There will always be Happiness in our History

 "How are you really doing?" Sky's smile was his father's smile. Bill's smile. 

Really, Doris couldn't hold the tears back when she saw Sky at the door and he had his son Hunter with him.

She must have cried all over his shirt. Honestly, he was much better looking than Bill ever was. Yes, he was here. And Doris didn't mean to fall apart.

"I know, it's been a while, but you know, I moved to Chicago to be closer to Mom," Sky said. The five-year-old tugging his arm looked at both of them as if he wanted to do something on his own.

"I know," she hugged Sky as if she would always be sort of like a grandmother to him. After all, he'd called Bill, Gramps most of his life. 

Bill was a crazy fool, she thought now, wishing she could hate him more than she loved him. But in the end, he didn't know her anyway. And it had been a cold harsh reality to get used to, but now it was a warm feeling having Sky back.

"How is she doing?" Doris would ask about Sky's mother. She would let him talk while she went to get cold drinks. He filled her in about his mom and her new husband. 

Doris brought Hunter a juice box and some cookies. There was a box of toys in the corner of the livingroom that the grandkids played with when they visited, but she didn't know if he'd be interested.

"You're looking great," Sky told her as they sat down at the cozy little dining table. The sun shined brightly in, almost too much for Doris to take. She straightened the light curtains as if they needed more shade.

"Am I?" She smiled back and held on to his hand. She knew he wanted to say why he couldn't make it to the funeral, but she didn't let him. She wanted to know if he liked Chicago.

"Well, it's not like I live in the heart of the city, you know." He was back to doing body work on cars. It seemed to be paying the bills. And Hunter looked happy. Sky was seeing someone now. But they were only going out on weekends, occasionally. Doris nodded. This seemed to be the M.O. with all of Bill's boys. Maybe it would all fall into place like it should be.

"You know, if..if you ever want to come to Chicago, Mom would be happy to see you." Sky said she worked at the local police station as a secretary.

"Oh, she sounds busy," Doris kept smiling. She wouldn't let herself think of troubles from the past. Yes, Bill had told her once upon a time that Sky's mother was his daughter and he had to help her out because she was a single mother. If only Doris had left him back then, but she didn't. 

And it was OK now. She liked where she was in her life. 

"Maybe I'll come in the fall," Doris decided. About then Lily came in from her afternoon job.

"Lily, don't you remember Uncle Sky?" Doris looked to her.

Lily looked surprised.

"Man, I haven't seen you in ages," Sky said.