Part Three

Mid week brings Cane home from the office to grab a shower and a bite to eat before heading into the hospital to see Sam. He’s improving everyday and the doctors say he could come home in just a few more days.

He must admit he was falling in love with Sam a little more everyday, when Juliet was first admitted to the hospital and Sams arrival was immanent all he could see was the mistakes he had made but when Juliet had unexpectedly passed and Cane saw him for the first time all he could see was an innocent baby who reminded him so much of Charlie and Mattie when they were born and he ached  for him, for them, for everything lost and gained.

Now watching him grow stronger everyday he can’t help his feelings as they grow stronger too.

Glancing around the hall as he comes down the stairs, he notes Esther has been busy decorating the place in wall to wall Christmas! He feels a little guilty for not helping but the thought of decorating somewhere other than his family home fills him with sadness that he just can’t deal with right now. Thinking instead of what to make for a quick dinner his train of thought is interrupted by the door bell so he makes a beeline for the door instead of the kitchen and a giant grin breaks across his face when he finds Mattie and Charlie with a bag of takeout on the other side.

“Hey dad!” They greet at the same time.

“We thought you might be hungry,” Mattie explains.

“Yeah, we uh..were wondering if you wanted to hang out for a bit.”

Mattie elbows Charlie and adjusts her glasses. “What Charlie...what we’re trying to say is we miss spending time with you and we’re hoping to have dinner together.” 

The grin that had spread across Cane’s face from the moment they said ‘hey dad’ grew even further. “Of course! Come in, come in.” He wraps them both in a tight hug. Even though he had just spent time with them a few days ago it’s just not the same as waking up each morning knowing they’re just down the hall in their rooms. God he missed seeing them everyday...

Before he could let his emotions get the best of him Mattie’s muffled “dad I think you’re squishing the food.” Gets him moving and they head into the living room...

Food gets spread on to the coffee table and efforts are made not to make too much of a mess so Esther doesn’t lose her mind! Mattie and Charlie tell their dad how school has been..Mattie aced her latest exam and Charlie is doing really great with lacrosse so much so that he may even stick with it instead of going back to football next fall. 

Talk before long turns to home and their mother...

Cane clears his throat before he asks, “so was your mother okay after I left the other day? I mean, I know she was a little upset and...” 

Cane watches as the twins look at each other and do that silent ‘twin talk’ thing they could always do...fascinating to watch but not when it was a silent conversation about you!! “Seriously guys I’m right here!”

They look at each other a moment longer before turning to speak. Mattie goes first, “I told Charlie it wouldn’t work -.”

“No your just mad that I thought of it first!”

“That is completely not true!”

Cane is totally confused now. “Guys! Am I missing something? All I asked was if your mother was okay...what exactly are you talking about?”

“Maybe we should show him..?”

Mattie turns back to her father. “Do you have a little time to maybe watch a movie? I know you need to get to the hospital this evening.”

Cane glances at his watch, it’s still early and he could go in to see Sam a bit later besides he missed having these moments with them. Still a little confused he responds, “Yeah I’ve got time. What did you want to watch and what does this have to do with your mother?”

Charlie responds as he cues up Netflix. “Dad have you ever scene the movie The Parent Trap...?” He glances over at his dad as he presses play......

When the movie is over Cane is the one to press stop. He sits back while his older children silently observe him. Finally looking over at them he asks, “have you been doing...” pointing at the now silent tv...”that?” A little worried at some of the crazy stunts the kids pulled in the movie he sits forward and again says, “please tell me you aren’t doing or going to be doing any of that to me and your mother!”

Mattie elbows Charlie in the side again, “I told you!”

“Ow!” He rubs his perpetually bruised ribs before continuing, “Dad it’s not like that! We don’t have staff, a private jet or a fun camp down the road at our disposal!” 

Cane rolls his eyes at that. “That’s not what I meant and you know it! Are you doing things to try and get your mother and me back together? Is that what you want?”

Mattie takes this one. “Dad of course we want you and mom together...after what happened...I just wanted mom to be okay even if that meant she had to move on from you but I..we’ve been watching her these past months and she’s miserable without you and after you left the other day she was different..I think I caught her at least half a dozen times lost in thought with kind of a silly grin on her face, she kept touching her lips too.” Mattie blushed with teenage embarrassment after that last comment but she was determined for her dad to get it. “You kissed her didn’t you?”

Cane wasn’t quite sure what to say...Lily and he had always shown affection for one another in front of the twins always wanting to show them how a loving couple should be, so when he finally replied it was with honesty. “Yes I...yes we kissed.”

“I knew it! See Mattie I told you something would happen when I suggested dad go check on her!”

“Yeah yeah whatever. The real question is what does this mean dad, are you still getting divorced?”

Cane sighs, “I don’t think I can answer that sweetie. Yes your mother put the divorce on hold and yes we kissed and as much as I want to hope I think she and I still have a lot to discuss and work through but I can tell you this, I have absolutely no plans to stop fighting for us, for your mother and for our family. Come here..” Cane pulls them in for a hug. “I love you both so much, your support means the world to me.” 

Cane suddenly lets out a chuckle, Mattie and Charlie pull back from his embrace with confused looks. “What?” The both ask.

“Next time you plan to send me to check on your mother could you maybe take a little more time coming home? If your plan is ever going to work I need time to be able to work my magic!”

“Dad!”

“Omg Dad!”

Cane laughs feeling lighter than he has in ages.....