Wednesday, September 23, 2009

long talks and phone calls

What if they did have the same blood type? It didn't mean a thing. These were the things that kept Lon up at night, and the fact a good bit of his clothes were missing. Not Charlie.

Charlie was great. Lon just had to remember this was temporary. Wasn't it? Was it?

Lon wasn't sure how Ellie felt about him now. There was a part of him that felt alienated from her. Things weren't the same. It was more than just a baby in the house. He could see it in her eyes that she didn't think this was the right thing. Maybe she was right. Maybe he was wrong. He just wasn't sure how to fix it. There was no way to handle it without getting into it with his father.

Lon sensed that his Dad felt he'd nipped this somehow. This was something he didn't have to bother with. Kind of like him. He never really had to bother with him either until his Mom had had enough.

Somehow he felt as if he was on the outside looking in. It was troubling. And he couldn't exactly explain it to Ellie.

"What if I talk to my step-mom about Charlie?" Lon brought up the idea. "I really think my dad should be the last to know."

"Lonnie is the only one who needs to know," Ellie said on one of their very long and sleepless nights when Lon wondered where all his khakis had gone.

"OK, you're right." Lon nodded but wasn't grabbing the phone at two in the morning to call him. He wanted to make this right.

When he called Lonnie the next morning, Somebody else had great news too.

"You must have read my mind," Lonnie said. "Guess what?"

Lon really wasn't in the mood to be guessing. "I dunno, you won the Lottery?"

"No, but guess who's gonna be a Daddy?" Lonnie sounded as if he was smiling from ear to ear. Lon felt his stomach turn, and he thought he might have to call in sick.

"Is that so?"

Naturally, Ellie had her arms crossed standing there in the kitchen while he was on his cell.

"Congratulations," Lon managed to say. "Uh, well, I got some news of my own. Sarah's mother called me not long ago and said she wanted me to take Charlie. Seems Sarah can't take care of him right now."

"Really?" Now Lonnie sounded serious. "What did she do?"

"Drugs, that kind of thing." Lon sighed.

"Man, that's awful, so how's Charlie?"

"He's great. Really, he is. I'd bring him down to see you if you want?" Lon told him.

"I dunno," Lonnie said. "I wish you could, but with classes and now Steph's having a baby and a wedding. Maybe you could come for Christmas and be here for our wedding."

"Maybe." He nodded thinking this much would be getting in the way about Charlie. "Look, you tell Ellie everything, and she'll tell you all about Charlie. She might even e-mail you pictures."

Lon handed over the phone to Ellie then. No way, did he want her to think he was a liar. Anyway, he hoped he could find a clean T-shirt to wear. This one was dirty.

6 comments:

  1. hello... just doing my daily rounds... just to let you know, i will be less active, because I already have classes again. but i will still open my blog everyday, and maybe see your updates, but leaving a note will be lessened.

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  2. I feel bad for Lon, but I'm glad he's there for Charlie.

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  3. I think its a hard situation, but I think they'll both do the right thing.

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  4. They need to have lots of communication. Easier said than done. And shere are his clothes going?

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  5. Sounds like things could get complicated.

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