Two Rings, One Heart. Martha Mason

along,” she ordered.

      He frowned at the last one. “What do you mean, no one goes along?”

      “I don’t want girlfriends or ‘ol’ buddies’ or whatever going along. If you can’t spend time with the children alone, then don’t bother,” she said emphatically.

      “No problem,” he responded seriously. Then his tone softened. “Could I ask one favor?” Megan waited without responding; she wasn’t going to give him any help. Mitchell took a deep breath. “Would you give me a little help with Jessica?”

      Megan rubbed her temples, considering his request. Jess was ready to reject him and forget it. Megan almost welcomed the idea. She knew it wasn’t right to turn Jess against her father. She’d never done it before. Was she going to start now? She looked across the table at Mitch. “All right, but don’t expect too much from her.” She sighed.

      “I understand. Could I possibly take the kids out this weekend?” he asked.

      “I’ll have to think about it. Call me on Saturday,” she said, and stood up. The meeting was over.

      Mitchell followed her to the door and stopped. “You’ve been more generous than I deserve. Thank you,” he said gratefully.

      “Don’t disappoint my children!” she warned, holding the screen door open.

      Megan immediately closed the door and leaned against it. Why did his visits rattle her so? And how was she going to be able to let him see her kids?

      She was the one who had always been there for them. The one who had spent sleepless nights taking care of them. The one who was there for the plays and programs, who bandaged the cuts and scrapes. The one with them when they were sad or lonely or scared or just out of sorts. The one who helped them with their homework, buried their pets, and saw them through disappointments. Now, ten years later, Mitchell wanted to reappear and be their daddy. Where was he when they needed him? Where was he when she needed him?

      Unsettled after Mitchell’s visit, Megan needed to get out of the house. She wandered down the road to the river. On her way, she had visions of Zack and Jess, at earlier ages, scampering ahead of her. They had traveled this way together often.

      It was wonderful watching her children romp and play as they were growing up. In the winter they would sleigh ride on the hills and build snowmen. In the spring they would pick wild flowers and watch the land come to life. In the summer they would swim in the river and go fishing. In the fall they would climb the foothills into the mountains and camp out once in a while.

      Megan sat down on the riverbank. She would never forget those times, but it would never be like that again. In a couple of years, Zack would be leaving for college. Jess was already getting involved in school and spending time with her friends. Now they’d be fitting “daddy” in their time, too. She imagined herself last on the list—lonely and forgotten.

      Megan felt tears as she thought of what the future might hold. Why did he have to come back? Why, God? We’ve made it this far without him. Why is he back?

      Megan looked around at her farm. Why did Mitchell make her feel so insecure? She had two wonderful children and a successful business. She had no right to complain. She could kick herself for giving in to self-pity.

      Her thoughts turned to Mitchell. Visions of homeless men, drunks staggering around in a stupor, living in alleys and digging through Dumpsters for food, flashed through her mind. She shuddered.

      Over the years, she had wondered how Mitchell looked. Now she knew. The straight nose was somewhat crooked. The unruly hair hadn’t changed much. The strong jaw seemed as determined as ever. The eyes were where she saw a change. They were no longer blank and empty, but peaceful—yet sad. He used to be unable to look her in the eye. Now he stared without flinching. That flustered her and put her on the defensive.

      She thought back over her conversation with him. If she’d told him he could only see the children for five minutes once a year, he probably would have accepted. It made her so sad to think of the scraps he’d settle for, when he could have had it all.

      All the land before her eyes could have been theirs. I’ll never understand how he just gave up his family. I’m tired of being haunted by regrets and guilt. I was the best wife I knew how to be. If that wasn’t enough, I’m sorry.

      Early Saturday morning the phone rang. Megan let it ring a few times before answering it, afraid it was Mitchell.

      “What did you decide?” he asked as soon as he heard her voice.

      “You can pick them up at one today and take them out for a couple of hours,” she said reluctantly. “We’ll see how it goes. Where do you plan to take them?”

      “To play putt-putt golf, or we’ll go roller skating if that suits you,” he said eagerly.

      “Either is fine. Things better go right,” she warned and hung up.

      When she told the kids, Zack was ready to go. Jess was infuriated. “I don’t want to go out with him! I don’t know him. I won’t go!” she insisted and started to stomp out.

      “Both of you will go out with your father this afternoon,” Megan said firmly.

      “Mom!” Jess pleaded. “I don’t want to go.”

      “Jess, he’s your father. You should at least give him a chance,” she reasoned.

      “Why? He never bothered to notice I was alive. He’s not my father. He’s just some guy that showed up the other night that I don’t know!” Jess shouted.

      Megan stared at her calmly. She had expected this. “This will give you a chance to get to know him. He’s picking both of you up at one. Be ready.”

      “Thanks a lot, Mom!” Jess shouted and ran to her room.

      “Well, that went better than I expected,” Zack commented sarcastically.

      Megan flashed him an unsteady smile. He had always been the easy child. Jessica had fought from the day she was born. She never went along with the plan. Megan had learned simply to put her foot down and to end the discussion.

      This time, Jess was right. Her father was a stranger. Megan had given Mitchell her word to give Jess a little push in his direction. If this visit didn’t go well, she would push no more.

      Megan left Jess in her room, sulking, and went to work feeling guilty.

      At twelve o’clock she locked the shop and walked home with Zack. He was also feeling unsettled. “Mom, nothing will ever come between us. But sometimes…I need Dad.” He almost sounded as though he was apologizing.

      “I told him I would let him see you, but if anything isn’t right, I expect you to tell me. If anything happens that shouldn’t, I’ll come and get you,” she said firmly.

      “Mom, nothing will happen,” he assured her.

      “Zack, the last time you saw your father, you were a little boy. He wasn’t like he seemed to you. He had problems, big problems. He may still have them. If he does, I don’t want either one of you with him. Do you understand?”

      Zack nodded, but she could tell he was itching to argue on his father’s behalf.

      Just before one, Megan went to see if Jess was ready. She felt like she was pushing her daughter into the lion’s den, but she found Jess sitting on her bed, waiting patiently, with her frilliest dress on. Megan reconsidered. Maybe it was Mitchell she should be feeling sorry for.

      It was exactly one when Mitchell pulled in the driveway. Megan watched from the door as Zack and Jess climbed into the strange car. It drove away. But somewhere in her heart, she knew they would be back by three safe and sound.

      Actually, they were back five minutes early. Mitchell evidently wasn’t taking any chances on getting on Megan’s wrong side again.

      Jess came flying in the door