Filed To Story: The Lingering Kiss of Farewell Novel
She was also interacting with his mother without issue, they were chatting about that new house of hers, and sometimes the boys ran off to tell their grandma of the things they were going to get to do up at the lake. They liked having a house up there, and he wondered if she was planning on moving there permanently. At times, it did seem like that, with the way she phrased things.
He’d also not seen her bodyguards anywhere but learned that, yes, she still had them. They were just setting up security at that house. He couldn’t stop the frown and wanted to tell her he wasn’t a threat. But he also knew she had no reason to believe it. Even though the restraining order was officially over, and she was here, inside her were still concerns over his past behaviour. He didn’t even know how to resolve that, only with time he thought.
He tried to get her to interact with him, to no avail, though she interacted with his entire family without issue, and she was more than happy for the boys to grab on to him or pull him here or there. Spending time with him, Dane and Marty, his sister’s husbands offered to cook a barbecue for dinner, and even headed out and got meat and rolls, salad stuff
He found that although he wanted to spend time with her, it was damned near impossible. Every time he tried to engage Marilyn in conversation, his mother would just slip an arm through hers and walk her away with some excuse, of wanting to spend time with her. He was nearly ready to pull his own hair out at one point.
It was almost as if his family were running defence around her, so he couldn’t get near her. Then those fou women were just strolling off up to the clifftop, and he sighed to himself and heard his father chuckle No” son, she did express to us that she wasn’t here to interact with you. But solely here to have the boys spend time with you.”
“I want to be able to spend time with her though, as well as the boys.” He stated, he was very unhappy about all the interference he was getting from his own mother and sisters. “So, they’re doing it on purpose, in other words,” he stated.
“Hmm,” his father had looked at the four of them walking off up the hill. “It is likely Calvin. You did divorce the woman.”
“I explained that.” he shot right back in an annoyed tone, and his father raised an eyebrow at him.
“I wouldn’t let her see that temper, likely end up back to square one, son.” His father shook his head. “Maybe son, your mother and sisters don’t think you deserve to have her back, after all you did.”
“I have apologised multiple times,” he muttered and ran a hand through his hair.
“Apologies don’t always fix things, Calvin, and they don’t erase memories of things done to a person, either. Maybe what you want is not what she wants. She doesn’t remember anything so… I think you should just focus on the boys and being a loving, attentive father.”
He couldn’t argue with any of that, but he wanted to learn about her, get to know her and to do that he needed to be able to spend time with her. He also wanted to see her as a mother, as well as a woman on her own. Get to know all the sides of her, as he wanted her to do with him. So, they could hopefully actually really get to know each other and come to like each other the right way, the proper way.
The boys were playing soccer with his cousins, and they were yelling for him to come and play, and he sighed as his father clapped him on the back, “Ah, now son. You know how it feels. You hated playing sports with me and your sisters, your mother even. Now you’ve got two boys that like sports.” Then he hollered to his grandchildren, “Your dad can’t kick a ball to save his life, but I can.” And he was off to play with them. His father wasn’t wrong. He hated football and soccer, didn’t really like any team sport at all, though he enjoyed snowboarding, but that was also something he could do on his own. He’d been a nerdy kid and sports had not been his forte, and that had just seen him get teased and picked on.
He’d learned to hit the gym in college, went with Wil mostly and so his build was good and solid. He enjoyed rowing and swimming laps, which kept his body in tip-top shape and his mind clear to think about work problems, because again he could do it on his own and not be bothered by anyone talking to him. He was fit and in shape, worked out three times a week and swam every other day for an hour or so. Thankfully, the pool in his apartment building was heated so it could be used all year round.
If it was warmer, he’d set up some of the pool equipment, and they could all have some fun in the water, that he was good at and didn’t mind. He strolled over to where the boys were still playing and calling out to him to come and play. It was going to be embarrassing, but both Bligh and Brighton had seen him try before.
He supposed he might as well let the boys learn now, he was not got at soccer. Maybe they could wrangle their own mother into playing, and he could help Dane and Marty when they got back. He knew his mother and sisters would play if they were asked. He’d much prefer to be standing at the barbecue cooking just watching on, or sitting on the couch with a gaming controller in his hand. That he could do with ease.
His own boys laughed at him as he struggled to get the ball from his father, and though he continued to try, it was still definitely not his thing. The game ended and both Cal and Vin looked up at him and shook their heads at him. “We lost.”
“Hmm, I’m not a sports person, computers are my thing, boys, you’re better off choosing anyone else for your team, could well be your mother is better at this than I am.”
“She is.” they both told him.
“How can you not kick a ball?” Callum asked him. He’d taken note of what they were wearing this morning to tell them apart, he’d had to have Marilyn tell him which boy was which though first. She had, and without issue, seemed to know, it was very hard to tell them apart.
“Never enjoyed it, so didn’t do it.” he stated. “Now I can snowboard and row and swim, just.” He shrugged.” Not kick a ball, don’t ask me to play basketball or baseball, either.” He shook his head at them.
They were just staring up at him now, and then they huffed and walked away with that ball, muttering about it was better to ask their mum to play with them. He couldn’t even argue with them on that one. Though he’d never seen Marilyn play sports when she’d been Marrin, it hadn’t been her thing either, as far as he knew
They were also quick to tell her he couldn’t play soccer, when she came back from her walk with his mother and sisters, and she looked at him for a moment and then just stated, “Now boys, you know not everyone can play sport. Don’t take it to heart, and maybe you’ll be able to teach him in time.”
They’d both looked at him and then back to her and shaken their heads, only to have her laugh. “Well, think of it as an easy win, when you can get him to play with you. Put him on the other team and kick his backside every time.”
They’d grinned up at her and said “Yeah we will.” and run off to play with their cousins once more.
“I don’t think they need the encouragement,” he’d muttered as she sank down on a lounger.
“Hmm, I guess you’re not good at everything.” She shrugged.
“Brains over brawn,” he’d stated. “Was hoping the twins would be the same.” and are “They get good grades, but like soccer and track and field, they love to run, as you’ve probably seen. They have boundless energy, and they are in a club for that; it runs across spring. Joined it this year itching for the new season. Run from my house down the driveway and back at times just to practice.” she shook her head. “Never stop, drag me from my work at times to go walking in the woods.”
She spent the afternoon walking and talking with Calvin’s sisters and his mother. They’d taken it upon themselves to stop all interactions between him and her. She thought it was quite amusing, she’d not asked them too at all, and seeing him try and play soccer with the twins and Bligh and Brighton, along with Malcom, as they came down the hill, she shook her head.
She knew he didn’t play sports, worked out yes, but that was a different matter altogether. He did that on his own or with Wil. He wasn’t involved in any kind of team sport that she knew of. “Does he play sport?” she’d asked his family as she watched him and snorted with amusement as his own niece out maneuvered him. “Nope.” His sister Cheryl snorted, “watching him is like watching a giraffe try and walk for the first time.” “Tall and gangli, with no co-ordination whatsoever. Even now, he still can’t get the hang of it,” Veronica laughed. “He hated dad making us play sport as kids.”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.