The Wright One

JUSTIN

My kid is just as crazy as me. I swear he has more energy than a rocket. First it was the batting cages. Then go kart racing. Laser tag. Ice cream. Pizza. And now we are at the park where he is running more. I had to take a break on this one. After my hangover this morning, I am not ready to do much more except pass out. I really pushed it today but anything to see that smile on his face.

I’m sitting on the bench beside Hannah, she is just watching Caden like I am not even there. That has kind of been her attitude all day. But we are mostly alone right now, and I have questions. “Why didn’t you tell me Hannah?”

I can tell she regrets it, but at the same time she thinks it was the best choice, her words confirm it. “We were still in high school. You had this whole future. I didn’t have all that much going for me. I wasn’t going to college. You would have been held back.”

I grunt. “Held back from what? I worked for my family company, still do. What exactly would I have been held back from?”

“You wouldn’t have gotten your degree and be opening your own accounting firm right now.” She states.

“Maybe I would have. You don’t know that. I missed eight years of his life. That’s not fair for you to take that choice away from me. You should have talked to me and given me that choice.”

She nods, starting to cry a little. “I was going to. Then I saw you with a new girlfriend and I figured that it was better that way. My dad kicked me out so I was leaving town. I actually never thought I would be back here. But after my dad died, my mom called and said that she needed me home. I didn’t know how messed up things were until I got here. But yeah, she needed me.”

I lean back. “About the job. It isn’t a pity thing. You are the best person for the job. I’m not going to let our past stand in the way of that. There is a lot about that I would like to apologize for. I know I made you feel really bad, I was an idiot. I just want to state that for the record.”

She chuckles. “Really? The great Justin Wright was wrong about something.”

I chuckle too. “Well, I can’t always be perfect.”

She laughs a little harder. “You could have fooled me.”

I catch my breath. “Look, seriously I was an ass. Can you forgive me?”

She nods. “Yeah. You are doing really great with Caden by the way.”

I look over at him and he is playing with a group of boys, he seems to be explaining some rules or something. He has them all in a huddle. “To be honest, I am still freaking out a little bit. I am so scared I am going to screw something up. But I want to be a part of his life. A big part. I don’t want to just sit on the sidelines. Hannah, I need to know what he needs. What you need. I want to take care of this.”

She sighs. “I don’t want your money.”

“I never said you did.” I have to hold back my own tears. “Look I missed so much. I know things were hard for you. You are an incredibly stubborn person and I know you never once asked for help, but I am here now, I am going to share this with you. So yeah, money is going to be a part of it, but not everything. Now, tell me Hannah.”

She sighs. “Well, money has been kind of short lately. I know this sounds really contradictory to what I just said. My dad took out a lot of debt before he died. He left it all on my mom. We are close to losing the house. I haven’t exactly told Caden that we may be moving again.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

She looks at me angry. “I didn’t ask for that. I was just letting you know that we may be moving again.”

“No, you aren’t. Unless you want your own place. He doesn’t need to be moved all around. He needs a stable home.”

She glares but nods. “I know that. Fine, but I am paying you back.”

“How about we call it past child support and call it even.” I state. I am not taking her money. “What else? School is coming up, does he have everything he needs for that?”

“We have stuff from last year that will work.”

I shake my head. “Nope. He is not going to school in last year’s stuff. I’ll take him out and get new stuff for school. Do you guys have enough food?”

“Yes we have enough food. I am not completely inept.”

I take her hand. “I am not in any way saying that you are failing here. I am just trying to help. You know how kids are. They are mean to the kids that don’t have the cool new stuff. I don’t want that to be Caden. I have the money, let me do it.”

Her hand tightens on mine. “I could never win an argument with you.” She gives me a soft smile. I miss those.

“I remember one time you did and it was the worst day of my life.” She looks up at me and we are lost for a second. All I can see is her eyes. The eyes I have missed for so long. I didn’t even realize how much I missed them.

“There you are, I was looking for you.” Some person I have no fucking clue who, a guy, says to our left.

We both blink and look over. Hannah smiles a little. “Hey, Cole.” She snatches her hand back. “It’s good to see you.”

This guy that I suddenly want to punch for no apparent reason whatsoever, sits down next to her. Only he is so damn close that he might as well be sitting on her lap. She even has to move over a little to make it so that he doesn’t. “Yeah, we wanted to get here earlier, but Brodie’s mom was being a little pain today.” He has completely ignored me. It is like I am not even here now. Wow, this fucking sucks.

I stand up. “Well, I’m going to see if my son needs any help with his game.”

I don’t look back because I really don’t want to see Hannah happy with another man. I don’t know why I feel that way, but I fucking do. Cole is not my friend.