The Current Between Us

“I’m sorry, too,” Hunter said immediately after and they both fell back into silence.

“Just remember for me, okay?” Trent said. His eyes were back on the road, but he took his hand and rubbed it over his face, frustrated with himself for making the kids uneasy. Technically, they really had done nothing wrong.

“Yes, sir,” Hunter said quietly.

“Yes, sir, Daddy,” Em said, and he looked back in the rearview mirror to see Hunter sitting with his hands in his lap, his head bent down, and Em’s little bottom lip quivering. She hated being in trouble. They both hated it.

“Honey, it’s okay. You’re both okay,” Trent said, reaching a hand behind the seat, ruffling Hunter’s hair. He couldn’t reach Em.

“Daddy, we just wanted to play longer,” Em said, those big tears finally spilling out of her eyes.

“I know, baby. You’re fine. It’s okay,” he said and wondered how in one minute he scolded them and the next he comforted and apologized to them for being angry. They drove the rest of the ride in silence. Trent focused on a mental game plan for getting through the fast food dinner. He racked his brain until it finally dawned on him in a relieved thump of his heart. He’d watched everything on Gage Synclair. What was he so worried about? Quickly he ticked off a list of worldwide topics they could talk about. He could ask Gage’s opinion, get him talking, and keep him talking, about the state of the world. If he paced himself, stayed on his game, maybe he could kill the hour with no harm, no foul, and move them out the door.

“Daddy, he beat us here,” Em said, her eyes darting to the rearview mirror meeting his. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes and hated he’d put it there.

“It’s okay, baby. Let’s go say hi, and you two can play.” Trent pulled the truck in the closest parking space to the front doors and got both the kids out on his side of the truck. Hunter tried hard to show his independence, refusing to hold hands across the parking lot.

“Daddy, I want a cheeseburger with no pickles or mustard,” Hunter said.

“Can we get ice cream?” Em asked. He supposed the remorse of the situation faded as they almost bounced toward the restaurant.

“We can, if you’re good and there’s no fighting,” he said, his eyes trained on Gage who stood a few feet away on the sidewalk by the front door. Gage’s watched them approach, his smile spread as the kids bounded toward him and that smile cost Trent. Gage seemed genuinely pleased to be here with his children and Trent had to force his heart not to connect with the thought.

“I wanted to wait to enter my first McDonald’s so you two could show me around,” Gage said to the kids.

“Is this really your first time here?” Trent asked, keeping his eyes averted while getting the kids inside.

“I think I might have had McDonald’s in Indonesia, but I can’t be absolutely certain. It may not have been a hamburger. It’s always hard to tell what you’re really eating on that side of the world,” Gage said, following them inside. His wonderful, brilliant children took over and grabbed Gage’s hand, guiding him to the indoor play area. If he could have high fived them for occupying Gage, he would have, and Trent followed along behind them as they guided him through the maze of tables.

“Come on, this playground is the best!” Em called out, already kicking off her shoes.

“They have real video games, too,” Hunter said, dragging Gage along with him.

“Well, then, how can we wait another minute,” Gage said. A grin spread across Trent’s lips watching his children’s excitement. The sun hovered over the horizon, beginning to set. The overhead lights popped on inside the playroom. The play area swarmed with kids jumping, playing, having fun, but as they got closer Trent could see quite a few parents corralling their children as though preparing to leave. It wouldn’t take long before the room thinned out.

“Would you like something to eat?” Trent asked, trailing behind them.

“Just a soda,” Gage said over his shoulder, his crooked grin in place. The smile always seemed to settle squarely in his pants, bringing on the full hard-on he’d been trying to avoid. Gage was sexy as hell on his own, but watching him play with his kids became almost too much. And then his heart strings stirred, oh dear, that couldn’t be good… Shoving his hands in his jean pockets, he discreetly adjusted himself and stared after them. It took a moment for him to realize he stood looking at nothing but the swinging playroom door. The kids had Gage inside, showing him everything they could do.

Trent went to the counter and ordered food, getting a couple of sodas for him and Gage. He carried the tray to the playroom where several families still sat, eating or waiting for their children. He could see some of the adults eyeing Gage, maybe a bit of recognition, but none spoke to him. Gage stood off to the side watching Hunter as he climbed to the top of elaborate indoor play yard, disappearing in one of the multiple tubes connecting everything together. The novelty of a captive audience, having Gage there to show off in front of, had begun to fade as Em and Hunter made friends inside the enormous play set. It never took long.

“You don’t really have to stay,” Trent said, walking past Gage to an isolated table in the far corner of the room.

“No, this is all very exciting. I may have to bring my nieces and nephews here at some point. It’s amazing how a set of cubbies for children’s shoes are just fascinating to this younger crowd,” Gage said, following behind Trent to take a seat at the small table.

“I know, right? They pick those cubbies with critical care, don’t they?” Trent asked, pulling the happy meals from the tray, getting the kids juice boxes ready.