Generation 2, Chapter 14 - She's at it Again

Long Long Way to Happy

Coming home wasn't everything Adam expected.  He had looked forward to spending extra time with his son, he had all summer before he had to go back to college in the fall. His plan faltered in the face of one very cranky toddler.

 

"No Daddy, go way," Heath said pushing on his leg.

Adam looked down at his son, wondering why he was acting this way. All he wanted to do was spend quality time with him and this is what he got. He should have known that Heath would be acting out. He was too young to understand why his daddy was gone all the time. Adam understood but it didn't lesson his frustration as he listened to his son whine and fuss, repeating for him to go away.

"Heath, honey Daddy isn't going anywhere. I'm home and I missed you."

"Daddy home?" he asked tearfully looking up.

"That's right," Adam said smiling down at him. He was amazed at how much his son had grown in the past year. He was almost four years old and beginning to learn so much. He missed watching him discover the world around him, he worried that maybe he was missing too much of his son's life.

"Do you want me to go away?" Adam asked. His answer was a quick tug on his pants leg as Heath grabbed him.

"Daddy stay," he demanded sticking out his bottom lip pouting as he thought his daddy would leave.

"Easy there bud, I'm not going anywhere. Adam said sitting down to play with his son. He dreaded the time when he had to go back to college. He had one more year to go, then he'd have his degree, he would be home for good.

Adam marveled at his father's ability to juggle the needs of all his kids. It left him envious of his parenting skills, he made it look so easy. He watched as Peter grabbed Grace as she ran past him and scooped her up under his arm as he helped Faith with her homework. Faith tried so hard but struggled with her school work. She found reading difficult and was taking summer school to maintain her grades so that she wouldn't be left behind.

Faith's reading problems was a mystery, she wasn't dyslexic, yet she struggled to keep the words and letters from becoming jumbled in her mind. She was able to explain and answer questions about the material if someone read it to her but to do it herself, it came out a jumbled mess. It was almost like it turned into a foreign language that her brain couldn't translate. A simple assignment that took Grace minutes to complete had Faith struggling to complete hours later.

Adam didn't know how his father managed the patience to assist her every night, to explain it to her in a way she could understand. He never seemed to lose his patience as she struggled and yet he managed to not to neglect anyone else. Adam hoped he would be half the parent his father was; although he felt he was failing miserably.

Heath sat on the floor staring at the doll in front of him. "Don't like," he complained out loud as Jean walked by.

Stopping, she picked him up asking "what don't you like?"

Pointing down "don't like ugly doll."

"Oh Elliot had one of those when he was little," Jean smiled remembering how he would insist the doll was real. She frowned wondering if Elliot had given Heath his old doll. If he didn't, where did this one come from? The girls didn't have rag dolls they preferred playing with Barbies instead.

Seeing Adam coming towards her, she put Heath down. "Adam do you know where this doll came from?"

Looking down, Adam felt his heart drop to his stomach as he saw the doll he had thrown away when Heath was a baby. Windy must have found it and sent it here. Before he was able to answer, they were diverted by Heath who was fussing at the doll.

"Don't look at me, ugly doll," slapping it face down on the floor. Tugging on Adam's leg he firmly announced "don't like ugly doll."

Adam patted his head as he bent down and picked up the doll. "It's alright son, I'll get rid of it for you"

Smiling brightly he said "Thank you Daddy."

Taking the doll Adam went in search of his father "Dad, you have a moment?"

"We have about 5 minutes left then I'll be free," Peter said giving his attention back to Faith. Grace looking up saw the doll in Adams arm. "You found it," she exclaimed.

"Do you know where this came from?" he asked his little sister.

Nodding she said "A lady dropped it off by the mailbox."

Kneeling in front of her, Adam asked "Do you remember what the lady looked like?"

Scrunching up her face as she thought, Grace began to shake her head no when she blurted out "she had blue hair."

Adam swore under his breath, trying to control his emotions so as not to upset the little girl. "Did the lady say anything?"

Grace nodded as she tried to remember "she said the doll was for you, to remind you of how you met." Looking up at her brother she asked "Did something happen to it?"

"No Grace it's fine. It's just that Heath got a hold of it."

"Oh, he didn't break it did he?"

"No he didn't really like it," noticing his dad was finished he told Grace "Don't worry about it honey, it's ok." He smiled reassuringly at her. She smiled back before running off to play with her sister.

Peter asked "Do you think it was Windy?"

"It has to be. Grace is positive she had blue hair. Also she said that the doll was for me to remember her by."

"It's Windy alright. Look's like she's out of jail." Peter sighed knowing that trouble was looming on the horizon.

"Maybe I should hold off on going back to college. At least until we know what she's up to."

"Son you can't keep putting your life on hold. You know as well as I do that Windy is unpredictable and who knows if or when she'll do anything. We need to call the police and let them know what had happened. Windy knows she's not be within 100 yards of you or Heath, so she's in violation of her parole at the very least."

"Your right. It's just knowing she was here that sets my teeth on edge. Heath is my responsibility and being away from him makes me feel like I'm failing him as a father."

"I know it's hard but it will get better. You know he's in good hands, right?"

"I know, dad. Thank you for always being here for me and helping me with Heath. I love you."

"I love you too son."

While Adam and Peter spoke with the police, Faith and Brian watched from the kitchen window.

"Are they in trouble?" Faith asked in concern.

"No honey, they came over because of that doll that was left here," Brian thought for a moment, then asked "have you seen a blue haired lady hanging around the house?"

Staring out the window, Faith answered "No but I saw one at school."

"What was she doing?" Brian asked trying to remain calm.

Shrugging she said "I dunno, something about tutu ..."

"Tutoring?" Brian asked

"Yeah that's it. They said Dad was looking for one to help me with my homework and they thought she'd be good."

"Come on Faith," Brian said getting up. "We have to go tell Dad and the police officers about this lady."