Broken Dreams

"OK," Debra sighed, "How can you be so strong?"

"Therapy, lots and lots of therapy. Rosemary and David got me in with a therapist before David was born. She helped."

"That's probably a good idea," Debra murmured. "I'll let Calvin know, we'll meet tomorrow and figure things out from there. Thank you Clover for giving us a chance."

"David deserves family," she responded simply. "As we agreed, we'll figure it out together."

"Do you want Travis to know?" Debra asked after a moment's thought.

"I..." Clover stopped for a long moment, "I don't know. I think it depends on a lot of factors and some communication. I'm still hurt and angry but... I don't want to live the rest of my life like that. So we'll... take it a step at a time, yeah?"

"A step at a time," Debra agreed, "Tomorrow, at four, we'll have a snack with you and David. Sound good?"

"Alright," Clover agreed, then hung up. Travis was back in town, her heart ached, she had loved him desperately for so long and now she didn't know what to think. He was going to marry someone else, he had no place in his life for her. She tapped her head briefly with her hand to knock the bad thoughts out, "One step at a time. First things first."

The rest of the day was spent working, the envelope untouched. To be safe, both she and Calvin had sent in blood samples along with David's to ensure everything was good. She didn't care if David was her son or not, but paranoia was a trait hard to release after everything had happened.

"Travis?" Calvin knocked on the bedroom door, then walked in and placed a couple of pain relievers and a glass of water. "Good morning, son. Take the pills, drink the water, take a shower then join your mother and me in the kitchen."

Woolenly, he took the medicine, swallowed down the small glass of water, and set it back on the end table. Then, pulling on some clothes, he trudged downstairs and almost flung himself into a chair at the table. Raising a hand, he mumbled, "Sorry about last night. This is where you tell me I'm an idiot and you were right. I get it. I know." His voice was glum and the self-loathing was obvious.

"No," Debra corrected, "This is where we remind you that you're our son and we love you." She stood and wrapped him in a hug. "You made a mistake. You'll learn from it. For now, you'll grieve, heal and we'll discuss what to do about your work and apartment."

"I... I thought she loved me," he murmured brokenly. "Why wasn't I good enough?" he asked. "Why aren't I good enough for anyone to stay?" he choked.

"You are good enough," Debra responded, "Her leaving is on her, not on you. I love you, my son." She hugged him and rubbed his back as he sobbed into her shoulder. She looked at Calvin in concern. She wanted to tell him, but Calvin shook his head slightly.

"You're home now, we love you. We're not going to tell you an idiot, you've punished yourself enough." Calvin stated firmly. "The wedding is off, we'll arrange all the cancellations."

He nodded his head, glumly, "I... I've got to... uh... email my team. I'm not in any shape to...," he trailed off, his hand starting to shake again.

Debra and Calvin hugged him again, trying to offer comfort. "Alright. What would you like to do today? We could go get your favorite ice cream?" Debra offered. "Or you can go for a swim in the pool? Your Father and I have a meeting we have to go to tomorrow afternoon, but we can do anything that would make you feel better today."

He stared at the wood of the table, trying to grab onto that thought and hold on to it like a lifeline. "I... Yeah. Let's go get some ice cream. I'll swim later."

"OK," Debra hugged him again. "Ice cream."

Travis emailed his executive team and told them that he would be remote for the near future and for the next couple of weeks he would probably be fairly quiet. They were a good, competent team and knew their jobs well. It was why he'd hired them. And he had a thriving business that was doing some cutting-edge work in the industrial controls field, which was why they'd come.

The three of them drove to Gay, Georgia, another small town in the area, where there was an ice cream shop that made its own ice cream in the store. The conversation was somber and somewhat generic, but they got him talking. He listened as they quietly told him about some of the conversations they'd had with his ex-, where she told them that he was too busy to talk to them and that when he wanted to have a conversation he would call. He stared down at the cup of ice cream and sank his head into his hands. "I'm sorry mom, dad. I didn't know. I thought you just... didn't approve and cut me off because of it."

"We didn't approve, but you're our son. We will always love you." Calvin said softly. "We thought you were upset with us because we wanted you to have a prenup with that woman."

"It's all water under the bridge now," Debra said sternly, "We've got our son back and now we can focus on moving forward."

"Yes, Dear," Calvin said with an eye roll. The rest of the day was the same. They offered him love and gave him space as he needed.

The next day they were downstairs at three getting ready. Debra had a small wrapped box in her hands and was fretting but Travis didn't notice. He was trapped in his own head. "We'll be back around six. Will you be OK?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I'll be fine. You go... have fun or whatever you need to do. I'll see you when you get back," he replied with a half-hearted smile.

"I love you," Debra said then hugged him and kissed his temple. Calvin hugged him as well then followed his wife out.

When they got to the diner, Clover and David were already seated and waiting. David was quietly coloring and looked up at their approach. "Hi. Momma said we were going to have snacks with you. I like snacks."

"I do too," Debra smiled and sat down, Calvin sat beside her.

"Welcome," Clover murmured then slid the still sealed envelope over to them. "The moment of truth."

Calvin took a breath and opened it. He pulled it out and stared down. "Oh my god..." he slid his arm around Debra as her lower lip trembled. "He's... our grandson."

"Why are they sad, Momma?"

"Not sad," Calvin corrected, "Overwhelmed."

"Remember when we went to the doctor and they took blood from me, you, and Mister Calvin and we got ice cream because you were so brave?" David nodded, "Now we have proof that Mister Calvin and Miss Debra are your grandparents. Like Gramma Rose and Grampa David."

"OK," he beamed "Grandma Debra and Grandpa Calvin." He paused, "What about finding my Daddy?"

"We will in time," Clover murmured. "Remember, your Daddy's girlfriend wants us to wait to introduce you to him."

"OK," he said and promptly went back to coloring.

Calvin murmured, "About that...," trailing off. "There's been a... development." He looked at Debra.

"They're no longer together," Debra murmured. "But she knew?"

"David," Clover looked up, "You're doing a really good job coloring, why don't you go show Miss Danielson while I take a moment with grandma and grandpa?"

"OK," he took his drawing and slid out of the booth, he went over to a teenager sitting nearby to show her and talk to her. She looked at Clover who nodded.

"Miss Danielson agreed to watch him if I needed her to," she murmured in explanation. She pulled out her phone and unlocked it. She pulled up the screenshots of messages both via phone and her attempts via Facebook. "I tried," she offered, placing it in front of them. "I saved proof so he couldn't say later that I didn't."

They both nodded, though Calvin's face was dark. "I can't believe she... Of all the manipulative...," he growled in frustration, his hands clenching and unclenching, not knowing how to solve this.

Debra started to cry silently and leaned into Calvin, "All those missed years."

"I'm sorry," Clover offered. "When she threatened me with the restraining order I just... I gave up. I was too busy and my therapist said I just shut down and focused on the needful of taking care of David." She shrugged, "But now we know and can move forward. Gradually introduce him to spending more time with the two of you if you'd like?"

"Of course, we'd like," Calvin murmured. "And anything we can do to help, you don't hesitate to call. Ever," he added. "But... what do we do about... Travis? He has no idea, and I can't believe my son wouldn't care... That's not... him."

"I don't know," Clover offered. "You two know him best and what his current situation is. If you want to tell him, tell him. If you don't want to tell him yet, don't tell him yet. I'd just like a heads up if you want the two of them to meet so I can talk to David first. He doesn't do change well."

"He needs to know, but...," Debra murmured, "I think a little time might help."

"Not too much," Calvin said, "I don't want him to think we're keeping him away because we're mad at him."

Debra nodded in agreement. "A couple of days at most," she murmured.

"As I said, you two are in charge of that," Clover murmured. She turned to look at David, "He deserves a good Father."

"While I agree," Calvin said, reaching out to pat her hand. "I will state that he's already got a fantastic mother, who is a pretty amazing woman in her own right," he said, his voice thick and his eyes brimming with both tears and approval.

Clover looked up at him, then smiled and put her hand over his, then took Debra's hand as well. "Family," she said simply. "We'll build a family together. Now, why don't I have David join us again, then he can have his snack." At their nods, she turned back, "Thank you for watching David."

David bounded back over and climbed up into the booth next to Clover again. When the teenager went to walk by, Clover handed her a twenty. She smiled and left, then Clover focused on them again. "And Momma said that I could have swimming lessons this summer. She said it's good to know how to swim." He looked up at them, "Do you two have a pool? Momma said she can't afford a big one, but we've got a little one that we can play in."

Calvin smiled, "We do indeed have a pool, son. And we'd be happy to have you over whenever your mother agrees so that you can use it." He looked at Clover. "You and your mother are always welcome. Always," he added softly.

David looked up at his mother, then pushed his fingers together. Clover looked down at him, then smiled. "Yes, sweetheart, we can ask." She looked up at them, "He'd like for you two to come to his birthday next weekend. I'm having a cookout in the backyard."

"Grammy Rosemary and Grampa David will be there and you can meet them." David said softly, "You don't have to bring me presents, I just want family."

Calvin chuckled as Debra gasped softly and the tears started again. "Of course, we'll be there, and there will be presents. It's not a birthday without presents," he said, struggling to keep his own emotions in check.

He pondered that, then looked up at his Mom who nodded, "OK, Momma said that sometimes adults do things because they feel like it's right to do. So if you think so, you can. I'm just glad I get a grandma and grandpa." He smiled brightly, "Nicky at school has a grandma and grandpa but they live in flor... flor... the place south."

"Florida," Clover prompted.

"Yeah, there, so they facetime, but they're always grumpy because of hurricanes." He continued chattering away about his friend Nicky and mean Bethany who always takes the red crayon. Clover was silent, a small, happy smile on her face as she gave him the chance to connect with Debra and Calvin.

After their snack, she rose from the booth. "I'll let you two get home. I'll send you a calendar invite to the party." She hugged them both, then let David decide, he hugged them as well, then he handed Calvin the picture he was coloring with his name written on the bottom.

"Bye Grandpa Calvin, Bye Grandma Debra, see you later!" He took Clover by the hand, and the two walked out. Once more he was chattering away, this time about how happy he was to have more family.

The two of them drove back home and sat in the car for a long moment, holding hands as they looked at the drawing. "He's so precious...," Calvin breathed.

"I can't get over his whole, I don't want presents just family," Debra murmured, a tear streaking her wrinkled cheek. "So adorable."

"I want to align the universe... just this once, honey. I want to make this happen. It deserves to...," he said in a trembling voice. "I know I can't... Nobody can. But... I want to."

"Me too," Debra responded, "God... how are we going to tell him? This is going to shatter him. First, she blocked us, and now... she prevented him from being there for Clover and his son."

"I don't know, hon. I really don't. But I know that keeping it from him is worse. All we can do is tell him the truth and be there for him," he said softly.

She reached up and wiped the tear away, "I don't even know if I can go in and face him. He needs to know, but I don't know how to tell him. I hate that woman. I try not to hate, but I hate that woman. I want to make bad things happen to her, the hurt... that poor little boy, our son... Clover." She choked on her tears, "God, Clover, she's so strong, I wish I had half her strength."

Calvin slid his arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "We'll figure it out, together." He sobbed too, the two of them crying quietly in the car, the emotions overwhelming and disheartening.

The next several days were hard on Calvin and Debra, they wanted to tell him but never found the words. It was Wednesday, and they were in town for groceries and decided to stop off at the diner for a bite to eat. Clover had her back to the door and was watching David as he drank his milk. "And then Bethany was all, 'but that's my red crayon'. And I told her no, this one is mine and it has my name. She hit me, but I told the teacher because you told me that I should tell a teacher first and then only hit back if the teacher doesn't listen."

He trailed off and his eyes lit up. Clover didn't have a chance to react before he was hopping out of the booth, "GRANDMA DEBRA! GRANDPA CALVIN!" He flung his arms around their legs. "You're here, you're here. Momma and I are having ice cream, you can join us." He turned to start tugging them towards the table. "And I can tell you the story about the crayon!"

Clover stood and turned to face the door, "Debra, Calvin. I didn't expect to see you," She smiled, "David, honey let them breathe for a moment before dragging them willy-nilly." She focused her gaze on David, not seeing Travis behind his father.

Travis froze. He knew that voice and it was a dagger in his heart. Peering out from behind his father, he saw her. His high school best friend and one-time lover. It was then that the words the boy had used hit him. Grandma. Grandpa. His brow furrowed and he looked at the young boy, his jaw dropping open as he stared into a mirror.

"OK, Momma," David said, then took Debra's hand, "But I still have to tell them the story about the crayon."

"Of course," she froze as she saw Travis, her eyes flicking between Debra and Calvin, then back to Travis. The smile faded, "Why don't you come and finish your milk, OK?" David, sensing the tension bounded over, then wrapped his arms around Clover. She slowly sank back into the booth on David's side. "You're welcome to join us."

Travis blinked, stunned. "I don't...," he started, then shook his head. "I...," he tried again before finally breathing, "How?" the pain on his face naked and consuming.

"Momma, is that my Daddy?" David asked softly.

"Yes, Baby. Do you want to sit with Grandma and Grandpa while I talk to him?" She asked softly.

"OK, Grandma and Grandpa can help me color." She gave Debra and Calvin a strained smile and tilted her head.

"We'd be delighted, why don't you two go for a walk outside, then you can come back and we'll spend time together," Debra gasped, trying to salvage the situation.

Clover moved to let David sit on the booth, then kissed the top of his head, "Be good for Grandma and Grandpa. I'll be right outside." She rose to walk towards them, she swallowed and gestured to the door. "Shall we?"

He followed her mute, his mind racing. It wasn't possible, was it? But she'd left him to go on her mission thing. Why didn't she tell him? He wasn't some deadbeat that would have abandoned her. He'd loved her with all his heart. He just hadn't been, enough. They walked outside and he turned to look at her, not even capable of voicing the hurricane of thoughts racing through his head. All she saw was the pain, the guilt.

"From the looks of things Debra and Calvin haven't broken the news... they just recently learned." She gestured for them to walk, her hands folded behind her back and clenching together. She desperately wanted to wrap him in a hug and soothe his pain but she wouldn't, she couldn't, not now. "I had been sending emails regularly, during my mission when I could get to a town. I guess you never checked it because I never got a reply. When I was six months along I couldn't hide it anymore and they sent me back to the States. I landed in Atlanta. I tried to call you... a woman answered your number, said you had a new girlfriend and didn't need old baggage."

He shook his head in shock. "She...? Oh God, she...?" A shaking hand went into his pocket and withdrew his phone. "Said... we shouldn't have...," he looked at the blank screen. "...secrets... Oh God, no... No, no, no...," he looked up at her, a man shattered. Stumbling he slammed against the wall of Bellamy's a local crafting store and sank to the ground, looking up at her as the tears filled his eyes.

She moved, then sank down beside him and pulled out her own phone. "I called again when I went into labor... she said you were too busy to be tied down with a bastard child..." She swallowed, then typed in his phone number. It didn't ring. Instead, the tiny voice came back, "We're sorry, you've been blocked by this number." Tears streaked her face then she pulled up her Facebook, showing him the messages she had sent. Then finally, the final one, two years ago. 'If you contact us again I'll file a restraining order. Leave me alone.'

"David doesn't know," she continued. "I told him that your new girlfriend was helping you get things situated. Then... Debra and Calvin found me... we had a DNA test done, got the results on Monday."

He stared at her phone as his own slid from his fingers and clattered on the cement. His eyes slid closed and tears streamed down his face. For long moments, he was silent, then he threw back his head and screamed out his pain. Everyone on the street, everyone in the shops and the cafe, everyone turned and looked at the two of them as he collapsed, his body wracked with bitter sobs, mumbling something about 'sorry' and 'didn't know'. He clutched at his sides, his arms folded across his body, and wept like a baby, not caring who saw. For all he knew, they might have been the only two people on the planet at that moment. No one else existed.

Clover flinched at the scream, then moved to wrap him in her arms. She held him as he sobbed and swallowed her own pain and tears. She would let them lose in therapy. She rocked him from side to side, letting him cry in her arms. People moved on, glancing at them uncomfortably. A few moments later, they were joined by David who had darted out at the scream. He started hugging them both as tight as he could.

Through the pain, he felt a small body clinging to him. He managed to blink his eyes open to see a wavy image of David holding them both. Travis began mumbling, "It's OK. Don't worry, little man. ...Fine. You didn't do anything wrong... I promise," trying to comfort him as he realized that he was now the cause of this young man's distress as well.