.
A few minutes later Joe came in, kissed me, and watched. “How was your day?”
“Fine,” I replied. “Busy.” I pulled some bowls from a shelf and fumbled through the cabinets looking for ingredients. “You?”
“Busy. I'm glad to be home.” He changed his stance and was now leaning against the wall. “I wanted to talk to you about the kids.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
I mixed spices in a bowl and cut up chicken.
“I want them to spend next month with us.”
I stopped and looked at him.“What about Veronica?”
“She's traveling for work which is why she asked me about it?”
“Of course.” The words came out like broken glass. It meant they would further invade my space and my privacy.
“Really?” The doubt was obvious in Joe's tone. There was no question about what he wanted. As it was – he only got to see his children every other weekend.
“Whatever you want.” I turned away to grab another bowl and avoid eye contact.
“If there's a problem – ”
“No,” I interrupted. “Its fine.” I held back my anger. Perhaps he was expecting exuberance or excitement, but I didn't feel that way.
“Elliot. If there's a problem with the kids coming...”
“If you ask again there will be.” I put a finality in my tone. I didn't like making concessions. My previous life was built on them. Joe turned on his heel and went back into the den. I finished dinner and set the table. I wasn't hungry now and instead reorganized the entire pantry and cleaned up while they ate.
The next day the awkwardness still hung in the air. Joe left early to run errands and Kylie went out with the dog. The only one that it didn't bother or who perhaps didn't notice was Liam. I was folding laundry when he asked if I wanted to play a new game he just got. I looked at the laundry and then at him.
“It's not like anyone is going to steal it,” Liam offered. “Or worse, fold it.”
Liam looked like his father. He had the same ice-blue eyes and full round face. While Joe was bald, Liam possessed a mop of thick, wavy brown hair. He was easy-going, always had a punch line at the ready and a talent for finding humor even in the most serious of situations. He could always make me laugh.
He set up the game and explained each button on the control pad. When I was a kid, the joystick had one big red button and one stick. Now I was holding two joysticks, two triggers, and ten buttons on what looked like something you would fly a plane with. The games of my time were simple. If it had more than one color it was pretty high-tech. Here I was sitting in front of this life-like simulation getting the crap shot out of me.
Patiently, Liam walked me
I watched as they played tag. She chased after Walter. He would stop, drop the stick and wait. When she got close he grabbed it and ran. When she finally caught him he flopped on to his back for a belly rub. For all his difficulties Walter was happy and had adjusted to his new life. I envied him for this.
After a while the dog was panting heavily and it was time to go home. We found Joe and Liam playing a video game together. I went into the pantry to start dinner.
A few minutes later Joe came in, kissed me, and watched. “How was your day?”
“Fine,” I replied. “Busy.” I pulled some bowls from a shelf and fumbled through the cabinets looking for ingredients. “You?”
“Busy. I'm glad to be home.” He changed his stance and was now leaning against the wall. “I wanted to talk to you about the kids.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
I mixed spices in a bowl and cut up chicken.
“I want them to spend next month with us.”
I stopped and looked at him.“What about Veronica?”
“She's traveling for work which is why she asked me about it?”
“Of course.” The words came out like broken glass. It meant they would further invade my space and my privacy.
“Really?” The doubt was obvious in Joe's tone. There was no question about what he wanted. As it was – he only got to see his children every other weekend.
“Whatever you want.” I turned away to grab another bowl and avoid eye contact.
“If there's a problem – ”
“No,” I interrupted. “Its fine.” I held back my anger. Perhaps he was expecting exuberance or excitement, but I didn't feel that way.
“Elliot. If there's a problem with the kids coming...”
“If you ask again there will be.” I put a finality in my tone. I didn't like making concessions. My previous life was built on them. Joe turned on his heel and went back into the den. I finished dinner and set the table. I wasn't hungry now and instead reorganized the entire pantry and cleaned up while they ate.
The next day the awkwardness still hung in the air. Joe left early to run errands and Kylie went out with the dog. The only one that it didn't bother or who perhaps didn't notice was Liam. I was folding laundry when he asked if I wanted to play a new game he just got. I looked at the laundry and then at him.
“It's not like anyone is going to steal it,” Liam offered. “Or worse, fold it.”
Liam looked like his father. He had the same ice-blue eyes and full round face. While Joe was bald, Liam possessed a mop of thick, wavy brown hair. He was easy-going, always had a punch line at the ready and a talent for finding humor even in the most serious of situations. He could always make me laugh.
He set up the game and explained each button on the control pad. When I was a kid, the joystick had one big red button and one stick. Now I was holding two joysticks, two triggers, and ten buttons on what looked like something you would fly a plane with. The games of my time were simple. If it had more than one color it was pretty high-tech. Here I was sitting in front of this life-like simulation getting the crap shot out of me.
Patiently, Liam walked me
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