Demon

Ron

I’m surprised to get Brenda’s text that her Dad is coming here to keep me company. That’s - unexpected. I don’t know whether he’s just being thoughtful or if he’s coming to confront me to make sure my intentions are honorable. Probably the latter. I sure wouldn’t blame him for doing that.

Well, here’s my chance to try to make amends. I hurt his little girl. Judging from my own experience with seeing Natalie get hurt a couple of times, I know that there isn’t anything I could have done much worse than that.

I’m waiting for him downstairs in the lobby when he arrives. I call out his name and wave him over.

“Hey, Frank. It’s very nice of you to come over. Thank you.”

He nods. “Sure thing. I thought we could have a bit of a bachelor party. Figured you shouldn’t be alone the night before your wedding.” He looks around the lobby. “How about we head over to the bar and get a little drink?”

“Sure, thanks,” I say, somewhat warily. I need to wait to see how this unfolds, but I’m ready to be completely open with him about everything that happened, if he asks me about it.

He leads me over to a couple of chairs around a low table. “Have a seat,” he says. “What shall I get for you?”

“Um, a beer would be great.”

He nods and steps over to the bar. “Two beers, please.”

The bartender pours them from the tap and hands them to Frank. He brings them over and sets them down on the table.

I take a sip. “Thanks.”

He nods. “So, have any wedding jitters?”

“Not at all. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” I assure him.

He thoughtfully sips his beer, then sets down his glass and wipes his lips with the back of his hand. “Brenda seems pretty sure, too.”

“I think she is. I’m so grateful.”

“I’ve got to say, Margaret and I were very surprised when she told us you two were getting remarried. After so long.”

He looks over at me. This is my opening. “I can believe that.” I take another swallow of beer, to brace myself. “Frank, I think that I owe you an explanation. And an apology.”

“All right,” he says, leaning back in his chair.

“Everything that happened was entirely my fault. I am completely to blame for our first marriage breaking up. Brenda had nothing to do with it.”

He nods slowly.

“I’m sure that you know that I had an affair.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I was weak, and selfish, and made the worst mistake of my life. I will always regret it. I have never forgiven myself for it. Somehow, miraculously, Brenda has.”

His eyebrows lift. “Well, it’s good to hear that you accept responsibility.”

“I do. All of it. I created a gigantic mess with my stupidity, and it has taken this long to try to clean it up. I am infinitely grateful to Brenda for taking me back.”

I drain my beer, and Frank gestures to the bartender with two fingers up, to order us a second round.

He waits to see what else I have to say. “I have apologized to her. Profusely. I was willing to grovel, to beg, to do anything it took. But she was so gracious.” The second glasses arrive, and the bartender takes away the empties. My mouth has gone dry, so I gulp down some more.

“I want to apologize to you, too. I know how hurt she was, and how much pain that must have caused you. I understand now, I think, as the father of a girl, how protective it makes you feel. I’m sorry for hurting your daughter.”

He nods again. “Well, I’ll accept your apology for the past, since Brenda has. I can’t say I’m not worried for the future, though.”

I deserve that. “I understand. All I can do is tell you that I never stopped loving her. Even during the affair, all I wanted was to turn back time and be with your daughter again. The affair didn’t last long, and after that I spent years longing for Brenda, but not feeling worthy to even try. But eventually, we found our way back to each other.” I feel embarrassing tears coming into my eyes, and quickly wipe them away.

He can hear the emotion in my voice, I know it.

“So, I will never make that mistake again. I am committed to spending every minute of the rest of my life making it up to Brenda, and appreciating her, and making her happy. And loving her. With every bit of my being.”

He takes a long drink. He sets down his glass, and extends his hand. “Let’s shake on it, then.”

I shake his hand, moved more deeply than I had expected.

He picks his beer back up and lifts his glass. “To marriage.”

I clink his glass. “To marriage. And to Brenda.”

Frank

I didn’t really know what to expect coming over here, but I’m glad I did. I’ve spent the last seven years fuming at Ron, indignant on my daughter’s behalf about everything that he did.

Tonight he could have tried to shift blame, or justify himself. But he didn’t. He just owned it all, and promised to do better. I’m impressed with the man. I feel better, reassured that Brenda isn’t making another mistake.

I think we’ve both had enough of the heavy talk. He asks, “So, how’s everything going at the house tonight?”

“Good,” I tell him. “The ladies made fried chicken for dinner.” I laugh. “Then Margaret and Natalie started talking about the bible, and your little girl started trying to lecture my wife about religion.”

He laughs. “Oh man. How’d that go over?”

I grin and shake my head. “About as well as you would expect, when the kid tried to tell her that not everything in the bible is completely true.”

He snorts, and that makes him choke a little on his beer. I reach over and whack him on the back. When he can talk again, he says, “Yikes! Natalie has spent a ton of time reading up on bible stories lately, and is definitely developing her own opinions about everything. And isn’t shy about sharing them.”

“That’s quite some mind on her,” I note. “She’s always seemed awfully advanced for her age. I think it’s possible, although please don’t tell Margaret I said this, that Natalie knows more about the contents of the bible than her grandmother does!”

He nods. “I wouldn’t be surprised. She absorbs knowledge like nobody I’ve ever seen. Except maybe her best friend.”

“Oh?” I think I remember seeing her with another little kid last time we visited. “Would that be the same kid we saw her with a couple of years ago?”

“Yeah, his name is Timothy. He’s even more excited about reading, and advanced academically, than Natalie is. He’s on the autism spectrum, so he’s a quirky little guy. He and Natalie have been inseparable since they were just two years old.”

“Well, sounds like you’ll have your hands full going forward. She’s going to be a real pistol as she grows up.”

“I know,” he says. “It’s going to be a journey, I can tell.”

“What about Gabe? How’s he doing?”

“Good. Growing like a weed, as you can see. He’ll be starting middle school next year. He hasn’t been involved in youth sports much before.” He looks sideways at me, ruefully. “That might be another thing I need to take blame for. With us living apart, and me just having visitation on weekends, it was too hard to figure out how to schedule it in.”

I nod.

“But, I’m thinking that he’s going to want to play soccer or baseball in the next school year. He enjoys pick up games with kids in the neighborhood when he gets the chance.”

“That’s good to hear. Sports can be so good for a boy.”

“I agree,” he says. There’s a minute of silence, then he adds, “I’m really glad you came over, Frank. Thank you again.”

“Some bachelor party, eh?” I laugh.

He grins. “The best I’ve ever had, that’s for sure!”