Free The Reunion by Dan Walsh

knew Jake had some good talks with a few people already; a couple with his grandmother and one with the youth pastor at church. Those talks seemed to do Jake some good. Dave had expected him to be mad at God for taking his mom. If he was, Dave couldn’t see any sign of it. “How you doing today?” he asked as they navigated the path through the woods toward the creek.
    “Okay, I guess. I still feel numb mostly.”
    “I know what you mean.”
    “You feel that way?” Jake asked.
    “Mostly, yeah,” Dave said. “It doesn’t seem real.”
    “Will it ever?”
    He put his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “I think so, Jake. It’ll take some time, I guess.” But he didn’t know. How could he? His father had died, but he was too young to even remember. He’d never lost anyone close to him before.
    When they got to the spot, they sat down on the same flat rocks they’d always sat on when they fished. The water flowed around and over the rocks as strong as it always had. The same trees stood along the banks where they had always stood.
    Everything was familiar, and nothing was.
    “Can I ask you something, Dad?” Jake was looking down at the water.
    “Sure, Jake, anything.”
    “It’s kind of personal.”
    Dave sighed. He had wanted this, to get personal. But he was afraid at the same time. “That’s all right.”
    Jake looked up. “You seem to be crying since Mom died, almost as much as me.”
    “I guess that’s true.”
    “Can I ask you why? I mean, I know why I’m crying. But you and Mom, you’ve been divorced a long time.”
    “We have, but you know we got along pretty good. All the years since.”
    “I know, but . . . did you still love her?”
    Dave couldn’t help it. Tears filled his eyes.
    “See, you’re doing it again.”
    “I know. You’re right.” Dave let out a sigh, hoping it might give him some control. “I did still love her. But not the way I should have. You did. You were a great son. And she loved you so much.” Tears escaped down his cheeks. “But see, I wasn’t a great husband. No . . . I was a lousy husband. I should have never left your mom.”
    “Is that what happened? She said it was mutual, that you both had just grown apart.”
    “She was being nice. We did grow apart, but it wasn’t her fault. I let this stupid job take over my life.” He picked up a stone and threw it hard at the water.
    “Which job?”
    “All of them, really. I just wanted to make it in the big leagues, become the best reporter working at the best paper making the most money. But your mom, she didn’t want that. She just wanted to live here. Raise you here, have a few more kids here. She got tired of moving every few years, and me never being home.”
    “She still loved you, you know?” Jake wiped the tears with his sleeve. “She never even dated anyone else all those years.”
    Dave lost it then. He had never dated anyone else, either. Not seriously. It never felt right. He always thought he and Anne would get back together somehow, and he wanted to be able to say he’d always stayed true to their vows. But here he’d wasted all those years they could have had together. He just hung his head and sobbed.
    After a few minutes, he felt Jake’s arms around him. Jake was crying quietly, resting on his back. When Dave got control of himself, he wiped his tears and looked up. “Jake, I want you to know something. I am so sorry I left you and your mom. It wasn’t her fault. It was all mine. I can’t do anything to get her back, but if you’ll let me, I’ll try to be the best dad to you I can be. For all the years we have left.”
    A pinging sound interrupted Dave’s thoughts, then a male voice came over the plane’s intercom. “We’ve reached our cruising altitude. Feel free to use any approved electronic devices. The captain has turned off the seat belt sign, so you can move about the cabin if you’d like. But please keep them fastened while in your seats, in case we run into any