Redemption, H.L.B. Adams [grave mercy txt] 📗

is Uncle Jay supposed to come pick me up?” Mackenzie asked.

“Around noon sweetie,” Ann answered and noticed that Brandon had stiffened.

“So, what are you and Uncle Jay going to do?” Brandon asked wondering if Jason had taken his place as father. If so he’d just have to set him straight, he thought.

“We’re going fishing. Momma was supposed to go, but she called Uncle Jay last night and told him she couldn’t that she had something she had to do, and then they got into an argument about something,” Mackenzie replied around a mouth full of waffle.

“Mackenzie, you were supposed to be in bed.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she whined.

“That still doesn’t give you a reason to eavesdrop.”

“Sorry, but what were y’all arguing about?”

“Nothing, people just argue.”

“Uh huh,” Mackenzie said and went back to eating her waffles. Ann shook her head. Mackenzie really wasn’t a bad child. She was just curious and opinionated, and it seemed slightly more opinionated around Brandon.

“So, do you hang out with your Uncle Jay a lot?” Brandon asked Mackenzie.

“Yep, he’s always coming by the house for dinner, and taking me and momma somewhere.”

“Is that right?” Brandon asked and looked at Ann. Ann shot him a loot that said plainly, ‘What do you care? You left.’

“Do you like to fish? I used to love to fish when I was younger, but I haven’t had a chance to do much of it here recently,” Brandon said to Mackenzie again.

“Yep, and when I’m older Uncle Jay said he’ll teach me how to hunt, but Momma keeps telling him no.”

“Does she now?” Brandon said smiling. “So, what else do you like to do?”

“I dance. I’m not very good at it, but everyone tells me all I need is more practice. I would rather play football, but everyone keeps saying it’s not a girl’s sport. But me and Mommy play football all the time. I don’t get it.”

“Well, unfortunately they don’t have girl football teams. Maybe we can get that changed. I’ve met a lot of girls who like to play football. Your momma’s one of ‘em. She tried out for the team in middle school. Would’ve made it too if she could have convinced the couch to let a girl on the team.”

“Yeah, and as I remember you were over there telling him no, that I’d get hurt,” Ann said smiling at him.

“Well, I didn’t want you to get hurt. After all you were my best friend, and a girl. I was raised that you weren’t supposed to hit girls. No avoiding it on a football field.”

“Whatever,” Ann said laughing. “Your momma tried to talk the couch into letting me play.”

“Yeah, Momma always did have a feminist side,” Brandon said with a bitter sweet smile on his face.

“Do you want to go fishing with me and Uncle Jay?” Mackenzie asked warming up to Brandon. Her momma didn’t seem to be mad at him anymore, and they seemed like they were actually friends now. He couldn’t be all bad if her momma like him.

“I’d love to,” Brandon said then added, “But I can’t today,” when he saw Ann shake her head. His suspicions were confirmed. She had canceled her plans to talk to him.

“Okay, maybe next time,” Mackenzie said and went back to eating.

A little while later they got up and paid their checks. “I’ve got it,” Brandon told Ann as she went to pay for her and Mackenzie’s food. “I can pay for mine and my daughter’s breakfast,” Ann replied. “I’m trying to do something nice,” Brandon said. He looked over to where Mackenzie was trying to get a toy out of a machine and whispered, “She’s my daughter too.”

“Whatever Brandon, do what you want. I’ll come by you house when Jason comes to get Mackenzie,” Ann said and turned toward her daughter. “Come on Mackenzie we’ve got to go.”

“But Momma I haven’t got the bear yet.”

“You’ll get it next time,” Ann said smiling. Mackenzie had been trying to get that bear for a month now. She was a very persistent child.

“Okay,” Mackenzie said walking over to them. “Bye Brandon, bye Miss Pam.”

“Bye, sweetie. Come by later and I’ll fix you an ice cream sundae,” Pam said smiling down at her. Brandon squatted down to eye level with her and said, “Bye sweetheart. Catch plenty of fish and we’ll have a fish fry this evening, okay.”

“I will,” Mackenzie said to both Brandon and Miss Pam. Brandon patted her on the head and stood up. “See you later,” he said to Ann. “Yeah, see you later,” Ann said swallowing the lump in her throat.

Ann grabbed Mackenzie’s hand and walked out of the dinner. Brandon watched them walk to her dad’s old beat up Z-71 extended cab. She picked Mackenzie up and put her in her safety seat in the back.

“So, you gonna stick around this time? Because that child would really like to have her daddy, and so would her momma,” Pam said seriously from behind him.

“I…” Brandon started, but he didn’t know how to finish the sentence. It all counted on what Ann wanted. He really wanted to get to know his daughter and be a father to her, but he knew that if Ann didn’t want that then he’d leave. As far as he saw it, he’d screwed up and left his pregnant girlfriend, even if he hadn’t known she was pregnant, and he lost his rights when he did that.

“Do the right thing this time, stay,” Pam said, “And I would like a twenty percent tip. Advice cost extra.” Brandon laughed and turned back around. “How about a twenty percent tip and a kiss.”

“That works,” Pam said and Brandon gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Chapter Three

 

Jason arrived at Ann’s apartment a few minutes till noon. He didn’t bother to knock, he just walked on in. He’d stopped knocking when Mackenzie was a baby. He’d come over every day then to check on them, plus he kept Mac at night for Ann so she could go to school. He had practically lived here.

“Hey, where are my two favorite girls?” Jason yelled as he walked in. “Back here,” Ann yelled.

“Where’s back here?” Jason asked as he walked into Mac’s room.

“If you knew, why did you ask?” Ann asked looking up at him from her spot in the floor.

“Just felt like. So what are y’all doing?”

“Playing fort,” Mackenzie said as she crawled out from under a pile of sheets and blankets that were supposed to be on her bed. “Momma’s the guard.”

“Uh huh,” Jason said smiling, “so, you ready to go fishin’?”

“Yeah,” Mackenzie said jumping up.

“Go get your pole out of the hall closet,” Ann told her and Mackenzie ran off. “You stay,” she said to Jason as he went to follow.

“I’m sorry I got mad at you last night. It was just a shock to see him,” Ann said and reached up for Jason to pull her up out of the floor. Jason complied and said, “I’m sorry too. I should have called you as soon as I knew, but honestly I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how long he was planning on staying or anything. I didn’t want to freak you out before I knew if you would even get the chance to see him.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask him if he was staying.”

“Well I kinda did, and when I didn’t get a straight answer I got a little ill. He did leave you pregnant and all.”

“Oh Jason, you have to get over that. He used to be your best friend, and plus he didn’t know I was pregnant.”

“Momma, I can’t find it,” Mackenzie yelled from the hall.

“Keep looking, I’m sure it’s in there,” Ann yelled back.

“Where is it really?” Jason asked her, knowing she was trying to keep Mac busy long enough for them to talk.

“In here, anyway you can’t stay mad at him forever,” Ann went on.

“I know, and I won’t. So I’m guessing you haven’t told Mac.”

“Nope, after I talk to Brandon today and find out what he plans on doing then I’ll decide whether I’m going to tell her or not. Oh and Brandon wants to have a fish fry this evening with the fish you catch.”

“Huh, when did that happen?”

“This morning we ran into him at Lynn’s.”

“Okay, well we better bring this to a close I hear little feet coming this way.”

“Momma, it’s not in there,” Mac said in a huff as she re-entered her bedroom.

“Oh, I forgot. I put it in your closet last time,” Ann said and slapped her forehead comically. She walked over to the closet and got the fishing pole out. “Looks like you’re ready to go now,” Jason said.

“Bye Momma,” Mac said giving Ann a hug.

“Bye sweetie, have fun,” Ann said.

“I’ll call you when we get finished to see where you are,” Jason said.

“Okay, see ya later,” Ann said, and Jason walked over and gave her a hug. “It’s going to be okay. Y’all will get it all worked out, and Mac can handle anything,” he whispered in her ear.

“What would I do without you?”

“I don’t know. Have a social life?” Jason kid, “Well see ya later. I hear Mac trying to get out the front door. The child has no patience.” He kissed her forehead and walked out. “Mac if you’ll hold on I’ll get the door. You can’t open the door holding a fishing pole, thermos, and cooler,” Jason said as he walked down the hall.

 

Brandon had just got back from the grocery store when Ann pulled up. “So that was your car this morning?” Ann said walking over and grabbing some bags out of the trunk.

“Yeah, do you like it?”

“Yep, but not a very practical car when you have a kid.”

“And an old beat up Z-71 is?” Brandon asked raising an eyebrow.

“At least it has seat belts in the back seat, and no one would be tempted to speed in a Z-71, but a Mustang that’s another story.”

“True,” Brandon said as he set groceries down on the counter. “Thanks for the help.”

“No prob,” Ann said as she started putting them up. “Oh, umm do you care where I put them.”

“Just as long as you tell me where you put them so I can find ‘em.”

“Where your mom always put everything,” she said as she kept putting up groceries.

“So, are you going to tell her?” Brandon asked when they finished putting up groceries and sat down at the table with coffee.

“I don’t know. That’s up to you,” Ann said looking into her coffee.

“Up to me?”

“Are you planning on sticking around? Do you really want to be a part of her life? I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“I’m not going to hurt her, and I do want to be a part of her life.”

“That’s good, but you don’t plan on sticking around.”

“I didn’t say that. I just don’t know. It counts on if I can get any work around here.”

“What kind of work?”

“Construction, I’m a contractor.”

“Well, there is plenty of work here. With the college there is always plenty of work around here.”

“Okay, that’s good.”

“You still don’t sound sure. I know I have no right to tell you that if you don’t plan on living here that you can’t see your daughter. And that’s not what I’m saying. I just