Page 10 of Wolves' Midlife Reunion
“Is that what you want help with?” Dex asked. He was no tech support expert, but he knew he could figure it out.
“No, no.” David turned away from the computer. He got out of his chair and came around the desk to sit next to Dex, angling his chair a little so that they faced each other. “I actually wanted to talk to you about the reunion tonight. There’s a good chance you might run into someone you haven’t seen in a long time.”
Who had told him about Tina? Dex hadn’t even mentioned his run-in to Debbie. Could Sage have spilled the beans? It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to make a big deal out of this, and he wouldn’t let anyone else, either. “I’m not worried about it.”
“I know. You’re a grown man now, and the past is the past. If Chris Kelly wants to keep living in his youth, that’s his problem. It doesn’t mean he won’t make it a problem for you, though.”
Dex’s stomach turned into a lead ball and dropped. He’d gotten so wrapped up in thinking about Tina that he’d forgotten about Chris ‘Killer’ Kelly over the past few days. “Ugh. Yeah.”
“You’re well past the point of needing my advice, but the truth is that I’m not done giving it,” his father said with a smile. “I hope Chris has matured, but there’s a chance he hasn’t. If he tries to start anything with you, then just walk away from him.”
“No offense, but this is the kind of advice I give Sage about being on the playground,” Dex replied.
“I know that, but I also know how much that whole incident hurt you. You had a hard time dealing with it. As a parent, it was scary to watch you go through that. I don’t want you to have to go through it again. Just remember that if Chris tries to start a fight, the consequences just aren’t worth it.”
“Yeah,” Dex said quietly. “I know.”
“And I’m not above calling his dad,” David said, slapping his hands on his knees and standing up. “I don’t care if you boys are in your forties or not.”
Dex laughed at the idea. “That would be interesting, but hopefully it won’t come to that. I’m just going to make my appearance, shake a few hands, and reminisce about old times. I have a feeling Debbie is going to want to stay for a while, though, so we might be late getting back.”
“You two should just have the kids spend the night here,” his father reasoned. “They can have a slumber party, and then you and Debbie don’t have to worry about anything.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” Dex hesitated. He didn’t like being without Sage for a minute longer than he had to, but he also knew how hard it’d be on her if she’d already fallen asleep there and then had to go home and get in bed.
“Absolutely. I want the two of you to have a good time.”
When Dex made his way back out to the entryway and found Debbie, it seemed his parents were on the same page. “Mom insisted the kids spend the night,” she said. “Far be it from me to say no, if Mom and Dad want to torture themselves like that.”
Dex said one last goodbye before he walked out to Debbie’s car with her and got in the passenger seat. “It kind of sucks that Tom can’t come with you tonight.”
“When you’re married to a pilot, you get used to it,” she reasoned as she fired up the engine. “He could’ve arranged to be off and come to the reunion with me, but I told him I’d rather he be available for our vacation next month.”
“Right. The Wisconsin Dells. I forgot.”
“You’re welcome to join us.” Debbie backed out of the driveway. “You and Sage would have a great time.”
“Maybe. I’ll think about it.” He’d have to see if he could arrange enough time off work, and then, of course, he’d have to pull Sage out of school. There were too many decisions to make around that right now.
Debbie shifted the car back into drive, but she kept her foot on the brake as she looked at Dex. “What is it?”
He couldn’t hide anything from her if he tried. When they were children, their minds were remarkably melded. That had changed over the years, as they’d become adults and spent less of their time together, but they could still read each other easily. “Dad was talking to me before we left about running into Chris. I’d given it a little thought when I got the invitation for the reunion, but now…”
“What?” she urged, letting off the brake.
“I don’t know how to feel about the whole thing,” Dex admitted. “Part of me hopes that he doesn’t show up at all, or that if he does, he keeps to himself. I’ve really tried to put that whole incident behind me, and I don’t need it dragged out again.”
“And the other part?” Debbie asked. She glanced in the mirror to check her hair.
“The other part wants him to come right up to me so we can get it over with. Whether he wants to talk like a mature adult, or if he wants to try something, it’d be easier not to have to wonder.” That, he realized as he said it, was the crux of the situation. Sitting around waiting for something to happen—or potentially not happen—was the worst.
Debbie flicked her hand in the air. “Chris is a loser, and you shouldn’t waste your brain space thinking about him.”
“I wouldn’t have to, if you hadn’t insisted that I go to this reunion,” he pointed out.
“I couldn’t let you just skulk out of this.” She rolled to a stop, checked for traffic, and then hit the gas. “You would’ve made an excuse, and you wouldn’t have gone.”
“I would not.”
