That One Night Stand

5.

"How have things been, dad?" I asked him. I wasn't prying, but I could see with my own eyes, things weren't getting done. Susie was only limited to so much and the same with dad.

I looked at a family portrait of us taken about ten years ago that had mum in it.

"Yeah, I'm getting there." He answered me.

"No, I meant how have you been, dad?" I moved my sight to him as he sat in his recliner.

Dad has back problems and there isn't much he can do about it but live on pain meds.

"I'm fine, bumblebee." He smiled at me. I felt guilty for not coming home more often then.

Dad saw that and immediately lectured me. "Don't feel bad for me, Maya, I'm fine. I'm getting along. I know that there is a lot I can no longer do, but I'm trying. Don't feel guilty for living your life."

I smiled sadly at him.

"I've lived mine and it had its ups and downs. But I don't regret most of it. Especially you guys."

Dad has always lived with the guilt about his own biological child, even though I believe it wasn't his fault. His son, Tyson, died as a toddler many years ago. He and his mother died. They both drowned, getting caught in a flash flood, sweeping their car off the road. This happened years before he and mum met.

Mum helped him recovery and he helped her with us. I got up off my seat and walked around the room. I do this everytime I come home. I look at all the photos that are up. Photos of dad with his first wife and child, photos of my father and mother, photos of Harry and I.

Both mum and dad lost their spouses in freak accidents and they supported each other through their mourning and the death anniversaries and birthdays. It was sad but inspirational as well.

"How's mum?" I finally asked him.

"Growing nicely." Dad smiled, getting up. "Come, I'll show you."

Dad led me outside to the back where a gorgeous, flowering yellow wattle tree stood proudly.

Mum died four years ago and in her memory, we planted a wattle tree sapling with her ashes. Mum loved native trees and the wildlife they brought in.

"The birds love her." Dad said as he moved towards it with a water bucket.

"Mum would love that." I told him. "She always loved lorikeets and parrots."

After a while, Harry and Susie came outside to the table and chairs. Harry carried a tray with tea and the cups.

"So how is Manhattan?" Susie asked me, sipping on her tea, blowing in to the cup.

"It's great. The people, the night life. It's so much fun." I grinned at her. "You'll have to come visit me."

"The city that never sleeps?" Dad grumbled. I smiled politely at him. I know dad. He would never leave Australia. Hell, he won't even leave the state.

"After bub is born."

I turned to Harry. "There is no rush. Whenever. I don't expect you to put a newborn baby on a plane. The poor darlings ears. I'm still trying to pop one." I told him, rubbing a finger in one of my ears.

"My brother lives in Manhattan. Well, step brother."

"Oh yes, I remember you telling me that. He moved in with his grandfather for work."

Susie nodded. "Yeah. He is a board member on a company. Can't remember. His grandfather is a bit..." Susie grimaced, trying to find the right words. "Weird."

"Eccentric." Harry added.

"Yeah." Came Susie's sigh. "Anyhoo, Con is coming over. He is flying in, landing tomorrow. So I guess you actually get to meet him officially." Susie beamed.

"Oh, yay." I smiled widely, hiding my sarcasm. I've never met her brother, or step brother, we always apparently seem to miss each other. Apparently he was at a party I attended years ago, celebrating Susie's twenty third birthday, but it was crowded and packed, and I never met him.

I assume that Susie calls him Con, short for Conner. But her actual name is Susanne, and I get called May sometimes instead of Maya.

It's was a while later, shortly after dinner that Susie called it quits and went upstairs to bed. I shortly followed, heading to my old room. It was not the same as it was when I was living here as a teenager. All my things were still packed away, things I didn't take with me when I went to New York and there were more boxes in here of some stuff I assumed was from the spare room. Well, I guess, my room is now the spare room. The old spare room would have been transformed in to a nursery for baby.

Susie and Harry moved in shortly after mum died. They had been together since a year prior and they stayed, helping dad out.

I was buggered, the flight absolutely knackered me and I wanted to sink into my old bed.

I however had to have a shower, and whilst doing that, I made a mental note to do the gardens tomorrow.

I know dad can't do much and I didn't expect Susie to do it while so pregnant and Harry, well, he worked, so yeah. I should do it because I'm here and it needs to be done.

So instead of lazing about, taking a day to myself while at home, I'll be doing housework. It didn't bother me though. I know mum liked a clean house and I know dad tries to keep it that way, but I also know it's hard with limited movement.

I finished in the shower and got dressed, sinking in to my old bed, cuddling the blankets and I was out within seconds.