Page 18 of A Place to Call Home
Jack tossed his backpack onto his bed. He stood there a moment, eying it. “Do I have to unpack right now?”
“Nah. I think it can wait.”
Jack climbed onto his bed and sat there, his feet dangling over the edge. “What’s the big deal about San Francisco?” he asked quietly. “Is it super big or something?”
He wanted to know why his mom had chosen a city over a weekend with him. That was one of the hard things about being a kid: everything felt so personal.
Ada sat on the bed beside him. “I’d guess there’s something really important there that she can’t do closer to home or on another day.”
“I guess.” His gaze remained on his swinging feet.
“My parents split up when I was a kid. I lived with my mom, but I missed my dad when I wasn’t with him. I hated it when I thought I was going to get to see him but then didn’t get to.”
Jack nodded. She wouldn’t force him to talk or listen to her history. She just wanted him to know that she knew that it was hard. She knew that well.
Ada put her arm around his shoulders and hugged him. After a moment, he leaned against her. She was almost certain she heard a sniffle.
Little wonder Craig worried so much about people walking out on Jack. He hurt enough without someone adding to it.
I’m not walking out on you, sweet Jack, she silently vowed.On youoryour dad. I promise.
***
“But that means you won’t see Jack for two months.” Craig kept his tone calm, but only with a lot of effort. Carol was canceling Jack’s next three visits. She wasn’t a terrible person, and he knew she loved Jack. She just didn’t always think about their son’s feelings. Jack took the cancellations personally and carried the resulting pain around with him.
“I’ll take him to Disneyland or something before school starts,” she said.
“You hate Disneyland.” He didn’t want her making that promise to Jack and then changing her mind when she remembered how much she disliked theme parks. “Pick something you like to do. He’ll be happy just spending time with you.”
“I’ll think of something,” she said.
He eyed her doubtfully; she’d made these same promises before.
“Iwill,” she insisted. “I’m not a bad mom.”
She tended to get defensive, and pressing hard never got Craig anywhere. But he also knew he had to say something.
“I didn’t say you were a bad mom.”
“You said it with your face.” She took an audible and visible breath. Months of counseling during and after the divorce had gotten them to the point where they could keep their tempers intact for Jack’s sake. They hadn’t been very good at it at first. “I’ll think of something he and I can do together at the end of the summer. Something fun. I promise.”
He managed a smile. “Text me some pictures of you and your family while you’re visiting them. Jack would love to see them.”
“I will.” She stepped away from the door, but stopped before she’d gone more than a step. “I really am sorry about this weekend. Jack. . .” She didn’t seem to know how to finish the thought.
“Jack will be okay.” He’d make sure of it.
He closed and locked the door. Carol was about as solid as a breeze. He’d found her laid-back, carefree approach to life endearing when they were young and first dating. But her inability to see things through had become a huge problem later on. Craig was forever picking up the pieces.
He climbed the stairs to Jack’s room, not sure what he’d say to the boy. He refused to badmouth his mom.
“Maybe she just doesn’t like having me at her house.” Jack’s quiet question echoed from inside his bedroom.
“I’m sure she loves having you at her house, hon.” Ada’s voice was soft and kind. “She looked so sad when she dropped you off. She’s going to miss you this weekend. She really is.”
Craig slipped into the doorway, careful to keep silent. Ada sat on the bed beside his son, holding him in a one-armed embrace. Though Jack’s brow was still pulled with sadness and worry, he looked less burdened than he had in the doorway.
Bless you, Ada Canton.
