Wolf looked at his watch. “Hi Sarah. How are you?”
She looked down, and then she ducked her head back in, talking to someone behind the door.
“Hey, is that Jack?” Wolf craned his head.
She leaned back and turned sideways. “Uh, no. Jack! Your dad’s here!”
He heard the faint yell reply from somewhere in the interior.
“Who is that? Are you parents here?”
“No, they went to Aspen for the week.”
“Okay.”
A man came up from behind Sarah, hand on the small of her back. She looked down and stepped out of the way. He was dressed in sweat pants and a tee-shirt.
“Heya, how you doing? My name is Mark.” He extended a hand over Sarah. He was taller than Wolf, and Wolf had his work boots on “Mark Wilson.”
“Hey.” Wolf shook his hand.
“Dad!” Jack burst out of the door.
The guy stepped aside and ducked back in the door, giving them a respectful distance to talk. Wolf watched as he persuaded Sarah to shut the door to leave them alone.
Wolf gave him a hug and ruffled his hair. “Hey bud. What’s happening?”
“Not much.” He stayed latched tight to Wolf. “Just watching toons and having breakfast.”
“Cool. Hey I’ve gotta leave town for a little bit, so…”
“Where? Where you going?”
“Uh, I’m actually going to Italy.”
“What? Are you serious? Are you going to see Uncle John?”
“Yeah, I am buddy.”
“Tell him he needs to call me. When is he coming back?”
“Listen, buddy. We’ll…we’ll talk more when I get back. I think I’ll be gone a week. But listen, I want you to spend a lot of time at Brian’s when I’m gone, okay?”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Okay. I always spend a lot of time at Brian’s.”
Wolf laughed. “Yeah, I know. Just keep it up. Nater will take care of anything you need when I’m gone.”
“And Mom is back too! So, I’ll be fine! Don’t worry Dad.”
He looked at him again and gave him another hug. Shit.
“Listen, buddy. John’s not doing…”
Jack looked at him with big excited eyes. He just didn’t have the heart to tell him what was going on. But he had no choice. It had to come from him. Right now. Otherwise he would know from some other person in town before the morning was through. It’s just how it worked in Rocky Points.
“John died this weekend buddy.”
Jack’s face fell instantly, still looking wide eyed at his dad. “Sorry buddy. I have to go take care of him and bring him back home this week. That’s where I’m going. Okay?”Jack hugged him tight and started crying. Wolf hugged him back.
Jack began shaking softly in his arms.
“I know buddy.” It was all Wolf could think to say. “I know.” They hugged and cried for a full minute, Wolf letting the emotional flood gates go. He finally pushed Jack back and knelt down. “Alright man. Be good. Go back inside. Tell your Mom I need to speak to her again real quick, alright?” Jack wiped his eyes and stared at the ground. Wolf pulled his chin up. “Hey buddy, I love you. You know that, right?”
He nodded.
“All right man. I’ll see you soon okay? Don’t forget what I said about hanging out at Brian’s. Nater will be looking out this week.”
“All right. I will Dad. I get it.”
He did get it. Wolf wished to God he didn’t need to.
Sarah opened the door again. She looked at Jack wiping his tears and shot a questioning look at Wolf, which turned quickly to an accusing one.
“Bye Dad.” Jack turned and walked inside.
Wolf stood up. “So, how are you doing, Sarah?” It was a weighted question and they both knew it.
“Fine, David. I’m doing just fine.” She said sincerely, crossing her arms and looking back toward Jack. “What was that all about?”
“I have to go out of town. I’ll be gone all week, all right?”
She shrugged her shoulders and looked down.
Wolf saw a shadow in the door window. “Hey Mark, come here for a second?”
Sarah narrowed her eyes at him.
Mark stepped around Sarah out onto the front porch.
“Can I talk to you for just a second?”
“Of course, David. Of course.” Mark nodded his head to Sarah, who stepped in and closed the door quietly.
Wolf turned and walked a ways down the massive front deck, and the guy followed next to him. He placed his hands on the railing and looked out into the brightening pines.
“What do you do Mark?”
“I’m a builder. Custom homes,” he said rubbing his hands together. It was starting to get cold during the nights and it was a frosty late summer morning.
“And, do you know what I do?”
“Yep. You’re on the police force. Up for appointment to Sheriff from what I hear.”
“And you’re shacking up with my ex-wife, who’s three days fresh out of rehab, at her parents house, where my son happens to live.”
Mark exhaled uncomfortably and scratched his head.
Wolf looked at him in silence.
“Yeah, I guess that’s exactly what is going on,” he said. “Look, I met Sarah in rehab. I’m…I wasn’t in the rehab myself. Well, not this time around. I…I was before. I’m an addict. Now I’m clean, and I spend a lot of time helping out at the center as a counselor. Sarah and I met, and we’ve become very close.”
“Okay, whatever. I don’t want to know the love story. That’s none of my business. But I’ll be checking out your story, you can bet on that. That’s my business. Because my son is everything to me, and, well, here you are.”
Mark held up his hands in a defenseless gesture, “Hey man, I’m not here to interfere in any way with your relationship with your son, or…anything like that.”
Wolf gave him a sideways glance, “No, Mark, I’m not worried about that. It’s much simpler,” he said looking him in the eye. “If you touch my son, I’ll take you into the hills, kill you, and dump your body in a mine.”
“Ah. Okay.” He chuckled and looked up into the trees.
Wolf stared at him unmoving, waiting patiently for the semblance of a grin to wither to nothing from the man’s face. He didn’t like how long it took.
“Alright then. Just so we’re clear.” Wolf turned and walked away.
Nate Watson’s Watson Geological Services pickup sat in his house driveway; half the windshield locked in frost, the other half dried by the bright morning sun. Wolf pulled in directly behind and got out. He didn’t bother calling before visiting. He knew he would be home, and
Wolf stepped onto the front porch and looked through the windows. Nate looked up wide-eyed, did a double take at the site of Wolf, and gave him a beckoning hand wave.
“Hey! What’s going on? How’s it going?” Nate was cooking what seemed to be an ungodly amount of food on a skillet in the kitchen, which smelled like bacon and fresh ground coffee. Wolf’s mouth immediately began watering. “Perfect timing! The skillets almost done, there’s plenty for you too!”
“Hey man. Uh, cool. I wasn’t fishing for a free breakfast or anything. I just need to talk. But, I’ll take it.”
“Pffffft, sit down. HONEY! KIDS! Breakfast is ready!”
A small boy darted into the kitchen almost running into Wolf’s legs.
“Hey Willy! How you doin’?”
“Good. Hi Dave,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to mooch your food and talk to your dad.”
“Hey Davey.” Brooke entered the kitchen and squeezed his arm. “What’s up?”
“Not much. Hey.” Wolf gave her a hug.
A two kid hurricane blew into the kitchen straight into them.
“Kids! Chill out!” Brooke stumbled sideways.
“Hey Dave!”
“Hey Dave!”
“Hey Joey, hey Brian.”
They sat down at the large kitchen table and dug into their plates. Wolf put on an act of normalcy the best he could. He always enjoyed spending time with their family, but as always, it was also a painful reminder of the alternate reality he was so close to having, but didn’t.
“What’s up Dave?” Brooke studied him. “I hear Sarah’s back?”