Super Secret Santa

"I'm sure he was impressed."

"He's actually picked up a lot of the fundamentals. I maybe threw the ball around with my dad here and there, but I never really played until high school, so he's probably got a leg up on me at that age," Neil offered as he came into the kitchen, overhearing our exchange.

"I’m glad to hear he has natural talent. I got talked into letting him play by a friend. Angela,” I told him. “Actually, you met her. Her son David is Mark's age and she and her husband are big into football. I would have said no, but she assured me that there was no violence in Pee Wee leagues and that it was good for kids to learn teamwork. Of course, Angela seems to coax me into everything. Luckily, she's using her powers for good and not evil."

Neil laughed.

“She did seem like a feisty one at the Christmas event.”

"I didn't want to go to a certain event at the community center a couple of weeks ago, but she can be very persuasive."

I had to word what I said carefully, since Mark didn't know Neil had been there.

"I like her already,” Neil said.

I smiled. The three of us had been sitting at the kitchen table, with Mark looking back and forth as Neil and I talked. The pile of cookies on the plate were mysteriously almost gone.

"How do you know Neil, Mom?" Mark asked me.

"We went to school together as kids," I said.

Now Mark turned his attention to Neil.

"No way. Wow. You're from Caldwell too?"

"Sure am."

“That’s awesome.”

As excited as Mark was about meeting Neil, the newness wore off quickly and I knew he was wanting to play his video games. Mark left to use the bathroom, but he never came back.

He had a strange habit of doing that. If he had questions of the adults, he would ask, or listen and learn. Then next thing I’d know, he would be gone from the room, like he was bored. Hopefully, he’d grow out of it, because I was sure it would seem rude to some people if it continued when he was older.

When I went to check on Mark, he was playing Xbox in his room, just as I’d suspected. Neil and I moved to the sofa and continued talking. I told Neil about James, and how we had met and just went out a few times.

"I had slept with him just once, and after that I had decided not to see him again. It was a conversation I was putting off and then I found out I was pregnant. I couldn't not tell him. Of course, being a soldier, he wanted to do the right thing and get married, but I absolutely refused,” I said. “We did move in together before Mark arrived, and I just decided James would be in my life for the next 18 years. I thought I’d just survive being in a daily relationship with someone I didn’t like or want."

"I think a lot of folks do that these days,” Neil said. “It wasn’t like that for our parents, back in their day, I don’t think."

He paused and I could tell he was thinking about something sentimental.

Finally, he elaborated.

“My own parents married in high school and were very happy together. Sadly, my dad died a few years back of cancer. In a way, I can kind of relate to Mark, having lost my father. It’s a sad thing but I still have great memories because mine, at least, was a great guy.”

I was jealous and wished Mark could say the same. But at least his dad had been a good father even though he wasn’t the best husband.

“How has your mom been handling it?” I asked Neil.

“She travels a lot, gets out and sees different places and meets different people, to keep her mind off of him,” he said. “She technically lives in this town but is always gone, just like she is this Christmas, so I don’t see her too often but when I do, she’s been very loving and has helped me deal with it. She just likes to not dwell on it and therefore chooses to stay busy and focus on other things. I think this town reminds her too much of my dad.”

“That makes sense,” I say, nodding.

“So, I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Neil said, although I liked finding out more about him, too, so there was nothing to apologize for. “You were saying?”

"Oh yeah. So, after Mark was born, James and I got married at the courthouse. I didn't love him, but he was a good father. But he became a bad husband and I hate to say it now, but I regretted marrying him,” I told Neil.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But at least you gave it your best shot.”