Posted by Rebecca on 8/18/2013, 8:39 pm VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Camp Connection - Part 5
Bo stared at Matthew. His son.
“So what do you think he would say?” Matthew asked innocently.
Bo smiled, and struggled to keep his emotions in check. “I think he would say he was a very, very, very lucky many to have a son like you.”
As the two of them sat side by side on the dock, with their feet dangling, Bo gave him a shoulder nudge and the two sat quietly for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.
***********
Nora shifted in her bed, aware that it was late, or early, she wasn’t sure which. Lying on her side, she pulled the covers over her shoulder, snuggling back into the cozy warmth. After a few minutes she opened her eyes, and with the moonlight coming in the window, she could see a form sitting in the lounge chair across the room.
“Is he my son?”
“You know it’s not very polite to come into someone’s bedroom uninvited.”
“Answer the question, is he my son?”
“You know he is.”
“No, I don’t!” Bo whispered as loud as he could. “How could I have known?”
“I wrote you a letter that I needed to talk to you but the response sent back said have a nice life.”
“I didn’t--”
“And then I wrote another one telling you that we were pregnant. And the response to that one was even more rude. I tried a few more times but finally gave up.” Nora was crying now, all the pain from that time rising to the surface once again.
Bo leaned back in the chair and covered his face with his hands.
“I promise I tried to tell you Bo,” she whispered, trying to get her emotions under control. “I assumed you just wanted nothing more to do with me, even with our child.”
Bo sat for a few minutes longer, then pulled up the chair to the side of the bed.
“I didn’t know, I swear to you I didn’t know. I...had some issues when we separated and didn’t handle things very well, some things not at all. Clint helped me find a lawyer who dealt with everything.”
“A little too well.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that all alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I had Rachel, my parents, Hank.”
“Sam?”
“Are you serious?!” Nora erupted, the shock of his words causing her to forget to whisper. She covered her mouth, and waited for a minute, hoping she didn't wake the kids. “Are you serious?,” she whispered. “Bo, Sam moved to California after he left Llanview, I haven’t spoken to him in years. Sam was your issue, not mine. I didn’t want him, I never did. I only wanted you.”
“And I only wanted you.”
“Until you didn’t.”
“I never didn’t want you, but I know I played a large part in our break up. I let past doubts cloud my judgment, which apparently I haven’t completely resolved. We were a victim of miscommunication and interfering third parties. We lost the trust we had in each other. I’m sorry Nora, I regret every day of my life that I didn’t handle that time better.”
“I’m sorry too Bo, I have plenty of blame on my end as well. My deception, even if it was intended to be helpful, was what tore us apart. I can’t say I would have done it differently if the circumstances were the same, but I regret that it cost me you.”
They both reached out to grab the other’s hands, and let what they had just said process. Though it was awkward to be holding hands, neither wanted to let go.
Bo smiled, “I’ve met Mathew, he’s an incredible kid. You’ve done a really great job with him.”
“He’s you.”
“No! He’s all you...stubborn, opinionated, smart!”
“I haven’t said anything. He knows his father’s name, but he only knows me as Major, the fishing guy. I’ve talked to him so many times since he’s been here. He and I gravitated toward one another. He’s told me about his family and his life and we’ve talked about my life. I never made the connection though. Once I did find out he was your son, I assumed he was Sam’s.” Bo shook his head, letting himself dismiss the thought. “He has this idea that his dad is a really good guy.”
“You are a really good guy.”
“I’m so frustrated that I didn’t connect the pieces. You even told me when I asked you about Matthew’s father. I said why aren’t you with him and you answered that you were. You meant me but I thought you meant you were in a relationship with some great guy in Chicago that you had a family with. It killed me.”
“I stay pretty busy, there’s not much time for a social life,” she whispered, not meeting his gaze.
“Me too. Well, that and there aren’t a lot of women out here.”
Nora took a deep breath, and closed her eyes tight. “That’s a lie.”
“No, really, it’s mainly guys here, the girls’ camp is across the lake and I never go over there.”
“No, I mean about me. I’m not too busy, I’m just...not over you.” She looked up and saw his smile, even in the dimness of the room.
Bo leaned closer and cupped the side of her face in his hand, “That makes two of us.”
He looked down at her mouth and started to lean forward, until he heard Nora’s bedroom door open.