My Fake Fling

“I’m good,” he said. “I just need to talk to Thea. I’ve made a mess of things. I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s like I just woke up from a brain fog. I looked around my house that doesn’t look like my house and realized what was happening. I’m moving away from my children and I didn’t even stop to think what I was doing. I feel like I’ve lost control. I’m not me anymore.”

“You haven’t moved yet,” I said. “Maybe you don’t have to.”

“Has she talked to you about what’s been going on?” he asked.

“A little,” I answered. I didn’t want the guy to feel like I had already formed an opinion. “What’s been going on?”

“As you know, I’m moving. I’ve got a realtor. The house is packed up. We’re supposed to be leaving tomorrow. Originally, we were going to leave a couple of days ago, but I made some excuses. I thought the kids would call or come by to see me before I left. I can’t leave without saying goodbye. The last time we saw each other, things didn’t go well. I think I might have made some bad decisions.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“I thought I loved Stacey. I thought she was this bright, young woman that for some crazy reason fell for me. That should have been my first clue this thing wasn’t real. Despite her age, she turned out to be very helpful. I fell into a flare up shortly after meeting her. She was so kind and caring. She took care of me. She cooked for me and did the shopping. I’d been all alone for years, and it felt good to have someone to lean on.”

“I would think Thea or Rich would have helped,” I suggested.

“I rely on them too much,” he said. “After their mom died, they took care of me. I should have been the one taking care of them, but I couldn’t do it. I fell apart. Then the lupus hit, and it felt like they were constantly taking care of me again. I don’t want to be a burden. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone. Stacey never made me feel like that. I was able to give her a place to live and make sure she had nice things. It was more of a mutually beneficial relationship.”

“I think I can definitely understand why you wanted Stacey in your life,” I said. “I’ve been a bachelor for ten years. It’s tough.”

He turned his head and looked at me. “If I remember right, you chose that. Actually, what are you doing here?”

I expected that. First there was Rich, now there was her father. I had a lot of atoning to do. “Thea and I have been seeing each other again.”

“No kidding?”

“Yes,” I said. “But I’m afraid I’m here to do my own apologizing.”

“Reese, I always liked you, but what kind of father would I be if I didn’t give you the what for after what you did to her the first time around? You broke her heart back then.”

“I know,” I said. “I take full responsibility for that. I was a fool to let her go.”

“So, what did you do this time?” he asked. “If it’s something I don’t like, I think I’m going to have to run you off. I can at least do that for my baby girl.”

I tried not to smirk, but it was involuntary. The idea of him running me off was cute. “She told Rich we were seeing each other again.”

“Ah,” he said. “If I know my son, he’s not happy about it.”

“Not so much,” I said. “But I told him, and I will tell you, I know I screwed up back then. Thea is an amazing woman. I know how valuable she is. I’ve changed. I’ve grown up. I’m figuring this adult thing out. I think I was nervous about Rich finding out because I know how he feels. He’d run me off. I don’t want to be run off. I want to be with Thea.”

“And you came here tonight to apologize for what?” he questioned.

“I have been absent the last couple of days,” I confessed. “I wasn’t thrilled with Rich knowing, but I understand why she told him. She needed to. I’m glad it’s out in the open. I’ll tell you what I told him. I care about her. I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t be pulling that shit again.”

He clapped me on the shoulder. “Good man. Sometimes, it takes us boys a little while longer to figure stuff out. I’m glad you came to your senses.”

“Me too,” I said.

“And I guess I don’t have a lot of room to lecture you considering I basically did the same thing, except I’m her father. I almost lost my little girl. I hope she will forgive me. I know I’ve behaved horribly. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking.”

“She’ll forgive you,” I assured him. “That woman is the most loyal, devoted person ever. She’s been fighting like hell to talk to you. She’s going to be very happy to have you back in her life. If you do move, it will help ease her worry if she knows the two of you are on good terms.”

“I haven’t been a great father,” he said. “I don’t know why the good Lord thought I deserved two such amazing kids, but I’m glad I have them. I just hope I didn’t screw it up. I wouldn’t blame them a bit if they threw their hands up and walked away. I’ve failed them over and over since their mother died. I don’t think I ever truly appreciated just how much that woman did for us. She was the glue that kept us together. She knew how to raise those kids. She died and it was like I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do for them. I didn’t know their school schedules. I completely blanked on grocery shopping and cleaning the house. Those two stepped up.”

“From the way Thea tells it, you were the glue. You kept them going because you picked up and carried on. You all figured it out. I don’t think you need to feel guilty for any of that. I know she doesn’t hold that stuff against you.”

He shook his head as he stared out into the night. “When you’re young and starting your family with the woman you love, you never imagine one horrible day you would wake up and find yourself doing it on your own. It’s impossible to imagine it. It just felt wrong, like I woke up in the wrong life.”

“I can’t imagine,” I said.