Working My Way Back to You

by Doreen Alsen

Danny’s face went blank. “What do you mean?”

  He looked over to Beth and she smiled. “Your father wants to adopt you and give you his name.”

  Danny’s eyes showed confusion. “Then my name will be different from yours.”

  She soothed a comforting hand across his cheek. “It’s the name you should have had all along.”

  “Will it hurt your feelings, Mom?”

  Well, this was a change for the better, Jeff thought. Their talk in the car about Beth’s father had made a difference.

  “It’s not going to hurt my feelings one little bit. How do you feel about changing your middle name from Paul to William?”

  “Why?”

  “Because William was your dad’s father’s name.”

  Danny shrugged. “Okay.”

  Beth lifted her gaze from Danny to stare directly into Jeff’s eyes.

  Not for long. She resumed giving all her attention to Danny. “You’re going to meet your grandmother and your sister and have a lot of fun.”

  “Will she be there?” Danny whispered.

  Beth glanced at Jeff again then focused on Danny again. “She, who?”

  “The other lady who Dad married and had a baby with.” Danny looked at Jeff. “Why did you marry her mom and not marry mine?”

  Jeff didn’t know how to answer, but Beth saved him. “I know you remember your grandfather.”

  Danny nodded.

  “And I know you remember how strict he was.”

  Danny nodded again.

  “And you remember when we told you that your grandfather wouldn’t let me and your Dad get married.” She nodded at Jeff.

  “If he loved you so much, why did he marry someone else and have a kid with her?”

  Jeff itched to say that Cookie wasn’t some random kid, but this was the Beth and Danny show.

  Danny stared at his mother, like he was trying to pull the truth from her brain. “I don’t know why your father married Cookie’s mother,” Beth said, her voice reassuring. “We don’t need to know.” Beth smiled. “Let’s focus on meeting your grandmother who loves you without knowing what a stinker you are.”

  Danny laughed and flung his arms around her neck. Jeff really, finally got the bond between them.

  “I’m glad you’re coming, Mom,” Danny said.

  “I wouldn’t let you go anywhere without me, whether you like it or not.”

  Danny sniffled and wiped his nose with his sleeve.

  Jeff winced. Beth didn’t skip a beat.

  She grabbed her son and held him so tight, Jeff worried that Danny couldn’t breathe. “It’s all going to be good, Danny. You’ll see.”

  Danny wiggled free. “All right. I’m hungry.”

  “Dinner’s coming right up.” She met Jeff’s gaze. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay?”

  Jeff did want to stay more than just about anything else right at that moment, but he had things he had to do. “No, thanks, I can’t. But can I get a rain check for another time?”

  “You got it.”

  They stood there staring at each other for a moment. Beth looked away first. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

  “No,” Jeff said. “You go on and feed our son. I’ll show myself out. Thanks again for not fighting the adoption.”

  She shrugged. “You’re welcome.”

  “Mo-om! I’m hungry!” Danny bellowed from the kitchen.

  “I need to go take care of that.”

  “Right.” Jeff stepped away and went to the door. “Good night.”

  After he let himself out, Jeff felt lighter than he had in weeks. This could all work out.

  He remembered how much he had loved Beth then, how much he wanted to be with her when he first found her here in Lobster Cove.

  He tried those feelings on again and they felt pretty good.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Danny’s sense of co-operation lasted until Beth told him to practice piano. Again he rebelled by playing poorly on purpose. So badly, in fact, that Beth gave serious consideration to getting some earplugs. She pinched the bridge of her nose in between the thumb and forefinger of her right hand.

  Thinking Danny was turning back into her happy, eager to please little boy, Beth thought she could finally breathe a little. Apparently, that was not to be. She guessed for every step forward they made, they’d get two steps back.

  She had to have patience with him, had to remember how much his world had shifted. At least he didn’t overtly hate her any more. And just when she thought they were back to playing Princess Arabella against Syr Duke fighting for control of MoReese, he ran up to hug her tight and said, “I love you across all dimensions. I’m sorry my diapers were so disgusting,” and ran off to take his bath.

  What?

  She just prayed that he’d behave when he met Nancy Myers and Cookie. Only time would tell. For that one brief moment she and Jeff had stood in front of her door, when Danny had run to the kitchen, she’d thought he might kiss her.

  She’d wanted him to kiss her. For just that little space of time to kiss her and let the years melt away and feel as totally in love as she felt about him then.

  What the hell was she going to do about that?

  ****

  “So, I’ll be there early Saturday evening to get Cookie. Please have her ready.” Jeff worked to keep his voice calm and level.

  “She’s really nervous about meeting Beth’s son.”

  “He’s my son, too, and Cookie’s brother. So please get her so I can talk to her?”

  “She’s already had her bath and gone to bed.”

  “Really. It’s just 7:30.”

  Katie sniffed. “She had a busy day. I can wake her up if you insist.”

  “Please do.” Cookie wasn’t asleep.

  He didn’t have to wait long for his daughter to come to the phone.

  “Hi, Daddy.”

  “Hi, princess. Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I’m coming to visit you this weekend and I’m bringing your brother with me so you can meet him.”

  Silence.

  “He’s a really nice boy and I know you’re going to have a lot of fun.”

  Katie came back on the line. “Cookie wants me to say good night for her.”

  Right. “Whatever. Give her a kiss for me. I’ll see you this weekend and Katie?”

  “What now?”

  “No games, okay. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

  He clicked off the phone and hoped like hell that Katie wouldn’t sabotage this visit.

  He just wouldn’t let her.

  End of story.

  ****

  Saturday brought blue skies, lots of sunshine, and a little of the heat leftover from summer. Beth and Anita sat together in the bleachers, cheering their boys on.

  The kids played hard, but lost by one touchdown. Danny and Ben scuffled their way off the field to the sidelines.

  “Good game, buddy!” Beth touched his shoulder. “You tried really hard and did a great job.”

  Danny shook his head. “We lost.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Anita said. “You still played your best.”

  “Except that our best wasn’t enough.” Ben was just as bummed as Danny.

  “What did Coach say?” Anita asked.

  “He said what you said, that what was really important was that we did our best.” Ben and Danny both shook their heads and stared at their feet.

  “Well, I’m proud of you anyway.” Beth put her hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Let’s get you home and cleaned up so we’re ready to leave when Dad gets there to pick us up.”

  Danny didn’t say anything; he just followed Beth to the car. He moped for the entire ride home. Well, Beth thought, he had to learn how to lose gracefully. One more life lesson learned. Maybe this football thing wasn’t so bad.

  Danny was barely out of the shower when Jeff showed up. “You all set, champ?”

  “Guess so.”

  “Wh
ere’re your bags?”

  “In my room.”

  “Go on back and get them and we’ll be on our way.”

  Danny trudged to his room. “Where are your bags?” He turned to Beth.

  “Right there by the door.” She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t know what to bring, so I may have overpacked.”

  Jeff raised his eyebrows when he saw the three bags. “You know we’re only going to be there tonight, all day tomorrow and Monday morning.”

  She felt her face heat up. “I want to look appropriate for whatever comes up.”

  “Okay, sunshine. You’re lucky you’ve got a big strong man to take them to the truck for you.”

  She chuckled. “My hero.”

  He laughed.

  Danny came back dragging his bag and his backpack. “Here,” he said.

  “Here? You’re carrying those out by yourself, champ.”

  Danny looked at Beth. “Mom?”

  She always dealt with his bags, but Jeff was right. He could take responsibility for that task now. “You heard your dad.”

  He grimaced but kept dragging his stuff out the door. Jeff hoisted Beth’s suitcases. “Oof! What do you have packed in there—cinder blocks?”

  “Ha, ha, very funny. I can carry it if it’s too much for you to handle, hot stuff.”

  “Hot stuff?” Jeff laughed, the sound coming deep from inside him.

  “What? Afraid you’re not going to be able to live up to the hype?” Nerves jumped up and down all under Beth’s skin as she started flirting with him.

  She’d never really flirted before. It was about time she did.

  ****

  “He’s out like a light,” Jeff said to Beth as they headed down Route 1.

  “He didn’t sleep at all last night and he always gets wiped out after games. After practices, too.”

  “He works hard.” Jeff put on his blinker to move into the left lane to pass a mini-van. “Has he said anything more to you about this visit?”

  Jeff himself had hardly slept due to worrying about how this weekend would go. He was glad he’d relented and included Beth because he now knew he needed her support.

  “No,” said Beth. “Not a word. It’s worrisome, but he’s a happy, friendly boy. He should do fine once he gets the lay of the land.”

  “Huh. Cookie’s a real girly girl, I think I’ve told you.” Jeff moved back into the right lane. “I’m really hoping they can find some common ground.”

  “Take them to the playground. That might be a good place to start. What kid doesn’t love a swing set?”

  “That’s a good idea. My mother probably has some ideas on how to make some bonding happen.”

  “How is she?” Beth asked. “Your mother I mean.”

  “She’s good. Still working hard, but she’ll never stop working.”

  Beth looked out the passenger side window. “She probably hates me.”

  “She was mad at first, but has come around to see your side. She remembers how unforgiving a man your father was and decided you needed a little forgiveness. She’s really excited to meet Danny. She and Katie do not get along.”

  He saw Beth knuckle tears out of her eyes. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t cry. What an amazing woman. I can’t believe how generous she is.” Her nose made a snarfly sound and she rummaged in her purse and pulled out a tissue. “I’m sorry she doesn’t get along with Katie. That must make things difficult for you.”

  He snorted. “Katie makes things difficult all on her own.”

  Beth didn’t say anything about that, just pushed a long brown curl of her hair behind one ear.

  She looked impossibly pretty, impossibly young dressed in jeans, a blue turtleneck and an aging black pea coat. The only jewelry she wore was her watch and a pair of earrings made with some kind of blue stones. He was pretty sure she hadn’t put on any makeup.

  He felt himself falling in love with her all over again. He might as well face facts.

  He’d never stopped loving Beth in the first place.

  ****

  Beth had never expected to see the “Welcome to Addington, Massachusetts. Home of the Minutemen!” sign ever again, especially crossing the town line with Jeff Myers.

  The acrobatic part of a flea circus had taken over her stomach. She hadn’t realized how difficult it would be to go back to Addington. She kept her hands clasped in her lap so Jeff wouldn’t see them tremble.

  She had to take care of her own nerves so she could take care of Danny’s. She should probably wake him up. She turned around in her seat, reached over and jostled his knee. “Danny.”

  Her son’s eyelids fluttered open, shut, then lifted again. His hair stuck out every which way and his face squished up so it resembled a bug’s and exuded eau de grumpy.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re almost there.”

  He yawned. “Where?”

  “Almost to your grandmother’s house.”

  “‘Bout five minutes left to go, champ,” Jeff added.

  Danny looked out the window and kicked his feet against the backseat. “Where did you live, Mom?”

  “Not far from where your grandmother lives.”

  “Do you want to drive past it?” Jeff glanced at her out of the sides of his eyes.

  She shivered. “No, thank you.” She never wanted to see that house ever again. Her heart pounded a little faster when Jeff turned right on to Gosnold Street, past a white house, a yellow house, and came to a stop in the driveway of a little green house, with a big red 8 on the mailbox.

  Jeff’s childhood home.

  He’d barely cut the motor and gotten out of the car when a gray haired woman appeared in the front doorway. Nancy Myers.

  Jeff’s mother.

  She ran down her front stairs. “Oh, you’re here!” She wrapped her arms around Jeff.

  He kissed her on the top of her head. “Hey, Mom.”

  Beth helped Danny out of the car and put her arm around his shoulders while he gained his sea legs.

  “Beth, I’m so happy to see you!” Nancy beamed at them even as tears welled in her eyes. She obviously knew enough to keep a little distance from them. “And who is this handsome young man?”

  Danny leaned into Beth. Jeff came up to his mother and put his arm around her shoulders, just like Beth had done with Danny. “Mom, this is my son, Danny.”

  Her hands flew to her cheeks. “He looks just like you when you were that age. Cowlicks and all.”

  Danny looked up at Beth. “What’s a cowlick?”

  “The things that make your hair stick out all over the place.” She braced herself. Time to let him go. “Danny, why don’t you go over to your grandmother and say hello?” She took her arm from around his shoulders.

  In spite of how he’d recently been acting, he had been brought up with manners and to show respect for adults. Taking a couple of hesitating steps toward Nancy, he held his hand. “Hello. I’m Danny.”

  Nancy didn’t hesitate, she took the hand he offered and shook it. “Hello, Danny. I’m your grandmother, but you can call me whatever you want. If Grandma doesn’t work, Nancy will do.”

  “Why don’t we try out Granny Nancy?”

  The newly christened Granny Nancy elbowed her son hard in the ribs. “You think you’re so funny.”

  “I am.”

  “I bet you’re hungry, Danny, so let’s go in and get a snack to tide us over until dinner?” Nancy kept hold of Danny’s hand and led him into the house.

  Beth’s stomach unkinked a little bit. Nancy clearly already loved Danny.

  Jeff slung a heavy muscled arm around Beth’s shoulders. “Come on in, sunshine. Let’s get this party started.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  While his mother fussed over Danny and Beth, Jeff took a minute to give Katie a call to make sure Cookie was ready when he got there to pick her up.

  No answer. Typical Katie. He’d just get there at the arranged time.

  And so it started. He had no doubt that this next couple
days would not go easy. Far from it. Thank you, Katie.

  But consistent love, understanding and boundaries would make a good start. He went into the kitchen where his mother had Danny sitting at a table with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. “Mom?” What was Beth going to say about this? She watched Danny’s diet like a hawk. “You’re going to spoil his dinner.”

  She waved him away. “A grandmother’s prerogative. Go fetch Cookie.”

  Danny stiffened at the mentioned of his sister’s name and picked up his glass of chocolate milk to take a drink.

  On second thought, champ, Jeff thought, have another cookie or three. I might be a while picking up Cookie. The poor kid might slip into a sugar coma before he could grab his daughter and get back.

  “See you in a bit, buddy,” Jeff said as he brushed his knuckles across his son’s head. “You too, Mom.” He walked to her and gave her a slight hug and a distracted kiss on her cheek.

  She pulled back. “Just remember. This too shall pass.”

  “Sooner rather than later, I hope,” Jeff told his mother.

  It didn’t take long to get to his former home with Katie and Cookie, even if he hadn’t set the roads on fire trying to get there. He parked his car in his old driveway and took a deep breath.

  Tap-dance time. Good thing that when it came to Katie he kept his dancing shoes on all the time.

  He bounded up the stairs to the porch and remembered at the last moment he had to knock or ring the bell.

  Ah, the world according to Katie. He leaned on the button. Finally she pulled the door open. “You shouldn’t have made so much noise. Cookie’s sick and it disturbs her.”

  He stepped into the house. “Cookie’s sick?”

  Yes, and the Kardashians were shy.

  “She’s gotten so upset about meeting Beth’s son that she’s throwing up. I don’t think she should go.”

  Oh, Katie, you never disappoint. “I’ll go talk to her.”

  Katie stood there, tapping the toe of one beige patent leather pump, which was the exact same color of her pants, top and jacket. “Don’t badger her. She’s sick. I won’t have you harassing her.”

  “Katie.” He rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead. “Back off. I’m her father. I love her. I won’t hurt her, and if you think I would, you’re living in another universe.” He closed his eyes. He just couldn’t believe her. “I’m going to see my daughter and I’m going to take her to my mother’s. My mother has a toilet or two she can puke in.”