Sunrise Point

early Monday morning, she was feeling pretty good about herself. And she realized before they were even out of town—she was humming.
    “I get the impression the family reunion went well,” he said.
    “You could say so. This Jed Crane—he seems to be a nice guy. He brought the girls lots of things—clothes, toys, supplies. Since I’ve been needing that stuff, it felt good. It didn’t get him any special privileges or anything, but I was grateful. This was the first time I’ve spent a whole afternoon with my father since I was a little girl. I can’t tell if he’s who I remember or a brand-new person.”
    “Maybe he’s both,” Tom said.
    “There are things about him I never knew because my mother was too mad at him to tell me anything good. He’s a Ph.D, for one thing. History.” She laughed a little. “When he starts talking about history, it’s almost as if he’s transported to another time and place—he’s fascinating. I can see how he can inspire his students to learn. And it would never have occurred to me to look in the academic or history book section of the bookstore or library, but he’s very accomplished. He loves World War II—it sounds like he’s an expert. Who knew?”
    “Why didn’t your mom tell you?”
    “I don’t think she wanted me to like anything about him, since he walked out on her and all. She needed it to be all his fault. And he didn’t exactly defend her, but he did suggest that maybe she just wasn’t capable of much more. That in leaving, he hurt her too much.” She shook her head. “It’s going to be a while before I get there—I’m still pretty angry with my mother. In fact, now that I know my father paid support and wanted to see me, I might be angrier. It wasn’t easy growing up hearing that half of my biology was no damn good, as my mother used to say.”
    “She said that? Really?” Tom asked.
    “Of course she did,” Nora said. “But I told you that already. That’s why I’m going to think of some positive things to tell the girls about their father when they start to ask.”
    He gave a huff of laughter. “That should be interesting. The guy’s an addict in prison for dealing.”
    “I know,” she said. “He’s a tragedy, when you think about it. Here was this guy with a dream—a gifted ballplayer who had it all for a little while—a scholarship, a league contract and looks, and then something happened to him. Did he get the idea that things could be a little easier and faster and maybe more fun if he had some pharmaceutical help? Did someone give him something and wham, he was hooked? I’ll never know. I guess he wouldn’t be the first pro athlete to go down that road. It’s an American tragedy, that’s what it is.”
    “Nora,” he said, almost shocked, “he wasn’t good to you!”
    “I know,” she said softly. “But I don’t want my kids to carry that load. That’s my load. I remember when I first met him—damn, he sparkled all over. Getting involved with him when it wasn’t a good idea, that was probably as much my fault as his.” She turned and looked at Tom. “I had some friends, but when it got down to family, to people who would always play on my team no matter what, I was a little lacking. I was probably stupid and very lonely.”
    Tom took a deep breath. “I hope he stays in prison a long time.”
    “Oh, me, too. It’s one thing to find positive things to say to the girls about their father. But let him near them?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I will protect them.”
    He grinned. “Five feet four inches of hell on wheels.”
    She smiled back. “Four and a half inches!”
    “But,” he wanted to know, “are you lonely now?”
    “Not lonely,” she said, shaking her head. “The kind of friends I have now are tough. Genuine. I have Noah and his wife. There’s Adie, Martha and Leslie—three strong women who have never judged me. And there’s…well, there’s you.”
    “Me,” he said. It was almost a question.
    “Yes, you’re the one who said we were friends. Without any effort at all, you have me telling you all my personal business so even if you don’t think of me as a friend, I think of you as one. So, how was your weekend?” she asked. “Did you work the whole time?”
    “Mostly. But I’m going to take a little time off next weekend. Will your father be back?”
    “I’m sure of it,” she said. “We haven’t made specific plans yet, but he didn’t seem to be bored for