fact. She told Presley just that.
“I understand but, I should have stopped instead of swerved. My daughter was in there and, I just reacted without thinking.” Presley exclaimed. Suddenly there was a commotion outside and he realized it was Gina and Abigail running to the room calling for him, Alex was not far behind. Abigail hugged him close and he snapped out of his guilt trip and rubbed his eyes then tossed her into the air. He kissed Abigail in greeting then Alex ran up to him for a hug too. Presley stopped him and put Abigail down.
“Hey buddy, someone wants to see you.” He said and guided Abigail and Gina out of the room. Alex screamed in happiness and hugged his mother. Rebecca and Alex cried into each other’s arms and Presley shut the door behind them.
“She’s awake now daddy?” Abigail asked and Presley nodded once they were in the waiting room. “So she is not going to die?” Abigail asked and Presley nodded and waved goodbye to Gina who was late for class.
Abigail patted her dad on the back with her tiny hands. “Don’t cry okay daddy, you don’t have to be sad anymore because she’s alive.” Presley stared at his daughter’s hair and laughed a little wiping more tears from his face. She was right. He didn’t have to feel guilty anymore. Rebecca was fine and reunited with her son. So why was he still in the waiting room? That’s not where he belonged, waiting…constantly waiting.
But he did wait. Presley waited for close to an hour with Abigail sleeping in his lap hugging him close. Alex ran from the room and over to Presley happy but whispering. “She is okay Mr. Presley. My mom is fine and we are going home today. She is getting ready right now.” Alex hugged Presley and Abigail in his arms and Presley was elated.
Rebecca was on her feet but was extremely wobbly so the nurse gave her a wheelchair. When they asked if she had a ride back home Alex told her that Presley had a car waiting for her outside and there was no need to call anyone else. Presley helped Rebecca into the same car that nearly killed her and she was happy for the gesture. She was tired and a bit ill but Presley wanted to take care of everything for her. They went through the rest of the day in silence unless it was to speak to the children.
Presley brought Rebecca into her bedroom in her house next door and the kids were in his home preparing a tiny lunch. He helped her out of the wheel chair by extending an arm and Rebecca took it shyly, not really wanting to accept his help, a bit embarrassed that she didn’t have a choice.
After helping her into the bed she fell asleep and gathered her strength until later on that night. Since his mother was home, Presley did not force Alex to school the next day and decided to order a private breakfast for the two of them so they could catch up. Alex begged his mother to let Presley join them and after a lot of coaxing she accepted. When Presley arrived at the door he smiled at her and she looked at him in a confused manner. She let him in silently and sat at the table waiting for Alex to join them.
Rebecca watched them closely and Presley watched her too. They both talked to Alex and he enjoyed seeing both of them together at the table passing eggs and bacon to one another as if they were a real family. Rebecca didn’t like what she was seeing. Her whole life she had wanted a family like this and now that Presley was in the picture she felt awkward. He was more into her son than she was, and Alex appreciated his company more than she expected.
Rebecca
The next few days were hard for Rebecca, and she had to quit her job at the local diner to spare them the trouble of firing her. She wanted to get another job, but she had just enough money left over for two or three months of rent and utilities so she was a little ahead.
She didn’t drive her car because her legs were still weak and she was unable to shop for groceries because she could not walk to the bus stop. That’s where Presley came into the picture. He would come over every day and take Alex to school for her. It was not even a question, he did it without request.
He would shop for the house and send Alex home with food and goodies for the both of them. Alex would ask every day after school if he could go to Presley’s house next door and she could not believe what she was hearing.
Didn’t he have any friends his age? She imagined Presley luring her son next door with candy and other things boys like such as toy cars and other stuff. One day she decided to drop in on them and see what was really going on.
She didn’t bother knocking, instead she opened the front door to Presley’s home. She waltzed right through the house expecting to see them in some strange room worshipping idols and she had every right to yank her son from this house for good.
She heard them talking and laughing in a back room and she sauntered back there then burst through the door. She was amazed at what she saw. The kids were on the floor, Presley’s daughter Abigail was pulling a dolls hair and laughing at Alex. Alex was laughing holding his stomach and stared at an old home movie where Rebecca had taken a pie to the face. Presley was not in the room. She looked up at the video and smiled a little, wondering what would make Alex want to watch those movies.
“It’s a bad habit.” She jumped as Presley came behind her with popcorn. She turned around and looked at him, they never speak to each other and hearing his voice embarrassed her a little. “When you were, well…it made Alex feel better. He still enjoys those movies of you. I have to remind him that you’re actually awake.” He laughed a little trying to cheer her up. Rebecca slit her eyes a little.
“Mhmm…” She said then entered the room and the children greeted her. She sat on the bed behind her son and poked him. “Did you do your homework? Come on we have to go home and finish it.” He nodded matter-of-factly.
“I’m finished mom, Mr. Presley helped me.” Rebecca tried not to be obvious but her heart sank a little.
“Did you eat dinner?” She looked back at the bowl of popcorn that Presley held still standing in the doorway.
“Yup we all ate.” He said and she knew he included Presley and Abigail. Her eyes lowered. She had lost her son to the better competition. She gave up and got off the bed walking towards the door.
“I think you better go home with your mother Alex.” Presley said in a low voice. Alex turned around and lowered his head getting off the floor. “Here, take the movie and popcorn with you. Your mother can watch it with you at your house.” Alex’s face said it all. He didn’t want to leave. Rebecca was too surprised at her son’s reaction when Presley spoke. So maybe they weren’t best friends, they acted like father and son. But then the visage fell down.
“Daddy I want to go with Alex too!” Abigail said and Rebecca nearly laughed at how Presley acted. He could be stern with Alex but when his daughter spoke his body language changed and he pleaded with her.
“But Abigail, this is their time to be together.” He said.
“But I want to go daddy.” Rebecca couldn’t help herself and laughed at Abigail’s reply to her father. She could tell Presley could not say no.
“Abigail,” He started then Rebecca stopped him.
“Why don’t we all watch the movie together,” Rebecca said and they all agreed. Presley guided them all to the living room and they sat on the sofa, kids in the middle adults on the end. Alex sat next to Presley and Abigail snuggled into Rebecca’s side smelling her and laying her head on her chest. Rebecca couldn’t believe how comfortable Abigail seemed to be. The movie was funny, but that didn’t stop the kids from falling asleep before it ended.
“Works every time,” Presley’s face was pure accomplishment and they silently laughed together. He looked at her and smiled, then looked away with his arm around Alex. Rebecca picked up Abigail and let the child rest on her shoulder.
“You’re too young to be a father.” She said after a moment of silence.
“You’re too young to be a mother.” Presley answered. She smiled.
“Why did you take him in? Was it guilt?” Rebecca asked sincerely.
Presley shook his head. “It was more like, security.” Rebecca nodded and he continued. “H
e was lost and alone in the waiting room. I knew that I was to blame, but I could relate to what he was feeling. That’s why I had to help him.” Presley said and Rebecca was thankful.
“He really likes you a lot.” She said and remembered all the men she tried to have relationships that Alex never connected with. She always wanted a father figure, and Alex just wanted a friend. They seem to have found both already…
“Well, he has gotten to know me. It was hard the first week, but now we are doing well.” He said then looked at her seriously. “I know how you feel, Rebecca. I know that you feel distant from him because he has been with me for so long. But he still loves you, it’s just sometimes when children find a good thing it’s hard to let it go. He thought about you every day, he prayed for you too.” Rebecca looked over at Presley then down at Alex. He had prayed for her, and still she kept so many secrets from him.
“He really doesn’t look like me,” Rebecca confessed and took a deep breath forgetting she spoke out loud. She looked up and cleared her throat blinking a bit rapidly.
“I noticed,” Presley said low. “I also saw…well I can tell he is adopted.” Presley didn’t want to confess he saw her private video, perhaps she hid it because Alex was adopted and she didn’t want him to find out.
“Yes but please don’t tell