He glanced up at Sally. She’d turned pink, hearing Tom’s comments.
He held out his hand to Tom. “Nice to see you again, Tom. Do you think I could meet Liesl?”
Tom looked at him, uncertainty in his eyes. “Liesl. Come here and meet Uncle Derek.”
The young girl walked over slowly, her blue eyes holding his gaze. She didn’t seem to blink. He had a feeling she could read his soul.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Derek.” Her voice and manners were perfect, but he felt like she was addressing a stranger. Which in fairness he was.
“Uncle Derek silly. He’s Aunt Sally’s husband,” Tom admonished but Liesl just stared.
“Nice to meet you, Liesl. You’re very pretty. I love your dress.”
“Mum made it for me. She’s good at that. Are you here to stay? Where’s your case?” Liesl looked behind him.
“I have to check with your Mum first. Tom, do you think you could take Liesl to Callaghan’s and buy her something?”
“A gobstopper?” Tom gave Derek a hopeful glance but Sally intervened.
“No Tom. I told you she is too small for them. Buy her some licorice or whatever Mr. Callaghan has. The ration book is in the cupboard.”
“I know. Come on Liesl, let’s go before they get all mushy.”
“Why will they get mushy?” Liesl stared at Derek before Tom dragged her away.
“I wish we could get mushy,” Derek said lightly, but the look on Sally’s face told him not to try joking.
“Sally, I… oh heck I had it all laid out in my head and now I can’t remember what I was going to say.”
“What are you doing here? Did you bring papers?” Her lovely face showed signs of strain, large black circles under her eyes, her mouth thinned. The hurt in her eyes. All of this was his fault.
He didn’t follow what she was saying at first but then it dawned on him.
“No, Sally. I don’t want a divorce. I want to be your husband.”
“Derek, I want that too but I can’t…” She turned away from him. He took her by the arm and swung her around but held her gently.
“Listen to me. I want you and the children. I’ve been so stupid. I didn’t know my backside from my elbow. I’m such a fool. Please tell me it’s not too late.”
“You want the children?”
“Yes.”
She didn’t look convinced, “but what if we have children of our own?” Her cheeks turned pink. His Sally, still embarrassed, after all they had been to one another.
He rubbed her hands in his, wanting to hug her but sensing it was too soon.
“Then we will have a big family like you said you wanted. I don’t care if we have the two, we have, or ten more. I want you, Sally and those kids.”
Sally hesitated.
He took a step toward her. “I know I hurt you and I wish I could take back every word I said. I was in a bad place. I should have gone to the hospital straight away.”
“What was wrong? Why didn’t you let me visit?”
“I had some shrapnel in an old wound. They had to operate to take it out. There was a chance I might not walk again and I didn’t want you to feel under a burden.”
He almost stepped back from the blaze of anger in her eyes.
“Derek Matthews, I don’t know if I want to slap you or hug you. I married you in sickness and in health.”
“I’d like the second option.”
But Sally seemed not to hear him.
“You’re my husband. I wanted you back so badly I wouldn’t have cared if you came back with one leg, one arm or one eye.” Sally threw herself into his arms. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her back.
“Sally forgive me for being such a cad.
“I love you, Derek. I always will.”
He drew away from her but didn’t let her go. “It will be hard at first. You and me, we aren’t the same people we were all those years ago.”
“I know that.”
“I miss my docile, little wife,” he responded.
“Your what? I was never docile, Derek. You take that back.”
He kissed her deeply, removing all ability for either of them to speak.
“See, I told you they’d get mushy.”
Sally pushed him away, redder in the face than he’d ever seen her.
She rubbed her hands on her dress as she said, “Tom, that was fast. We didn’t expect you to come back so quickly.”
“I wanted to make sure he didn’t disappear again, like last time.”
Tom’s look made Derek feel like a heel.
“Come here son, I have something to ask you.”
Tom came closer, holding Liesl by the hand.
“I’d like to come here and live with you. Would that be okay with you?” Derek asked, watching Tom’s face closely. He hadn’t realized until right this minute how much he wanted the boy to agree.
“You mean forever?” Tom asked.
“Yes. Or at least until you find your own girl, move out and have a home of your own.”
“Yuck! I’m never getting married. Are you really going to stay? You aren’t going to disappear again if I go to Maggie’s or somewhere. You did that last time.” The accusing look made Derek feel lower than a snake.
“Yes, I did. I can’t give you any excuse other than to tell you I’m sorry. I was a fool. But give me a second chance and I won’t let you down. I may mess up sometimes, but all dads do that.”
At the look on Tom’s face, he realized what he had said.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean…”
Tom spoke over him, the hopeful look in his eyes tearing Derek apart, “You want to be my Dad. Like, for real?”
Sally slipped her hand into Derek’s. Derek choked on the lump in his throat.
“Yes, I would. I can never take the place of your Papa but I’d like to be your Dad.”
Tom looked at Sally.
“Does that mean I could call you Mum, like Liesl does?”
Derek heard Sally’s hard swallow.
“I’d love for you to
