15. Chapter 15
Chapter fifteen
“A child. A kid. A son. I have a son.”
Abe was still sitting at the table munching on almonds along with a second beer when the phone rang. He got up to answer it, hoping it was Maggie.
“Hello?”
“Abe?”
“Hey. You got a minute to talk finally?”
“Yes. Not long, though. This day has been crazy.”
“I’ve got some pretty big news, but I don’t want to tell you over the phone. Can you come by my folks’ house tonight after work?”
“You’re going to make me wait another four hours?”
“Sorry. This really is in person news.”
“At least tell me if it’s good news or bad news.”
“It’s um…good. Yeah. Good news.”
“You don’t sound very convinced.”
“You’ll see when you get here.” He backed up to the counter, then pushed himself up and sat on it. “I’m really sorry about last night.”
“You told me Larry was a jerk for standing me up.”
“I did. And he was. As am I.”
“Luke is waving me inside. I need to go.”
“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye, Abe.”
He hung up the phone, then sighed as he idly kicked the cupboard door with the heel of his boot. Allie came in through the back door with Kai in her arms.
“Abe, get off the counter.”
He slid onto the floor. “Sorry.”
“Either take Kai or carry in the groceries.”
He headed for the door. “Groceries.”
When he came back in with three bags of groceries, Kai was in his high chair, and Allie was slicing a banana. She handed a plastic bowl to Abe. “Give these to him. Keep an eye on him. He likes to stuff his mouth. I don’t want him to choke.”
Abe took the bowl from her and picked up the remaining half of the banana on the counter. Then he set the bowl in front of Kai and sat next to him. “He must eat more than just fruit.”
“He does.” She began unloading the groceries. “I got him lots of goodies.”
“Did you get me some goodies, too?”
She glanced at him. “Did you eat lunch?”
“Um…some almonds and a beer.” Allie raised her eyebrow at the two empty beer bottles on the table, and Abe smiled. “Right. Two beers.” He held up the banana. “And this.”
“I hope you eat better at home, honey.”
“I do.”
“I’ll make you a sandwich to hold you over until dinner.”
“You’re spoiling me, Mom. I may never want to leave.”
“You and Kai are welcome to stay as long as you’d like. But I think you might start missing home before too long. I talked to Lucia today. She’s going to help you baby proof your house tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Do you have other plans?”
Abe glanced at Kai. “No. No plans.”
Kai finished his bananas and picked up the bowl. He put it to his face and began licking it.
Abe took it from him. “Yeah, kid, that’s gross.”
Kai looked at him, then banged his hands on the tray.
“Does he get any more?”
“Not until dinner. What do you want on your sandwich?”
“I’m fine. I can wait until dinner.”
“Okay. Why don’t you take Kai out and show him the animals?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He stood and lifted Kai from the highchair. “Do you want to go see Mabel and her babies?” He headed for the door, then stopped and turned back to Allie. “Maggie is coming over later. I need to…fill her in.”
“Oh, okay. Maggie is like family. She should be told.”
“I figured you knew about… never mind.”
“Knew about what?”
“That Maggie and I…that we decided to date.”
“Goodness. When did that happen?”
“Um, recently.” He looked at Kai. “But now. Now everything has changed.”
“Maggie will be very understanding.”
“I know. But I’ve got enough on my plate. I don’t think I can handle dating, too. I completely forgot about our date last night.”
“I’m sure she’ll forgive you when she hears why.”
“She will. But still.”
Allie walked over to him. “Don’t make any big decisions right now. You can put the dating on hold. But don’t give up on it.”
“That’s not really fair to Maggie.”
“Just talk to her, honey.”
“That’s why she’s coming over.”
Allie smiled. “You and Maggie. I like that.”
“On hold, Mom.”
Allie had Kai in the bath when Maggie arrived at the house. Abe had been waiting for her on the porch, and he stepped down to meet her at the truck. He opened the door for her, and she smiled.
“Hi. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but you look fine.”
“I am fine.” He stepped back as she got out of the truck.
“Please don’t make me wait any longer. Tell me what’s going on.”
He took her hand. “Take a walk with me.”
They crossed the yard and then the grassy field between the house and the first stand of almond trees.
John had watered earlier, and the grass was still wet.
There was an old flatbed truck parked at the edge of the orchard, and Abe stopped at it, then put a hand on the rough two-by-sixes that formed the bed.
“Let’s sit.” Using the bumper as a step, they both sat on the end of the wooden bed, and Abe turned to her. “Something major has happened in my life, and I still don’t quite believe it.”
“Okay.”
He took a moment, then exhaled sharply. “Yesterday morning…” He shook his head. “There was this woman…Dammit. I don’t even know how to tell you this.”
“Just say it, Abe.”
“I have a kid.”
She looked at him for a moment. “As in a child?”
“Yeah. A child. A kid. A son. I have a son.”
She slid off the truck and walked a few feet away, the leaves rustling under her feet. “How? When?” She sighed. “How long have you known?”
“Since yesterday morning. I had no idea.”
“She never told you?” Maggie walked back over to him. “You didn’t know?”
“No, I’m not a flake. I would’ve done the right thing had I known. I barely knew her. She was here. Then she was gone, and I never heard from her again.”
“Why is she telling you now?”
Abe swung his legs for a moment. “She’s dead. She died six months ago, and her father has been raising Kai. But now…”
“Kai?”
“Yeah. That’s his name.”
“How old is he?”
“Two.”
Maggie turned her back to the flatbed and leaned against it next to Abe. “You have a two-year-old son.”
“Yeah.”
“What about the grandfather?”
“He’s sick and can’t take care of him anymore. Before she died, Lizzie told him about me.”
Maggie turned and looked at him. “She kept your child from you for two years.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s so wrong.”
“I guess.”
“You guess? You should be furious with her.”
Abe cocked his head. “The woman is dead. What good would it do to be mad at her?”
Maggie took a breath. “I guess that’s not really the issue now.”
“No, it’s not. The issue is…I have a son.”
She took his hand. “You have a son.”
“Which is terrifying.”
Maggie put a foot on the rusty bumper and sat down next to him again. “I’m sorry. Not that you have a child. That’s wonderful. I’m sorry that it terrifies you.”
Abe shrugged. “Having kids was never really on my radar. Certainly not now.”
“What are you going to do now?”
He looked at her. “What do you mean?”
“This changes a lot of things.”
“I know.”
She put a hand on his knee. “I know that you know that. I’m talking about work and where you live and…other stuff.”
“Mom will watch him while I’m at work. Lucia is going to help me make my house safe for him, and… the other stuff, I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.” He turned to her. “This also changes… well, you and me. I’m not sure—”
“Abe, it’s okay. I get it. You need time to adjust to this major change in your life. You don’t need to be worrying about me right now.”
“It’s not that I don’t…”
“I know.”
“And it’s not forever.”
She leaned against his shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m guessing you need all the friends you can get right now, so I’m here for whatever you need. A babysitter. Cover at work. A friendly cup of coffee when you need a minute to get away.”
“Thank you.”
“Do I get to meet him?”
“Yeah. Of course. Do you want to meet him right now? He should be squeaky clean right out of the bath.”
“I’d love to meet him.”
He jumped to the ground, then held a hand up to her and helped her down. “I must warn you, though, he’s pretty damn cute.”
She took his arm. “With you as his dad, how could he not be?”
Abe nudged her. “You think I’m cute?”
“Well, I did agree to go out with you.”
“Because I’m cute?”
Maggie laughed. “That was just a perk.”
“Is that why you spent two stormy nights with me?”
Maggie tightened her grip on his arm. “That was because you’re sexy.”
“Ah… So, I’m your cute, sexy friend?”
“Yes. Every girl should have one.”
They continued to the house and, when they went inside, found Allie and Kai in the kitchen, which still smelled like the roast chicken and baked potatoes they’d had for dinner.
Kai was standing next to her, drinking water from a sippy cup.
When he saw Abe, he toddled over, looked up, and held out his cup.
“Um…no thanks. That’s yours.”
Kai looked at Maggie and smiled, then took a drink of his water.
Maggie gasped. “Oh my gosh.” She knelt in front of Kai. “Look at you. You’re gorgeous.”
Kai offered her his drink, and she took it, pretended to drink some, then handed it back to him. “My name is Maggie.”
Kai put his arm around Abe’s knee and leaned against it. “Papa.”
Maggie looked up at Abe, and he shrugged. “We’re working on the title. It’s what he called his grandfather.”
Maggie stood. “I think it’s adorable, as is he.”
Allie watched them from the sink. “What do you think about this, Maggie?”
“It’s crazy, but also…” She glanced at Abe. “Incredible.”
“I think so, too.”
Abe picked up Kai and looked at him. “Well, you seem to have won over the ladies.”