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“Come back to the table,” Roberta instructed in a whisper after everyone but Charlie, Joey and Candy had left. “Your father has something to say to you.”
Charlie was already at the table, sending a text.
“What’s up, Pop?” Paul asked.
“I’m serious about a woman,” Charlie answered.
Cheers rang out around the table for the second time that day.
“Charlie, I’m happy for you,” Big Mike said. “You deserve a little happiness.”
“It’s one of the reasons I’m glad Paul and Emily are working things out with Clare. It will be nice if everyone’s happy at the same time.”
“It won’t last for long,” Roberta said. “Don’t put those expectations on yourself. Things are in constant flux.”
“I’d like a little static, if you will,” Candy said, everyone agreeing with her.
“Charlie has something else to say,” Roberta announced.
“More than having a girlfriend? I’m thrilled about it, Pop. Uncle Mike is right. You deserve to be happy. Iwantyou to be happy.”
“She’s a little young. Fifteen years younger than I am, so not much older than you. Your mother and I got married young.”
“Pop, just for the record, I know it wasn’t easy for you.”
He’d heard all those late night fights, passionate arguments between a husband and wife that should have been kept quiet, but he wouldn’t embarrass his father by bringing that up.
“Go ahead, Charlie,” Roberta said gently.
“Paul, I have to tell you something. It’s not going to be easy to hear, I’m afraid. You might get angry with me.”
“What is it?”
Rubbing his forehead, Charlie wanted to word it right, but there didn’t seem to be any way to make it less hurtful. “Your mom was pregnant with you when we got married.”
Paul frowned. “That’s not a big deal, Pop.”
“No, of course not, but just hear me out. We were just dating. It wasn’t a serious relationship. We just met on the beach. The whole family was at the beach like we do, and she came with someone else to play volleyball.”
No one said anything for a moment.
“I’m not following you.”
Charlie clearly was grasping at anything, and when he opened his mouth, he couldn’t get the words out.
“Your grandparents made him marry Clare,” Roberta said.
“Thank you, Roberta,” Charlie replied, mortified. “They didn’t exactly make me, but there wasn’t an alternative.”
“Ugh,” Paul finally spit out. “So you didn’t love her. That clears up a lot of questions.”
“I didn’t say that,” Charlie quickly added. “Just say I didn’t love her the way she wanted to be loved. I did the best I could at the time. And I wanted you and loved you.”
“I know you loved me, Pop. You have been a great father. I hope I’m half the father you’ve been to me.”
Charlie got up from the table, fighting emotion, and walked around to where Paul sat, bending down to hug his son.
“I love you, Pop. No worries, okay?” Paul said, patting his back.
