You Can't Hurry Love

11| 3 Weeks Later

Fred waits outside by his truck keeping an eye out for the man with tattoos. He pushes himself off the hood of the car and straightens up when he sees the familiar face come out.

"FP Jones, look at you." Fred shoots him a happy smile. "You look happy, brother. I take it went well?"

"I feel like a new man. Is that weird?"

"Not at all. I'm glad to hear that." Fred gives him a quick hug.

"I took the time to detox and it's all thanks to you."

"That's all you, FP."

"How about we go home now? There's some people I really want to see."

"Ouch," Fred feigns hurt.

"You know what I mean."

+++

Charles spent all morning looking out his window after Fred said he was on his way to pick up FP. His face lights up when he sees Fred's truck return.

"He's here!" He jumps to his feet. He grabs everything he wants to give him and runs out of the room. "He's here! Mommy! Auntie Mione! He's here! He's home!"

"Something tells me he's excited," Hermione giggles.

"You know you're psyched, too." Alice tells her.

Charles comes running down the stairs with a stack of drawings.

"Charlie, you know you can't run in the house! Especially on the stairs."

"Sorry!" He rushes to the door and yanks it open. He runs out to meet the men halfway. There he leaps into FP's arms. "FP! I missed you!"

"I've missed you, too!" FP matches his excitement.

"Look what I made you. Do you like it?" He holds up the stack for him to see.

"I feel special," FP sets him down to take the drawings. "You made these all for me?"

"Yeah, mommy said I could give them to you when you come back."

"Thank you. I love them."

Charles takes his hand to yank him towards the house. "Let's go in. I want you to see the tricks uncle Freddie helped me teach Hot Dog."

"I can't wait. Let's go find him."

"I'm here, too." Fred follows behind them.

They enter the house and Charles leads him to the women. "He liked my drawings, mommy!"

"I told you he would."

"Hey, boy, how about you go find Hot Dog and get him ready for his show? I have to talk to your mom very quickly." FP looks to Alice.

"Okay!" Charles exits the room to find his dog. "Hot Dog!" He runs into the other dog first. "Vegas, have you seen Hot Dog?"

"Adorable," FP watches in awe.

"I'll let you two talk," Hermione gives them the room to find Fred.

FP turns to Alice. She gestures for him to take a seat. It's a bit awkward on her end. The last time they spoke he asked her to leave.

"I'm assuming you're hoping to know where I went off to."

"Kind of, well if you want to. Fred wouldn't tell us."

"I shouldn't take for granted the privacy he ensures me," FP takes a mental note to thank him later. For now he has things to discuss with Alice. "That's actually something I wanted to talk to you about. You were honest with me and there's something I need to be honest with you about in return. What I tell you I hope won't affect the relationship you let me have with Charles."

Alice looks at him confused. What in the world does he have to tell her that would make her think twice about letting him be in their son's life?

"The reason I've been gone is because Fred checked me into a rehab center for alcoholics." FP nervously takes a quick glance to see if there's any judgment in her eyes. There's not, just curiosity. "I'm a recovering alcoholic and I have been trying to keep up with my sobriety, but I fell off the wagon."

"Was it because of me?" Alice needs to know.

"No, this had nothing to do with you." FP forms a small smile. "You don't have to worry about that, ever."

"Did you think it would make me think less of you?"

"You know my old man was a nasty drunk. I was afraid you would see me the way I saw him. I never want you to fear me, Al. I'd never hurt you or Charles. You know that right?"

"I could never picture you as violent, FP."

"I became someone I wasn't proud of," FP shakes his head. "I never want you to see me that way. Do you remember that one night you walked in on me in the kitchen? It started that night. That's why I wanted you to go away. I was dealing with so much mentally that I just bursted. I was a mess. I drank myself to sleep. It's a miracle I hid the fact that I was hungover the next morning. I kept drinking almost every night thereafter because I thought it was helping, but I felt so ashamed about it. There Fred was thinking I was sober when he would accompany me to AA meetings, or when he convinced me to start going to therapy. I'm embarrassed of what I've done."

"You shouldn't feel embarrassed," Alice puts her hand over his. "If anything you should feel proud for seeking professional help. It's not easy to be so vulnerable and admit to needing help."

"It's okay if you're repulsed by this side of me, or if this was what you needed to decide what you think of me. I don't deserve you or your patience."

"I care about you and that will never change."

FP takes his hand back. There's something else. "I did a lot of thinking while I was gone. Now that I'm able to stand on my own two feet I think it's time for me to officially give you all your space back."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's time to look for my own little place. Nothing spectacular, but somewhere to work on myself. I need this."

"This is your home. Don't you like it here?"

"It was only meant to be temporary. Look, I should get out of your guy's hair before you get fed up with me and all my baggage."

"We love having you here. Charles loves having you around."

"I'll still be around for him. I'm not shutting him out. This is my way of putting our son first."

"How so?"

"I will never forgive myself if I fail to stick to my sobriety, again, and it affects him," FP confesses what's been on his mind. "He deserves a dad who's stable. I'm working on that."

"Is this what you want?"

"Yes. It's the only way."

"If this is what you need then I support you one hundred percent." Alice tries to stay strong. She's gotten attached to the idea of having him around to come home to.

"...And maybe we can still think about telling him about me? Once I'm a better fatherly candidate, maybe?"

She gives him a nod. "We'll tell him when the time feels right."

"Thank you, Al. Really. It means the world to me."

"How about you go look for him? He's been practicing what he wants to show you."

FP pecks a kiss on her cheek and stands up to look for their son. He doesn't know what possessed him to do that, but it felt natural.