Martha Mason - Two Rings, One Heart

“He looked fine,” Megan admitted.

“He looked like you,” Jess said, gawking at Zack. “He’s not coming back is he?”

“Who knows?” Megan said with a shrug, trying to dismiss the matter.

“Of course he’s coming back,” Zack said.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Megan warned, clearing the table. All kinds of thoughts started hitting her like arrows from an attacker. Then a missile. What if he were coming back to get a divorce so he could remarry? Maybe after that he would try to get custody of the children! Her head began spinning.

After work, Megan was at the kitchen table mulling over the Mitchell dilemma, when Ruth came in. “Want a cup of coffee?” she asked.

“Thanks. From the way you look, I guess he paid you a visit,” Ruth said.

“Yep. Is he staying with you?”

“No! I was shocked to see him. I can’t imagine how you feel,” Ruth added compassionately.

“Frightened,” Megan answered.

“I expected anger or disbelief.”

“Oh, they came first. Didn’t he tell you?”

“No. He came by my house first. We talked for a while. Then he wanted to know his marital status. I told him he should ask you. Soon after, he left.”

Megan’s eyes met her mother-in-law’s. “He asked me the same question. That’s why I’m frightened.” Ruth looked puzzled. “What if he came back to get a divorce? Then to get married again. Next he’ll want custody of my children!”

“Megan, that’s ridiculous. He wouldn’t do that,” Ruth said calmly.

“How do you know? He’s been gone ten years. We don’t know what he’s like anymore!” She knew she was beginning to sound hysterical.

“He just wants to see his family,” Ruth said soothingly.

“You’re his mother. A mother never gives up.”

“Have you given up? Has he been gone too long?”

“I don’t know,” she said thoughtfully. “I opened the front door and it was like looking at a ghost. I’ve never felt so unhinged. He just stood there staring at me. I thought maybe he wasn’t real. I’m not ready for this.”

“When do you think you will be?” Ruth looked at her hopefully.

“I don’t know. Maybe never,” Megan said angrily.

Ruth sipped her coffee. “How did last night go?”

“Well, I almost fainted. Then I threw up. After that the kids came home. Zack was thrilled and invited him to stay for dinner. Jess glared at him like he was an ax murderer. And I was…brittle.”

“Sounds like a fun evening.” Ruth chuckled. “When’s he coming back?”

“I have no idea.” Megan stared into her coffee cup.

“You know he’s going to want to see the kids.”

“I don’t have to let him. He has no part in their lives!” she said defensively.

“No, you don’t. But if he really wants to see them, he can go to court,” she replied realistically. “Why don’t you consider letting him see-them for a couple of hours at a time. Zack’s a big boy, he’ll watch out for Jess.”

“Did he ask you to come over here?” Megan asked suspiciously.

“No, but I’m caught in the middle anyway. It’s not like they’re babies and he could run off with them. If he tried that with Jess, you know he’d be bringing her back in short order when she got through with him.”

Megan laughed at the thought. Then the kids came in and the entire conversation was about Mitchell.

Megan went out to the porch swing. She hadn’t thought of anything else all day. She couldn’t take any more.

Later, Ruth came out to tell her goodbye. “Are you all right?” she asked. Megan shrugged. “You know, you’ll never find out if he’s changed if you don’t give him a chance,” Ruth said.

“I’ll pray about it,” Megan replied.

Ruth sat down beside her and gave her a long, soothing hug. “I can’t help it, Megan. He’s my son. I love him.”

“I know,” Megan said.

Ruth left, pondering all the problems. She had grown up in hard times. Her parents had worked themselves into early graves. Her siblings were spread over the country and she seldom saw them. The mainstays in her life were God and her family. When her husband died and her son disappeared, she didn’t know where to turn. God was her answer. She could do little now for her loved ones, other than to pray for them.

Thursday night after dinner, the children went to their monthly school skate. Megan was looking forward to the time alone. Before she could settle down, there was a knock on the front door. Once again she found Mitchell standing outside.

“You’re not going to faint this time are you?” he teased.

“No,” Megan snapped. “The children are out.” She started closing the door.

“I know. That’s why I came by. We need to talk about them,” he said.

Megan stopped short, knowing Ruth—her friend, his mother—had told him she would be alone.

“May I come in? Please?”

He didn’t sound demanding, only hopeful. Something in his humble attitude caused her to relent She opened the door and led him to the formal dining room, deciding the tone of this meeting would be business-like. As they sat down across the table from one another, their eyes met. Megan raised her head and stuck out her chin.

“You don’t want me to see them at all, do you?” Mitchell asked patiently.

“Not really,” she replied with cold, hard honesty.

“Would you rather we go through the courts?” he asked.

“No!” Megan had been to that madhouse with business problems. She wasn’t about to trust them with her children.

“Can we come to an agreement?” he asked, never taking his eyes off her.

“I’ll consider letting you see them, as long as you follow certain conditions,” she said in a strained voice.

“Such as?”

“There will be absolutely no drinking. If there is, don’t ever ask to see them again,” she ordered staunchly.

“I don’t drink anymore,” he said, without looking away.

Megan was taken aback, but she continued on. “No overnight visits. If you take them out, both go. I’ll want to know where you’re going, what you’ll be doing…and no one else goes along,” she ordered.

He frowned at the last one. “What do you mean, no one goes along?”

“I don’t want girlfriends or ‘ol’ buddies’ or whatever going along. If you can’t spend time with the children alone, then don’t bother,” she said emphatically.

“No problem,” he responded seriously. Then his tone softened. “Could I ask one favor?” Megan waited without responding; she wasn’t going to give him any help. Mitchell took a deep breath. “Would you give me a little help with Jessica?”

Megan rubbed her temples, considering his request. Jess was ready to reject him and forget it. Megan almost welcomed the idea. She knew it wasn’t right to turn Jess against her father. She’d never done it before. Was she going to start now? She looked across the table at Mitch. “All right, but don’t expect too much from her.” She sighed.

“I understand. Could I possibly take the kids out this weekend?” he asked.

“I’ll have to think about it. Call me on Saturday,” she said, and stood up. The meeting was over.

Mitchell followed her to the door and stopped. “You’ve been more generous than I deserve. Thank you,” he said gratefully.

“Don’t disappoint my children!” she warned, holding the screen door open.

Megan immediately closed the door and leaned against it. Why did his visits rattle her so? And how was she going to be able to let him see her kids?

She was the one who had always been there for them. The one who had spent sleepless nights taking care of them. The one who was there for the plays and programs, who bandaged the cuts and scrapes. The one with them when they were sad or lonely or scared or just out of sorts. The one who helped them with their homework, buried their pets, and saw them through disappointments. Now, ten years later, Mitchell wanted to reappear and be their daddy. Where was he when they needed him? Where was he when she needed him?