AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You are right, I’ll call Nick to pick up us,” I smile and say.
She links her arm with mine and we wait in silence until Nick arrives. The drive back home is just as silent but there is no awkwardness in it.
We are still hand in hand when we reach my front door. The apartment is eerily silent as we walk inside, but soon I find out why. All three of them are sitting at the kitchen table, crouched over pieces of paper, markers in hand.
“Is this some sort of competition?” I ask.
Three heads jerk up at the same time, but Daniel reaches me first, jumping into my arms and hugging me tightly with both arms and legs. I hold on to him just as tightly and kiss his little head.
“I’m home, Buddy.”
“It was about time,” my mother says, but she’s looking at Carol. She pulls her into a warm embrace before turning to me and Daniel.
“Danny, Sweetie, let us have a turn as well.”
Daniel cackles and releases his grip, turning to Carol for an embrace. She takes him from me and holds on to him much like I did. It takes a few minutes before we have all properly greeted one another.
“You haven’t told me what this is all about.” I mess up Danny’s hair and then push him toward the table.
“You’re right, Daddy,” Daniel says, “it’s a competition. But it can wait. I’d rather play with you.”
“Actually, Daniel,” my mother says, “your dad is very, very tired. We should let him rest for a couple of hours and then you can play all you like. Carol looks tired, too. I’m sure she’ll want to stay here. Right, dear? We do have a guest room.”
Carol looks uncertain for a moment, but then nods, her own exhaustion winning the argument.
“Perfect. I’ll make sure it’s ready, and then Mary and I will take Daniel and go to Mary’s place.” She lowers her voice like she wants to share a secret but it’s loud enough to pique Daniel’s interest. “I think I’m going to win this one.”
“No, Grandma, I will,” Daniel chimes in, ready for a passionate defense of his skills. But both my mom and Mary take control of the situation and soon they’re all gone.
“Alone at last,” I say.
Although Carol has hardly left my side these past few days, we have always been together with my dad. And with Dennis and Rose. And Andrew and Rita. And even my mother. Our conversations mostly revolved around the arrests at my company. Arthur’s stunt involved five employees, Abby being one of them.
“I think we have a lot to talk about.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to have this discussion.”
Carol sits next to me on the couch, kicking off her shoes and tucking her legs under her. I move a bit closer and rest my forehead on hers.
“I think it’s long overdue,” I insist.
She lifts her head to look at me and I take the opportunity to steal another kiss, like I have done in the hospital these past few days.
“Okay, then start,” she says.
And I do. From the very beginning.
We talk about my first encounter with Jane and how it ended. We talk about our relationship back then.
Then we talk about Daniel.
“At that moment, my whole world shattered. I knew I had to do something. I wanted to ensure he would have a comfortable life and a family with a mother and a father. But I didn’t want to leave you.”
Carol listens intently but tries to keep her emotions in check.
“I couldn’t just tell you I had a child with another woman. But most of all, I couldn’t bear to say goodbye. For years, I tried to pretend that period of my life didn’t exist. Likewedidn’t exist.”
“And why did you decide to approach me now, after all these years?”
