"You wanted to ask a question about a little turtle?" I asked.
"I don't have a daddy like daddy turtle," he said, shocking me.
Of all the things I thought he would say, that was the last one. We had read this story so many times, and my son had never questioned why there was a daddy turtle, but he didn't have one. After everything that had occurred today, this was the last thing I expected to happen. The universe was trying to punish me for whatever it thought I had done. How convenient for the universe to forget that it had dealt me the cards, and I had done my best to work with them. Now it suddenly seemed as if I was the villain.
"I wish I had a daddy like Tommy and Alicia," he continued, mentioning his friends'.
My heart sank, and I tried to blink the tears away. I always wanted to give my son the best, never wanting him to lack anything. But it seemed there was a big Michael-shaped hole in his life that I couldn't fill, and if I were being honest, there had been a hole in my heart too. Robin had a lovely family in myself, Sage, Tammie, and sometimes Grandpa when he was sober. But even with all of us in his life, he still wished he had a father. I felt terrible that he was probably looking at his friends' families and wondering why his own was so different.
They hadn't taught me this in the support group I joined while pregnant. Of course, they taught us the basics of having to take care of a child on our own. The counselor had a lot of tips on juggling a job and motherhood and where we could find the best deals on diapers and formula. But she had never prepared us for the day that a child asks about not having the other parent present in their lives, and I just had to navigate this on my own as I did most things.
"You have me, Auntie Sage, Tammie, and Grandpa Joe," I replied, then kissed his forehead. "Everyone has a different family, and they all love each other very much. I don't have a mommy like you, but I have a Robin, and he's all I need."
I tapped his nose and was lucky enough to get a smile. I breathed in relief, knowing that the topic was over for now. I was no fool and knew he would ask me again another day. Maybe I would have an answer for him then because I wasn't prepared today. Michael had shown me that he had a ruthless side to him. I had seen that hard look in his eyes when he looked at me. I couldn't trust him to be reasonable at all if he found out about Robin, and it was my responsibility to protect Robin at all costs. It was funny how everything had changed; in the beginning, I would have given anything to find Michael. Now that I had seen him again, I wished I could return to the past.
The Michael in my memories and thoughts had been smart, funny, charming, and gentle. The Michael I had met today had not been kind at all. My son wished for a father, but the real question was if Michael could be that for him.
10
Michael
"Just a second, Mr. Fletcher."
I sighed as the receptionist typed something into her computer, making me wait another minute. I had another meeting in a couple of hours, and I needed this council meeting to go well and on time. I checked the time for the fifth time since I arrived, and my impatience only increased.
I turned away from the receptionist to look around, needing to look at something other than her. I didn't know if it was how the system was or just her, but there was a need for improvement. Just then, a large group of kids walked through the main entrance. It was more of running than walking, but it was to be expected judging by the children's ages. One of the kids stopped and looked my way before breaking from the group and running toward me. I frowned when he stopped before me, giving me a large grin. It was only then that I realized this little fellow was familiar.
Damn.
"Hi," he said with a small wave.
It reminded me of the first time I met his mother, and she had given me a small wave too.
"Hi there," I replied awkwardly. I didn't know his name, nor did I know the first thing about conversing with children.
"You are Mommy's friend," he said matter-of-factly.
I nodded hesitantly. "Yes, I'm Michael. What's your name?"
"Robin Shelton," was his confident reply.
"And what are you doing here, Robin Shelton?" I asked, an involuntary smile coming to my lips.
The boy was adorable, and I admired how confident he was just in giving his name. He wore the same uniform as the other kids; a white shirt, grey slacks, and a navy blazer. He looked like a little gentleman, very smartly dressed, complete with a tie.
"We are here on a trip," he said, then tilted his head as if assessing me. "Are you here on a trip?"
I chuckled and nodded. "You could say that, although not a school trip like you."
"I know," he replied, "you are not a kid."
He looked at me and frowned, giving me a good look at his blue eyes. There wasn't much of his mother in his features, but there was enough that I could see a glimpse of her in him.
I shook my head. "No, I am not a kid. But you are, and you should go back to your friends."
He put his hands in his pockets before replying. "You are Mommy's friend, and you can be my friend too."
That made me laugh. "I can?"