Second Chances

Baggage

Conner smoothed down the silky fabric of the lilac dress in the pink butterfly suitcase.  "That's the last of it!", he said, closing the lid and zipping it shut.  Becky bounced up and down on her bed.  "Thanks for helping me pack, Daddy!  You're the best ever!"

Conner smiled and kissed his daughter on the forehead.  "Aw, it was nothing, sweetie.  Are you excited for your vacation with your grandma and grandpa?"  "Am I ever!", Becky said, raising her little arms up way high.  "Granpa says he's takin' me and Dylan to Disney World! And I'm gonna go see Mickey Mouse and Cinderella and the Little Mermaid and EVERYBODY!"

She hopped off her bed and ran down the hallway towards her big brother's room.  Dylan was nowhere near finishing his own packing.  The boy was as disorganized as his father.  Conner shook his head with a smirk as he watched Dylan stuff who-knows-what into his red duffel bag.  "I'm sure gonna miss you guys while you're gone.  But its great that you're going to spend some time with your grandparents.  I just wish I didn't have to spend the time before you go nagging you about packing."

"Don't worry, Daddy.", Becky said.  "You just sit there, and I'll nag him for you."  She stuck out her hip, placed one hand on it in a sassy pose, and used her other hand to point a condescending finger at Dylan.  "Young man, this is absolutely, positively, without a doubt, for the final time, the last time you will pack your duffel bag.  For three weeks, its been pack, unpack, and repack, over and over again!  This is the LAST time, you hear?"

Dylan rolled his eyes and snickered at his sister's antics.  Conner grinned.  It was great to see his kids smile again, especially Dylan.  Ever since his mother left, he'd been so moody.  Becky hopscotched out if Dylan's room.  "Pack.  Unpack.  Repack."  Dylan mimicked her movements, following a few steps behind her.  "Pack.  Unpack.  Repack."

Just then, the phone rang.
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M'gann listened to the ringing on the other side of her cell phone. Her big dinner with Conner was in only a few days, and she spent every free moment she had planning it. She had the recipes for all of his favorite dishes printed out, and she even bought some candlesticks and a fancy tablecloth.

After ringing four times, she finally heard someone pick up on the other end. "Hey, its me.", she said without hesitation. "So, I was thinking we could start with some simple cheese and crackers, have some London Broil steak, and finish off with some flourless chocolate cake for dessert. What do you think? Sound good?"

There was a pause from the other end. "Who is this?" M'gann stopped smiling. The voice sounded a teeny bit like Conner's, but it was much, much younger. "I'm sorry...I'm looking for Conner? Conner Kent?" She heard a faint shout from the other end. "Dad! Phone for you!" M'gann felt relief wash over her. It was Conner's son. It had been so long, she had forgotten for a moment he had kids now.

"Hello, Dylan. Nice to hear from you again." "How do you know my name?" "Its me, Megan. From the grocery store. Remember?" "Oh." His voice sounded sort of upset. M'gann listened closely. She could hear footsteps and Dylan's voice going, "Its Megan from the grocery store." Moments later, Conner's voice came from the other end. "Hey." M'gann felt herself blush. "Hey."
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Dylan stood a couple of feet away, listening to his father talk on the phone with Megan. He was talking in a way Dylan had never heard him talk before. Finally, Conner smiled and said, "Yeah, I can't wait to see you, either.", before hanging up the phone. Dylan felt his stomach flip-flop. And here he was worried that Dad would miss him and his sisters while they were gone.

"What was that?", Dylan asked, his arms crossed over his chest. Conner blinked and tilted his head innocently. "What was what?" "Why was Megan calling our house?", Dylan said in a demanding tone of voice. "And why were you talking all friendly with her?" Becky entered the living room, overhearing their conversation.

Conner sighed. Here it was. The moment he'd been dreading. Better he get it over with, like ripping off a bandage. Quick, but painful. "Well, Megan and I actually go way back. We were high school sweethearts, but we broke up in college, before I moved to Riverdale. After our little...'incident' at the grocery store, she asked if she could cook dinner for me sometime."

"Like a date?", Dylan said, his eyes growing wide. His head was spinning, and he could hardly hear a thing over the sound of the blood pumping in his ears. "You told her no, right? You told you don't go on dates? That you and Mom are only separated?"

Conner sighed again, shaking his head as he knelt in front of Dylan, so that they were eye-to-eye. "No. I told Megan that I'd go out with her. Buddy, you have to accept that your mom and I are getting a divorce. We haven't lived together for six months now and we're not going to live together ever again. You need to understand that I need to move on with my life and start seeing other people."

"I don't wanna understand it.", Dylan said softly. "I don't want you to go out with other women. I want you and Mom to get back together. Are you gonna marry this girl? Make me and Becky and Molly live with lots of stepbrothers and sisters? Half brothers and sisters?" Conner held his hands up. "Whoa, whoa, slow down. Its just one date." "I've seen talk shows.", Dylan added with a scowl. "I know what can happen."

Conner started to head towards the stairs.  "C'mon, let's finish packing for your trip."  "I don't wanna go anymore.", Dylan said.  "Me and Becky are staying here."  "But I don't wanna stay home!", Becky said.  "I wanna go to Disney World with Grandma and Grandpa!"  Dylan leaned in towards her.  "Do you really want to leave Dad alone with that Megan lady?"

Becky stuck out her lower lip, the muscles in her face tightening.  "No fair!  I wanna go to Disney!  I wanna, I wanna, I WANNA!"  She burst into tears and flung herself on the floor, kicking and screaming.  "Rebecca Jane Kent!  You stop that right now!", Conner yelled.  Becky ignored him, carrying on her temper tantrum.  Moments later, a loud wail came from her and Molly's shared bedroom.

Conner faced his son with a scowl.  "See what you started?!"  "What I started?!  You're the one who's going on a date with some woman we don't know!"  Conner groaned as he picked Becky up from the floor and carried her under his arm.  "I don't care if I have to put you on that plane myself, Dylan.  You're going on this trip with your grandparents.  It'll be great, and you'll have lots of fun, and maybe while we're apart, you'll be able to come to grips with my decision."

He looked down to see that Becky had stopped crying and was now looking up at him with glassy eyes.  "I'm sorry, Daddy.", she whimpered, apologizing for her little outburst.  "I just really wanna go."  "And you will.", Conner reassured her.  "I promise.  Now, let's go check on your sister."

He placed Becky on her feet, took her by the hand, and led her upstairs towards the baby's room.  Dylan watched them, glaring.  If he wanted his parents to get back together, he had to do something about this "Megan" person, and he had to do it quick.