CHAPTER SEVEN #2
We’re all just finishing up eating when the doorbell rings.
I stand up to go answer the door. As I get close to the door, I can see it’s Brian, so I yell out, “It’s your dad.
Clean up your plates and go get your stuff together.
” I open the door just as the crashing of chairs, plates, and kids running around fills the house.
I gesture to Brian. “Come on in. They should be ready in a couple of minutes. Meeting didn’t go too long, did it?
” Brian walks in with his hands in his pockets.
“No, thank God. Director Spann had plans and hadn’t realized it was a board meeting night till about three this afternoon, so he sped through everything.
I don’t think he got one complaint. I for sure wasn’t gonna say anything.
” He follows me to the kitchen as I set the last of the dishes in the sink.
I look up and see him leaning against the counter.
I can tell he wants to say something else.
“I broke up with Brittani, so you don’t have to worry about her being around the kids anymore.
” If he’s expecting me to say I’m sorry about him breaking up with the woman he cheated on me with, he’s gonna be turning as blue as a Smurf in a minute or two.
Thankfully, he continues with his train of thought.
“I realized in the last couple of weeks just how much she tried…tried and succeeded in taking up my time and tried to get me to rarely see the kids. She succeeded, and then when I told her that it wasn’t going to work anymore, she slashed one of my tires.
” I look at him, and he looks more annoyed than hurt.
“She’s not going to end up stalking you or something, is she?
” He rolls his eyes and shakes his head at me.
“No, from what I’ve heard she’s already trying to get a date with that new doctor over in Internal Medicine.
I think she might be out of luck because I saw your nurse, Darius, talking to the lead nurse over there, and I’m sure he’s warned her all about her.
” Didn’t seem to stop you, I think. Notice I said think.
I can keep some thoughts inside my head at times, though with Brian lately, that’s not been the case.
Brian sits down on one of the stools and puts his elbows on the counter, and watches me put the dishes in the dishwasher.
Come to think of it, this is more time he’s spent in the kitchen with me than in our last year of marriage.
That’s a sad thought. “I really fucked us up, didn’t I?
” I can’t stop the look that comes over my face, but I do manage to hold my tongue.
Twice in less than five minutes should earn me an award, damn it.
Brian lets out a laugh. “You’ve never been able to school your face when we’ve talked, and I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed.
” He pauses for a moment and looks at me like he’s really seeing me.
“If I had gotten my head out of my ass a year ago or so, would there have been a second chance for us?” I think for a second before I answer him.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I realized after you left that it really didn’t change my day-to-day much because you had already checked out a while ago.
I was doing everything with the kids, and you were nowhere to be found.
I let you get away with it, too. Hell, you barely made it to Bailey’s birth.
Like it or not, I think we’d been drifting for a while.
I don’t know if at that point I would have even been willing to think about it without serious therapy.
” He looks at me again and surprises me by calling me a nickname he hasn’t used in more years than I can count.
“You happy, K? I mean, really happy?” The answer comes out without thought, but I know in my soul it’s the truth.
“Yeah, I am. Work is great, the kids are doing great, and Ben…Ben is great, and I love him. I’m in love with him.
” The conviction of my answer must satisfy whatever it was he was looking for because he nods, stands up, and calls out to the kids.
“Pack your swimsuits! We’re going to the Great Wolf Lodge first thing in the morning.
” Cheers and shouts of surprise ring out through the house.
My face must show my surprise at his announcement.
He shrugs his shoulders. “Turns out there are two other doctors on my floor who are divorced dads, and they do this sort of thing every so often together. We’ll spend all day Saturday there, spend the night and come back Sunday.
I guess one of them has an assistant who insisted that they go out and do things with their kids, and it’s kind of morphed into a thing.
There are a few other doctors who come sometimes.
Some of them aren’t divorced, but it’s a way for them to give their wives some kid-free time.
” Color me surprised. “I think that’s great.
They’re gonna have a blast. Your wallet won’t, but they’ll love it.
” He shrugs his shoulders. “I know at some point you’re going to marry Ben, and I’m good with that.
I also know he’s great with all of our kids.
I just finally realized I don’t want them to come over on my weekends because they’re told they have to.
I want them to want to spend time with me.
Hell, I want to know my kids better. I don’t want to just be the dad who pays for things and contributed to their DNA.
I want them to know me, too.” Hallelujah!
I wait to see if I hear angels singing. “I think that’s great.
I think if we can co-parent like we’ve been doing this last month, it will make things easier for all of us.
I don’t want to hate you or be angry with you, Brian.
We had some great years, and we made some great kids together.
That alone is a good foundation for a friendship.
I’d like to get to a point where we’re friends.
” Brian smiles as he catches a flying princess.
“Ooofff! I’d like that too. We’ll get going and get out of your hair.
” I say goodbye and watch them pile into his car and take off.
They say miracles don’t happen, but I think the last twenty minutes would prove that they do. Maybe grown men can learn new tricks. Maybe.
I turn to go into the house, a bottle of wine and a bath calling my name, when I see a small package on the porch that I don’t remember seeing when we got home earlier.
I pick it up. It’s addressed to me, but it hasn’t been shipped through the mail or anything.
Someone had to drop it off. That’s slightly unnerving.
I take it inside and set it on the counter to open it.
The scream that comes out of me the second I open it could rival any of those horror movies they made when I was in college.
Looking inside, I see an ear, a finger, and I think under the ear is a tongue.
What in the ever-loving hell is this? Who is it?
Looking at it, it looks like maybe they’ve been frozen.
Whether they were frozen after they were cut off a dead body or cut off a frozen body, I don’t know.
My medical background doesn’t help with that, and damn it if my crime shows aren’t bringing up any random knowledge on it, either.
I know I’m not supposed to call Ben when he’s in church, but I think this calls for an exception to the rule.
The phone rings and goes to voicemail. I call him again, and the same thing happens.
Makes me think he’s got it on silent, so he won’t know it’s ringing in his pocket.
Well, shit. I look through my phone and decide maybe I’ll call family and see if he answers.
I dial Tripp, and it rings a few times. I think it’s going to go to voicemail, but instead, I hear Tripp answer.
There’s surprise in his voice. “Hey, cousin, to what do I owe this phone call? I know you know we’re in church right now.
” I might have let out a little huff. “I’m quite aware of that, but being that your friend didn’t answer his phone and I’ve got what I think is an emergency going on, I thought I would give you a call. ”
Ben