His Heart

Chapter twenty-one: Charlie

"Papá, I'm going out with Kelsi." Maddie told me.

"Now?" I asked, looking up from the game of Frustration I was playing with Leo.

"Yeah."

"How long for?" I asked, glancing at the clock. "You have school tomorrow."

"Only for a couple of hours." She promised. "I'll probably be back before Leo goes to bed."

I nodded.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"We'll probably go into town for a bit and have a look around the shops." She said.

I looked at the clock.

"Are the shops still open at four?" I frowned. "It'll take you about a half hour to get there."

"For a little bit. We were thinking we would just meet for a bit and maybe go for a walk." She said.

I hesitated.

"I have my phone with me and I'll be back before it gets really dark." She wheedled. "And Kelsi will be there. You trust Kelsi."

I did. She was a sweet kid.

"You'll be home by eight?" I asked.

"If I'm not, then I'll call you." She wrapped her finger around mine and I kissed it.

"Will you be eating out, or do you want me to save you some dinner?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. We'll probably eat out."

"OK. Message me if you need a lift home." I told her. "And be careful."

She nodded. "Thank you, Papá."

She knelt down to kiss me on the cheek, kissed Leo's cheek and left the house with a chirpy goodbye.

"Papá, it's your turn." Leo said, looking at me with his big brown eyes.

I moved a piece on the board, the back of my mind already worrying about my oldest. Would there ever be a time when I stopped worrying about my kids? Did you ever stop being a parent even when they moved away?

~*~

I handed Leo a plate and watched him tuck into his spaghetti with delight, I picked at my dinner, missing my oldest.

In four years she would be off to university. The thought almost startled me and I looked at Leo, reassuring myself that I would still have at least one kid who relied on me.

That's what happens, amor. Jasmine told me. Kids grow up. It's beautiful but it is scary.

"Do you want to watch a movie after this?" I asked Leo.

He nodded and I stroked his hair. Wondering if there was a way to freeze time so they never got any older.

He finished his dinner and ran into the living room whilst I nibbled at my pasta and stared at the dirty pots piled on the counter. I would clean them up once Leo was in bed.

My phone buzzed and I looked down at Sebastian's name.

"Hey." I said.

"Hey. How're my kids?" He asked.

My kids. But there was no point in having that argument.

"They're fine, thank you." I said. "You alright?"

"Yeah, so anyway, I've got news. You and I are going to go on a double date on Saturday." He said.

"I already have a date on Friday."