“Why would you care how I’m doing?”
“The father of my daughter’s child matters to me, even if I find you distasteful.”
I grunt at that. Pain lances into my chest. Hearing that spoken out loud hurts more than I thought it would, and I have to take a second to gather myself again. I didn’t know Blair told her old man, but I guess it makes sense. She’d have to tell him eventually.
“I’m here because of her,” I say softly, my voice projecting out into the seats.
“Strange, because I think she’d like it better if you were with her, helping with the pregnancy, instead of playing handyman. But I suppose renovating an old regional theater is… something.”
“What do you want?”
He shakes his head. “I’m honestly not sure,” he admits and seems bewildered. “I’m going to see her soon and I thought I’d stop here first.”
“Does she know you’re coming?”
“No, she doesn’t.”
“Seems like you should call first.”
“And have her tell me not to bother? No, I think I’d rather be a surprise.” He paces across the aisle, shaking his head. “I know I haven’t been the best father in the world. Perhaps I’ve even been a terrible father. But my daughter is pregnant now and my grandchild is coming into this world, and you’re intimately wrapped up in my life, whether I like it or not. So tell me, why the fuck are you here, and not there, with her?”
It’s a fair question, even if it’s coming from a real asshole.
I look up at the rafters, at the lights dangling above my head. I don’t know if Alexander has enough emotional complexity to understand why I had to do this, but that shouldn’t matter. If it was the right decision, it should be obvious.
I close my eyes and run my hands through my hair. Off to my right, in the shadows of the curtain, I used to stand there and watch the shows with my father as he held my hand or put an arm around my shoulders. Those memories are so precious to me, especially because so much of what happened later with my old man is poisoned and terrible now. But back then, when I was still a boy, the world was beautiful and exciting and I was happy bathed in the wonder of this place.
I want to give that to my child.
I grew up in this place, lived in it like it was my second family, and now I’m bringing it back home.
For my future child and for the woman I love.
“This is my legacy,” I say finally, still not looking at him. “This is all for them.”
“If it’syourlegacy—”
“My child is my future. This place will be theirs. As soon as it’s done and ready to open, I’m going to give it to her, no strings attached. I’ll stay on to run the place if she doesn’t want it, and they can have all the money. I’ll be as involved in raising that baby as she wants me to be. And if by some miracle, she forgives me—” I shake my head slowly, because I can’t dream there’s even a chance of that. “We’ll have this place together.”
Silence falls in the theater. I finally look down and Alexander is staring at me with a strange expression, half contempt and half sadness, and he finally turns away. “I’ll tell her to come talk to you.”
“That’s it?”
“You care. You messed up, but you care. I think she’d be a fool not to see this for what it is.” He begins to walk away.
“Wait, Alexander. Why did you come here?”
“To see if you were good enough for my daughter. And the answer is no, of course you aren’t, but you’re close enough. And unfortunately, you’re the one that knocked her up, so I guess we’re stuck with you.” He nods and begins to leave, but before he exits into the darkness again, he turns back and smirks at me. “By the way, love the new name.”
“It’s not for you.”
“Oh, I know that. But still, I love it. I think she’ll ask you to change it back though. Let me give you a piece of advice: don’t make the same mistakes I did with that one.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t plan on being anything like you.”
He laughs and disappears back out the way he came.
I stand alone on the stage, in the place where I grew up. It used to seem so big, so full of life, and it made me into the man I am today. Not just the bad parts, but the good parts, too. I’m angry, so fucking angry, and filled with so much passion. I don’t know what to do with it all, except to pour it into this place, a home for my child, a future for my family. I want that so desperately, it’s like a hunger gnawing at the back of my mind. I want to watch my child grow up in this magical place, just like I did.