“Yeah.”
“Go say hello,” she urged.
“No. He’s better off without the drama,” George said, shaking his head.
They kept walking, but the image of Danny stayed with him. He realized he wanted to be in the boy’s life, even if it was from a distance.
More time passed. George and Martha were a team now. She appreciated his quiet strength; he appreciated her warmth. One evening over dinner, Martha said,
“You know, George, life gives us second chances. Maybe it’s time to reach out to Mike?”
George’s face clouded over.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Try. For your own sake, if not his.”
George thought about it. He wanted to believe things could change, but the memory of Sarah’s cold eyes and Mike’s silence was a heavy barrier. Martha didn’t push him, but she let the idea sit.
A few weeks later, George was still hesitating. He’d stop by the school sometimes, staying out of sight just to see Danny. The fear of being rejected again kept him in the shadows.
One afternoon, Danny spotted him. The boy froze, then turned and ran back to the other kids. George looked away, feeling a sharp pang of regret.
“Why didn’t you talk to him?” Martha asked that night.
“I can’t. It’s not right. They threw me out; I shouldn’t force my way back in.”
“Do you really believe that? Or is that just your fear talking?” she challenged gently.
She was right. The next morning, George sat at the kitchen table for a long time. The autumn leaves were turning gold outside. He finally pulled out his old flip phone and dialed Mike’s number. It rang for what felt like an hour.
“Hello?” Mike’s voice sounded tired.
“Mike. It’s Dad.”
“Dad? Where are you?” Mike sounded surprised, but not angry.
“I’m safe. I just wanted to check in. How are you? How’s Danny?”
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