You Got It Wrong - Part Two

Chapter Two

Theo Peterson hated being late, he rarely was, if it happened, then invariably it was never his fault. But frankly since he’d met his soon to be ex-wife she’d been causing destruction and devastation in his life. He paced the hallway before knocking the door once again, but there was no answer.

Glancing down at the small girl beside him, he sighed, “she’s not home sugar. I think you’re going to have to come see Granddad with me.”

Melody his three year old little girl looked up at him with huge eyes, “where is she?”

He scooped her up into his arms, “I don’t know, she must be a little late. We’ll call back later, or maybe tomorrow. Do you want to come and see my Granddad? He lives by the beach, a little trip in the car?”

She bit her lip and he hated that tears welled in her eyes, “hey Melody, come on, it’ll be fun. Let’s go to the shop first, ok? Then we’ll get some ice cream for the drive. Sound good?”

When she nodded he kissed her on the nose, “amazing little girl, we’ll have SO much fun!”

 Twenty minutes later she was sat in the back of his car in her car seat eating a biscuit, a smile on her face, fifteen minutes later she was asleep, finally he could call the bitch that he’d married.

                “Sadie? I know you’re there.”

A groan preceded her replying, “what now?”

                “Are you drunk? It’s three o’clock in the afternoon...you are supposed to be having Melody.”

                “What?”

He saw red, since the day that they’d got married; the caring, funny woman he had met and fallen in love with had changed. She’d become something so much different, she’d become obsessed with money, HIS money, and living a life that involved spas, shopping and lunching. She craved a lifestyle that he felt was beyond his means and they argued repeatedly about it. He’d thought that Melody arriving would change things, and for him, the moment he held that little bundle in his arms he’d been besotted. And that had meant that Sadie could get away with more. Now, with the power of retrospect he could see his role in it all, he was working harder and harder, spent the weekends happy to care for his baby daughter. Sadie took every opportunity to get out, be seen, and their relationship deteriorated. But drinking? Drunk in the middle of the day?

He shook his head in distress, “Sadie, Melody is staying with me until I can work out what to do. You weren’t where you were supposed to be, and you are in no fit state to look after her, so you won’t. She’s staying with me. Meet me tomorrow when she’s in nursery and we can discuss what happens.”

                “But...”

She was slurring and he felt red mist descend on his world, how could she?

Because she’s never cared about anyone but herself. He hated the voice of reason sat there to remind him of the mistakes he’d made. Then he caught sight of his darling little girl in the rear view mirror. Whatever he did, whatever he regretted, that disaster of a marriage had led to her, and for that reason he wouldn’t change a single thing. She was the apple of his eye, and he hated that he only saw her at weekends. Sadie wasn’t interested in her, she only wanted to use their daughter to bleed him dry, he was already paying for them to live in a ridiculous post code, thankfully his work was taking off and he could afford for that at the moment, that didn’t mean he didn’t begrudge her and her antics. Especially now that she had abandoned Melody.

Pulling up at the Residential home with a sea view, he parked his truck in the car park then skipped out, waking Melody gently.

                “Come on cherub, we’re here.”  She opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy smile, and he felt his heart melt, “My granddad is waiting.”

Scooping her up, he carried her into the entrance to the building, and strolled inside.

                “He’s what?” Theo shook his head, “he knew I was coming.”

The receptionist smiled awkwardly, he knew he cut an imposing figure and he couldn’t contain his anger, “he’s gone out. He didn’t say when he’d be back. He’s been a little sad the last few days...”

Theo shrugged, he wasn’t close to his grandfather, but then he wasn’t close to his parents. He shook his head, he hadn’t known his grandfather until he was sixteen so he’d missed out on some of the formative years of their relationship. He hadn’t known who his father was until he was twelve either; his mother hadn’t divulged that information until he found a picture of her and a man who he guessed was his father as he was starting secondary school. At the time he had no idea how to trace his father, but over the next few years he searched, not frantically, but pretty regularly until he got a few leads. It was a few days after his sixteenth birthday that he found Mansell Gershwin, his grandfather...his father was a stranger to his own father as well as his son.

It had been a difficult relationship, but he loved the old man in his own way and had dropped everything to make it to Brighton when really he had a lot of other things he should be doing. And he wasn’t there.

He smiled at Melody, “shall we go get something to eat? I expect Granddad will be here when we get back.” He glanced at the receptionist, “call me as soon as he comes back?” He tossed them a business card and didn’t wait for any response from the woman.

There was a cafe a few buildings along the road, so he bundled his daughter in to a window seat then ordered a coffee for himself and a huge doughnut for her.

                “Daddy?”

His eyes moved from their position on the street to the blue eyes of his daughter, “yes darling?”

                “Where’s Mummy?”

Theo sighed, “she’s away darling, but she’ll be home soon. Do you miss her?”

She shrugged such a mature gesture for her tiny shoulders, “maybe...but I like doughnuts!”

That made him laugh, and as he tapped his thigh and let her climb up onto his lap. “Well there are plenty more where that came from. You may be staying in my house for a little while, is that ok?”

Melody nodded, “as long as there is doughnuts.”

Theo was still chuckling at her conversation when he spotted his usually regal grandfather hunched over shuffling across the road towards the Home.

                “Come on darling there he is.” He bundled Melody into her coat, then pocketed the rest of her doughnut. “Quick before he disappears like a dream.”

Melody was once again in his arms giggling like the child she was as they burst into the reception, and it was her laughter that made Mansell look at the noise.

                “Theo? You came?”

Theo nodded, “you sounded serious on the phone.”

Mansell stepped towards them, “oh Melody, it’s SUCH a treat to see my GREAT granddaughter. How are you here?”

                “Mummy’s missing!” She announced.

Theo rolled his eyes, as Mansell looked at him questioningly.

                “Can we go to your flat?”

It was his grandfathers’ turn to roll his eyes, “flat? Don’t over exaggerate.” But with a nod, he led them up the corridor.

Melody was settled in front of the TV within moments, Mansell managed to find some Peppa Pig on one of the channels, then he offered Theo a drink.

Theo shook his head, “no, I’m fine. But I want to know what’s up? Why did you sound so desperate on the phone? Why are you so...sad?”

He watched the older man move around the kitchen making coffee for a moment, when he finally looked up he was more than sorrowful than he’d ever seen him.

                “I want to go to Normandy. But your useless father won’t take me, Daniel is too busy...”

Theo groaned, his father was a first class bastard, he was as likely to cut off a limb as help out one of his family members, Daniel was different, his older half brother had welcomed him with open arms as a teenager, and now as a forty year old pillar of the community, politician, businessman, father and husband he’d have expected him to do anything for their grandfather.

                “I’d believe that of Robert the bastard, but Daniel, really?”
Mansell rolled his eyes, “it’s the anniversary of D-day in two weeks, I can’t get to Normandy on my own...I’m too old. I just want someone to take me.”

Theo sighed, he was about to embark on a bitter custody battle with his wife over their daughter, he couldn’t disappear, and there was no way Sadie would let him take Melody with them.

                “Can you take me Theo?”

How could he say no? But how could he commit to something that was out of his control.

                “I’ll sort it; I’ll speak to Daniel...” His pride wouldn’t let him admit to the mess his own life had become. But that riled his grandfather even more.

                “Great! You too. I ask for nothing from this family...all I want...” he sighed, “what the hell does it matter? I’m locked up in this bloody place...See yourself out?”

With that he walked into the bedroom and shut the door. Leaving Theo running his hands through his hair in disbelief.

Theo looked at Melody playing happily with the Barbie doll that she’d found in his car, oh to be young and innocent. With a sigh of despair, he called to her and they headed for the car. The one thing he knew was that he got his stubborn streak from the Gershwin branch of the family.  He’d have more luck speaking to Daniel than he would Mansell, so he headed for his truck and a trip back to London.