My Mom & My Dad

Chapter 17: The Glades

Stephen:

I opened the door and peered into my dad's bedroom. The empty bed with the sheets all made up told me that he was already up and about, but I couldn't see where he was from my vantage point, so I went inside and shut the door. The sliding doors that separated the room from a small balcony were open, and beyond the light beige translucent curtains, I could see my dad's frame. He was sitting on his outdoor reclining chair, holding his phone. I sat down on the bed and decided not to let him know yet that I was there.

I could hear the sounds of the keys he pressed on his phone, so I knew he put it on speaker mode. He put the phone down on the glass-top table right beside him. Someone picked up after several rings.

"Hi!" Dad greeted.

"Oliver, it's the day before Christmas," the voice said. I could immediately tell it was Felicity. I smiled. "I thought Thea had cleared it through HRD that consultants didn't have to work day before Christmas," she said. Felicity sounded weird. Her words were carefully chosen to sound civil and professional, but the tone of her voice betrayed a tinge of longing.

"I'm not calling about work, Felicity," my dad replied.

"Well... in that case... I think it's better that we... that we not have this conversation," she said, sounding downcast and detached.

"Wait! Don't hang up just yet," my dad said.

"We've talked about this, Oliver. Talking like this won't help us move on, and--"

Dad straightened up and didn't let her finish. "I just came back last night from Central City. Felicity, I found Sandra and Connor. They're good."

"Oh...," was all Felicity could say. I couldn't tell from the sound of her voice whether she was happy about the news or not. My dad waited for her to say more, but she said nothing else. The suspense was killing me. I wanted to know the rest of Dad's story, and I also wanted to know how she would respond.

"Felicity?"

"Yeah, I'm still here," she said softly.

"Can I come see you?" Dad asked.

"Huh?"

It seemed to me that Felicity must have been in a daze. She sounded like she didn't have a clue how she should react to my dad's news. Was she pleased that my dad found the Hawkes? Was she anxious? Was she nervous and excited? I couldn't tell for sure.

"May I come see you today?  You know, so... I can tell you all about it?" Dad asked again.

"Today?"

"Yes, today. Is that okay?"

"But today is Stephen's birthday. Don't you have something special planned?"

Dad grinned. I grinned. She remembered my birthday! And we had only talked about it once.

"Well, yes, it is Stephen's birthday today, but we didn't have anything special planned."

"No Christmas Eve dinner at the Queen mansion?"

"No, not this year. Mom and I haven't really been talking much since... you know," Dad's voice showed a hint of sadness and regret.

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that."

A few seconds went by without either of them saying anything. I held my breath, but I was very pleased with what I heard her say next.

"Then... why don't you come over and bring him with you... tonight... for dinner?" Felicity said, her voice slightly becoming more relaxed and less formal. "We can talk afterwards while the kids watch TV or something."