“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this,” I announced to my wife as I threw some clean shirts into a duffel bag. “I actually let them talk me into something as stupid as this.”
“I think it will be good for you,” Clare said. I hated waking her up in the middle of the night but I knew I couldn’t just take off and leave here there with some note saying that I had gone off in a broken down Volkswagen to the other side of the country with my brothers. I was also kind of hoping that she’d talk me out of it but she wasn’t. She was actually OK with it. More than OK, she LIKED the idea of me, Isaac, and Zac alone on the road together. She said it would be a great experience after the week of hell I had just been through. I guess I had to agree with her on that point. Anything was better then nothing doing... anything.
“You’re not worried?”
“Why would I be worried?” Clare asked handing me a few pairs of clean underwear from my bureau. She slid her arms around me. “I love you Taylor and I trust that you three will behave yourselves.” I laughed at the thought. “I will miss you though so you better call me from time to time!”
“I will!” I promised. I kissed her nose and bent down to zip the duffel bag. I picked it up and threw it over my shoulder.
“I’m going to go make you a quick treat for the road.” Clare patted my backside. “Go say good-bye to your babies.”
I entered Zoë’s room very quietly, placed my duffel next to her bed and knelt down. “Zoë?” I said in a soft voice. “Zoë, it’s Daddy.” I smoothed back her hair and she opened her eyes.
“Hi Daddy!” Her eyes lit up when she saw my face.
“Zoë, listen I’ve got to go for a few days...”
“Where Daddy? Where are you going?”
“Well Uncle Zac and Uncle Isaac asked me to go on vacation with them.”
“But it’s not summer, Silly!”
I chuckled to myself. “Yes, Zoë, I know it’s not summer. I’ll be back in a week so I want you to help out Mommy and be the good girl that you always are. Can you do that for me?”
“Of course I can.”
“That’s my princess!” I praised. I kissed her forehead. “I will see you in a few days.”
She sat up and grabbed my neck, hugging me tightly for a few minutes. “I love you, Daddy.”
I rubbed her back. “I love you too, Zoë.”
“You will come back, won’t you?”
“Of course I will!” I said. I tried to contain the shock in my voice. How can she think I was leaving her for good? That was preposterous. “Zoë, I would never leave you. Never ever. I don’t know why you think I would but when I get home you and I are going to have a talk about that.”
“OK, Daddy.” She didn’t loosen the grip on my neck.
“Zoë, I’ve really got to leave now.” She shook her head. “Zoë.” I pried her hands off from around my neck and stood up. “I will call you every day. Remember, help out
Mommy with the baby, all right?”
“Good-bye, Daddy. See you in a few days.”
“I love you Zoë.”
I closed the door tightly behind me and walked into Anya’s room. I knew I couldn’t wake her so I leaned over and kissed the back of her small head. She sighed in her sleep. “I’ll be back Anya, don’t grow too much in a week. I love you, princess.”
I tossed the duffel over my shoulder and made my way to the kitchen where Clare was fixing up a thermos of coffee for me.
When she handed it to me I brought up what Zoë had asked me about me coming back.
“Why does she think I might never come back?” I asked my wife.
Clare shook her head. “Taylor, when you were in the hospital kids at school started to tell her things, horrible things that kids say.”
“Like what?” I pried.
“Taylor, can we talk about this when you get home?”
“Clare, I don’t want Zoë to think this way. It’s upsetting to her, and to me! What did they say to her?”
“One child told Zoë that her father had a heart problem, went into the hospital and never came back. Another one said that you were going to die and Zoë would never see you again. Zoë’s teacher called me and I came and took Zoë in to see you. I asked her to please not mention what the kids said because I didn’t want to worry you even more, Taylor. Please honey just go out with your brothers and don’t think about it. Please.”
“How can I not?” I asked. “Some kids tell my daughter that I am never come back and now she’s worried that I will never come home after this trip. Clare, how can I go if she feels this way?”
“Taylor, trust me, just go. I will deal with Zoë. You deal with... Zac.”
I shuddered. “I’d rather deal with a poisoned octopus or a crate of piranhas.”
Clare smiled and started laughing. I joined in and soon we were both hysterical and loud.
A horn beeped outside. My brothers getting anxious to leave.
“You leave,” Clare instructed. She thrust the thermos at me. “Get out. Now.”
“I love you, too!” I joked as she chased me towards the door. I opened the front door and kissed her in the doorway.
“Call me,” she begged.
“I will! I promise!” I called out as I quickly walked off the porch and down the stairs. “I love you Mrs. Hanson!” I yelled, opening the door of the car. I blew a kiss at my pregnant wife on the top of the porch.
“I love you, too, Mr. Hanson!” She called back.
I jumped into the back off Zac’s car and we were on our way across country for Zac’s last trip while being a single man.