by Hunt, Jack
The house was a three bedroom with a detached garage and lots of privacy. Sophie had once called it her dream home because of the white wraparound porch, stone foundation, clapboard siding and porch rocker. She had this fantasy of rocking back and forth on it as they grew old together. Located just off Poplar Drive in the south end of Elizabeth City, his property overlooked water and had at one time been a family home full of love and laughter. Now it was just him. Quiet. Too quiet. Charlie had told him to get a dog but with the hours he worked, it wouldn’t have been fair.
Thud. Thud.
“All right! Geesh.”
Alex swung the door open, expecting to see a delivery driver. He was about to give him a piece of his mind when he was greeted by the sight of Sophie. Blonde hair, bright eyes, oval face and athletic. She stood there gawking at him with a hand on her hip. “Finally! You do know it’s after ten?”
He opened his mouth to answer but was quickly put off by her repulsed look.
Sophie sniffed. “God, you stink,” she said, brushing past and entering the home. He looked over to a black SUV that was parked nearby. Leaning against the hood, kicking gravel was some kid, couldn’t have been more than seventeen. Although he didn’t want to jump to conclusions it was fairly obvious from one glance who he was.
They locked eyes for a few seconds until Alex closed the door.
“Don’t you have a phone anymore?” Sophie asked from the kitchen.
“Of course I do,” he said in a way as if it was obvious.
“So then why didn’t you answer my texts, or calls?”
He looked at her as he entered the kitchen.
“I shut it off.”
“Convenient,” she replied, looking down.
“And hello to you, Sophie.” He went over to the sink and filled a glass with water. His tongue felt like sandpaper and his throat like the Gobi Desert. He reached into the cupboard and took out a bottle of Advil and tossed two back with a mouthful of water while Sophie thumbed through mail on the counter. She fished out a few envelopes and tucked them into her bag.
“I thought you were in California?” he asked, turning and leaning against the counter.
“And I thought you said you would send the papers.” She crossed the room and glanced at the garbage can that hadn’t been emptied in a few days, a couple of empty bottles of wine were near it. “So, are you drinking yourself into an early grave?” she asked without looking at him.
Initially when she moved out she’d kept communication to a bare minimum, only contacting him when she needed to arrange to swing by and pick up some of her belongings. In the early stages of the breakup, she’d stayed with a friend because it was either that or face her parents, and their religious background meant she’d be raked over the coals — divorce was shunned.
The few times she came by it was always with a friend, as if that would somehow prevent them from arguing. It didn’t. By that point in their relationship they would have argued about two flies going up the wall. It didn’t take much to set either of them off. Accusations. Defending themselves. Ugh. It was a mess.
“Actually, no. I took Charlie home last night. He was a little wasted.”
“By the looks of it, so were you.”
Again he held his tongue. It had been over seven months since she’d walked out. The first three were brutal, but then he began to find his feet again.
“Oh, how is he?” she asked as if interested. She wasn’t. It was just small talk while she scanned the room looking for anything that was hers, or could be argued was hers. The last time she was there she checked the bedroom closet knowing full well that it was empty. He knew she was checking to see if he had moved on and started dating someone else. The fact was she’d taken most of their belongings with her and he’d let her. It wasn’t because he didn’t have the balls to stand up to her but he figured it wasn’t worth fighting over. Furniture could be replaced. She’d told him it was for an apartment in the city but he soon came to learn she was moving out of state, heading for California so she could be close to Elisha. “Still causing Trish problems?” she asked.
“Yeah, cause that’s what we do.”
She glared at him.
“You know what I was referring to.”
“Actually nowadays, I don’t. Everything I say gets turned around.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are we escalating?”
Alex scoffed. That was always her go-to phrase. Are we escalating? He sighed. “So who’s the kid?”
“Ryan. The foster service approved. Everything went through,” she said, looking at him and waiting for a reaction. He snorted, set the glass on the counter, walked over to the window and pulled a blind down to get another look.
“So you finally found one that looks like him.”
“I’m not getting into this. I’m just here for the papers. Did you sign them?”
“They’re over there on the counter,” he said jerking his head but not taking his eyes away from the boy. Sophie crossed the room. “He looks a little young though, don’t you think?”
She lifted the papers and thumbed through them.
“You haven’t signed them.”
He cast a glance over his shoulder. “No. I was meaning to get around to that but you know, with work and all.”
“Of course,” she said. Sophie chuckled and shook her head, rolling her lower lip in. It was the sign he was all too familiar with. She wasn’t amused and he wasn’t trying to be funny. Not signing them wasn’t a jerk move on his part, he wasn’t looking to make her life any worse, the truth was more complicated than that. She charged over and dropped them on the table in front of him along with a pen. “So sign them.”
“Geesh. You in a hurry or something?”
“Those were sent to you over a month ago. You were to sign them and send them back. I had to come all the way out here because you weren’t answering your phone.”
“Oh no, so the boy had nothing to do with it?”
“I’m not getting into that. Look, I even contacted Brad to see if he could get the message to you. Do you know how humiliating that was?”
He glanced at her and walked straight by her.
“Where are you going now?”
“To take a shower. That okay with you?”
She gestured to the table. “But the papers?”
“I’m sure you can wait another five minutes. I smell like vomit. Do you mind? Why don’t you put on a pot of coffee?”
“Alex. I need to get going. I have a plane to catch this afternoon.”
“It’s just after ten. You’ll be fine.”
He heard her curse as he disappeared from the room.
Inside the bathroom he closed the door and turned on the shower to let the room fill with steam. Alex placed his hands on the edge of the sink and looked into the mirror. He ran a hand through his short dark hair, and pulled at the skin beneath his brown eyes. A few fleeting memories from the first time they walked through the house with a realtor came back. They were like two teenage kids. As the realtor waffled on, they ducked into the bathroom and began making out with each other. The elderly woman didn’t even know they were missing as she continued rattling on about the history of the home.
He sighed and took a quick shower.
After slipping into a denim shirt and gray khaki bottoms, he found Sophie in the sun room, a cup in one hand and the other holding a photo of them. He cleared his throat and she set it down and turned.
“Was a good time, wasn’t it?” he said stepping into the room that only had a wicker lounge chair, a small table for his computer and a few décor items.
“What?” she asked, acting as if she didn’t know that he was referring to the photo. He pointed to it.
“I remember you being so elated. I still remember what you looked like coming down that aisle.”
“I was nervous.”
“So was I… for you.”
It was her friend’s wedding day and she’d been asked to be a bridesmaid.
Although she’d said yes, nerves had got the better of her, screwing up her speech.
“You remember sneaking away, and…”
“Yeah.” She offered back a strained smile. “Well…” She gestured inside the house and his smile faded.
“Right. The papers.”
“I… I just don’t want to keep Ryan waiting and…” she trailed off and he could tell the atmosphere had changed. It was like looking at the past through rose-colored glasses, it somehow brought back the woman he’d once loved.
“Why didn’t you invite Ryan in?”
“Because I didn’t want to make this any more awkward than it needed to be.”
He nodded, taking a seat. Out the corner of his eye, Alex saw her looking him up and down. “Is that the shirt?”
“Yeah.”
“But I thought you didn’t like it.”
“It’s grown on me.”
She’d bought the shirt for his birthday. He hadn’t worn it. It wasn’t because he didn’t like it, instead it was because he’d received it a few days before they’d had a huge bust-up and she’d stormed out. Seeing it in the closet only reminded him. Still, he wasn’t one to let things go to waste. “Looks good on you.”
He chuckled as he scooped up the pen and thumbed over the paperwork. “If I wasn’t mistaken that sounded awfully like a compliment.” He glanced at her and she tried to hide her smile but he caught it. Going page by page and signing off, he continued. “Where did you find him?”
“I didn’t. Rachel called me. I flew down to Florida.”
He stopped. “Florida? Figured you would get someone in state.”
“He fit the bill.”
“You make him sound like some kind of toy on a shelf.” He went back to signing. “So where’s he from? What’s his background?”
“Look, you think we can speed this up?” She tapped her wristwatch. He could tell it was less about time as it was that she was uncomfortable having a conversation with him. Her default in an argument was to walk out, avoid talking, and since they’d gone their separate ways, that had only become more prevalent.
“What time’s your flight?”
“Three.”
He looked at the clock on the wall. “You’ve got plenty of time. Why don’t you ask Ryan to come in? Maybe he wants a drink or something. The poor kid will think I’m some tyrant.” He waited for her to respond but when she didn’t, he scoffed. “Of course, you’ve already painted that picture in his mind.”
She shifted her weight from one foot to the next. “Why do you always do that?”
“Do what?”
“Turn it around. Make me out to be someone who’s out to get you.”
Alex smiled. “You want to do this now or have me sign the papers?”
“Sign the papers.”
And just like that she was back to her usual self. “How’s Elisha doing?” he asked trying to steer the conversation away from an argument.
“Why, haven’t you called her?”
“Was just asking, Sophie.”
A pause.
“Good. Nervous, but she doesn’t have long left.”
He flipped a page. “Yeah, I was thinking of heading out there, you know to see her.”
“What? No. You can’t.”
He lowered his pen and frowned. “I have time off.”
“So now you’re taking it?”
“That’s what people do.”
“Not you.”
He closed his eyes tight and counted to five before looking at her. “She doesn’t even live with you. She’s in the academy.”
“So?”
Alex studied her. “You don’t want me in the same town. Is that because you’ve met someone?”
“No. You?”
“Oh yeah, I have a long line of women at my beck and call.” He shook his head. “Look, I have a few weeks off and I would like to go and see her.”
“You don’t want to see her; you just want to get involved with the training. Oversee and critique her.”
“Encourage you mean.”
“If that’s what you call it.”
Back and forth, it was like a damn tennis match.
“Sophie.”
She raised a finger at him. He hated when she did that. It was like she was trying to school him. “Right now she’s under a lot of pressure. She doesn’t need any more stress.”
“She’s old enough to make that decision herself.” He stabbed the paper after finishing. Sophie swooped in and scooped it up like an eagle, then began flipping pages to make sure he hadn’t missed any. Alex got up and poured himself a cup of coffee. “It’s all signed.”
“Just checking. I didn’t come all this way to have you…”
“Throw a wrench in the works?” he asked before taking a sip of his drink.
Satisfied, she folded the paperwork and tucked it into her bag. “Look, I’m not saying you can’t come out. Of course you can, I’m just saying that it’s probably not a good time.”
“Never is. Well don’t worry, I had a backup plan,” he said wandering into the sun room. If there was one thing she hated, it was being left in the dark. Even if she had no interest in what he was planning. Call it curiosity, a need to know, she couldn’t let that one go, and he knew it.
“And that would be?” she asked, following him.
“Ah, you know, a little fishing, a little dating.”
“Dating?”
“Well I did sign the papers.”
Her mouth widened and he laughed. “I’m joking. Besides, I figured by now you would have hooked up with someone else.”
“You’d be wrong.”
“How could that ever be true,” he said jokingly, as he was always considered to be in the wrong. Before she could retort, he added, “Charlie is out of work, so we discussed heading up to the lake to do some fishing.”
“Oh, I knew I forgot something,” she said flipping pages.
“The cabin? You want the cabin?”
“Whatever, I don’t need it.”
He cleared his throat. “Wasn’t yours to begin with,” he muttered under his breath.
“What?”
Before they could have a spat, the front door opened. “Sophie. We should get going,” Ryan said.
“Well that’s strange, he’s not calling you mom yet?”
She narrowed her eyes at Alex and turned to head out. “I’ll be in touch.”
Alex nodded. “It was good seeing you again, Sophie. Always a pleasure.”
The door slammed and he felt the sharp ache of emptiness.
An engine roared to life and he heard the crunch of gravel.
Alex took another sip of coffee and looked out at the backyard. A tinge of sadness, and finality crept over him. He glanced at the photo of them hugging one another. He reached for it and set it face down so he didn’t have to remember.
Twenty-four years — gone in the blink of an eye.
4
Traffic was bumper to bumper the closer they got to Norfolk International Airport. Sophie slammed her hand against the steering wheel, frustration boiling over as vehicles came to another abrupt stop. Her conversation with Alex and the thought of missing her flight had her white knuckling it for the better part of an hour. They were now minutes from the airport but she still had to drop off the rental, check in and find the gate. Exasperated, she ran a hand over her face and exhaled hard.
“Everything okay?” Ryan asked, removing one earbud.
“Yeah.” She craned her neck to see past the vehicles ahead. Her fingers drummed the wheel. What was holding it up? She gave Ryan a sideways glance. “Look, what I said about Alex. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. He’s a good man. A good father. It’s just we haven’t seen eye to eye in a long time and…”
“I get it,” he replied making light of it. Alex was right, Ryan bore an uncanny resemblance to Michael. The long dark hair, piercing brown eyes and sharp features. They were even around the same height and build. Could that have
factored into why she’d agreed to fly across the country? It wasn’t like there was a shortage of kids who needed a foster home in California. In fact, she’d received multiple choices from the agency but none of them had clicked until she saw Ryan’s photo.
Sophie shook her head. “No, I shouldn’t have bad-mouthed him.”
“Trust me, I’ve heard far worse.”
She frowned, and knew that was accurate. In and out of foster homes, Ryan had a file littered with accounts of people who should have never fostered. How he’d made it to sixteen without glaring issues, substance abuse or mental health problems was remarkable. Surprisingly his record was clean. Almost too clean.
“Do you remember much about your biological parents?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Did you ever try to find them?”
“Once,” he said.
“And?”
“Decided at the last minute it wasn’t worth it.”
As the SUV crawled forward, Sophie cranked up the air conditioning as the temperature in July was in the high eighties. She kept looking at the seconds ticking over on the clock, each one reminding her that if the traffic didn’t move soon, they would lose their seats.
The in-car phone began ringing and Elisha’s name flashed on the screen. Sophie jabbed the accept button on the steering wheel and her voice came over the speaker.
“Hey darling.”
“Everything go okay?” Elisha asked.
“Yeah, I have Ryan here with me. You want to say hello?”
There was an awkward exchange but that was to be expected. Elisha quickly changed the topic. “So did uh… dad sign the papers?”
“Is that why you called?”
“That and…” she trailed off aware that Ryan was listening. “Dad phoned.”
“Oh he did? Then why are you asking if he signed?”
“Because he wouldn’t tell me.”
That struck her as odd. Did he think she might change her mind?