“Hey little man, how are you?” Justin asked ruffling Michael’s
hair.
“I’m okay,” Michael replied shyly.
Justin took Michael’s seat and sat Michael down in his lap. He then
turned to Charlie, who was picking at his cinnamon bun. “No hug for
your dear ol’ Dad?”
Charlie rolled his eyes and dragged himself out of his chair and walked over
to him and gave him a hug. Not speaking a word to his Dad, he walked back
to his chair and sat down.
Justin looked at his son strangely and then turned to me. “What’s
his problem?”
“He’s upset. He wants to spend Christmas as a family.”
Justin nodded looking back at Charlie. “I’m sorry buddy maybe
next year.”
“Don’t tell him that,” I said.
“Then what would you like me to tell him? My son is upset.”
“Yes, I know, but he’s going to hold you to your word, and when
next Christmas rolls around he’s going to expect us to spend Christmas
as a family.”
Justin nodded, knowing I was right. “Charlie, maybe sometime again in
the future we can spend Christmas as a family, but it won’t be this
Christmas.” He reached for his son’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m
sorry, buddy. But don’t you worry us guys are going to have a lot of
fun this Christmas.”
“Whatever,” Charlie said sarcastically. “You don’t
even have a Christmas tree.”
“Oh but I will! The first thing we’re going to do when we get
home is go out and get ourselves a tree.”
Charlie just rolled his eyes and began to mutter under his breath as he stood
up from the table. “I need to use the restroom.”
“Me too,” said Michael.
Justin lifted Michael off his lap. “Charlie, take your brother with
you. Don’t let him out of your sight.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Charlie started to walk off.
“Charlie!” I called out. “Wait for your brother.”
With an annoyed glance at me, Charlie waited for his brother to catch up with
him and took his hand.
I watched my sons till they were out of sight. Then I turned my attention
to Justin. “This morning on the news they were saying a severe snow
storm was coming in. I want you and the boys to be extra careful.”
He nodded with a flick of his wrist. “We’ll be fine. They’re
not reporting the storm to hit till tonight. We’ll be well enough in
LA by then. But will you be okay?”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“But I do.”
I gave Justin a brief fake smile. “You sure got a funny way of showing
it sometimes.”
“What’s that suppose to mean? I do worry about you. I don’t
like you living here in New York by yourself.”
“Well I wouldn’t be by myself if you didn’t choose to sleep
with your publicist.”
Justin rested his arms on the table, staring at me as he leaned forward. “I
told you I was sorry, Sam. It was a mistake. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Oh you were thinking alright,” I said sarcastically. I looked
Justin straight in the eye. “Just tell me the truth. Were you ever going
to tell me about you and Ashley?”
He groaned in frustration and sat back heavily. “There was no me and
Ashley. It was just a onetime thing.”
I shook my head as I cleaned up the mess Charlie and Michael had made when
they ate their cinnamon rolls. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s the truth.”
“You’re telling me over the eight years Ashley worked as your
publicist; there was only that ONE TIME you slept together?”
“YES.”
“That’s a little hard to believe, Justin.”
“But it’s the truth. I wish you would believe me, Sam.”
I looked at him, but didn’t say anything.
Charlie came back to the table. “Can I have twenty dollars?”
I looked at Charlie and then glanced quickly to the right and left. “Charlie,
where’s your brother?”
“He’s talking to Santa.”
“What?” said Justin. He scanned around quickly, looking for his
son. A small opening in the crowd opened up, and Justin caught a glimpse of
Michael and a few other children talking to the airport Santa. He shook his
head. “I see him. He’s talking to Santa. I’ll go get him.”
I nodded and watched the direction Justin went. I turned back to Charlie.
“I told you to watch your brother.”
“I did. I watched him GO TALK TO SANTA.”
“Don’t be smart with me. You are walking a very thin line with
me, Charlie. If you don’t watch it you are going to find yourself grounded
over Christmas.”
Charlie gave me a look, a look that said he didn’t care. Then he stood
and walked over to the window that overlooked the airport runway.
“Where’s Charlie?” Michael asked sitting down at the table
with his Dad. He held up the candy cane he gotten from Santa. “I got
Charlie a candy cane.”
I gave him a sweet smile and then glanced at Justin. “You need to go
have a talk with your son. I can’t get through to him. Maybe you can.”
He nodded, looking in Charles’s direction and stood up. “I see
what I can do.”
I turned back to Michael and smiled at him. “That was very sweet of
you to get a candy cane for your brother, but why don’t you just hold
onto it for him for just a while.”
“Okay.”Michael smiled.
“So what did you ask Santa for?” I asked curiously.
Michael cocked his head to the side and smiled. “I can’t tell
you. It’s a secret.”
“A secret, huh?” He nodded happily, and I smiled back. I then
said, “Michael, promise me you and your brother will be good for your
Dad. Don’t give him any trouble.” He just nodded, not really paying
attention. He’s attention was more on opening his candy cane. “Sweetie,
I’m going to get going before it gets too late. Come and give me a hug
and tell me goodbye. I’ll see you after Christmas.”
Michael stood up from his chair and gave me a big hug and I hugged him back
tightly, not wanting to let go.
“Are you leaving?” Justin asked as he came up to the table with
Charlie.
I quickly wiped away the tears that formed in my eyes before turning to Justin.
“Yeah.” I looked at Charlie. “Can I have a hug before I
leave?”
Charlie gave me a look, a look that needed no words. He then sat down and
pulled out his video game.
“Charlie!” Justin said in a stern voice.
“No Justin, it’s okay,” I said keeping calm. “I deserve
it.”
Justin looked at me. “No you don’t.”
“Well apparently I do. Call me if you need anything.”I picked
up my purse and my jacket, and then I walked away.