Plus, there’s a bunch of other issues with him that are a matter of public record.” Jake said it as if he was proud of it. “That isn’t the kind of man I want hanging around my son.”
“How long ago was that?” I asked, because that didn’t sound like the Rocco I knew.
“A few years, but it’s on his record. If he didn’t own that company of his he probably wouldn’t be able to get a job. Not with an assault conviction and jail time.”
“Owen loves him.” The minute the words were out I knew it was the wrong thing to say.
“That’s another thing,” Jake flared, angry now. “All Owen talks about is Rocco this and Rocco that. How do you think that makes me feel? I’m Owen’s father.” His voice rose with each word until he was close to shouting. “It’s like Rocco is stealing my son away from me. I was out in my golf cart driving around in the friggin’ cold and rain this morning because I felt the need to compete with a jailbird. There’s something wrong with this picture.”
“Owen loves you.”
“Sure he does, but I had to tell Nichole to leave that stupid jumpsuit at the house because that was the only thing Owen wanted to wear. Not only that, it’s the friggin’ tow truck he plays with constantly. I buy the kid an iPad mini and instead he plays with this plastic truck.”
I knew the coveralls Rocco got him had been a source of contention as well. It was a battle every other weekend for Nichole to keep them at the apartment, for fear Jake would make them disappear.
“Owen is going through a truck phase. Don’t worry, he’ll grow out of it.”
“I’m not letting that man steal my wife and my son away from me. I’m telling you right now, it ain’t happening.”
I didn’t argue with him. It wouldn’t do any good and it might well put an additional strain on our already rocky relationship.
The rest of our conversation went fairly well, although Jake’s cavalier attitude toward his father’s cancer disturbed me. Jake had yet to accept that this was real and that his father was dying.
In many ways Sean and Jake were a lot alike, certainly in temperament. When they were on the outs I’d always been the one to smooth over their differences. Mostly I was gone from the picture now and they’d been left to their own devices, which led me to think there might be a misunderstanding brewing between them.
“Everything okay between you and your dad?” I asked, on the off chance I was right.
Jake shrugged. “We’re fine. Don’t worry about it, Mom.”
But I did worry, despite the fact that I was no longer married to Sean and my relationship with my son was on shaky ground.
—
Monday afternoon I stopped by the deli at about the time that I knew Nikolai would finish his shift. As soon as he saw me, his face lit up with happy anticipation. I’d never had this sort of loving reaction from a man before and found it addictive.
“My Leanne.” I loved the sound of my name in his strong accent. Sometimes, when Nikolai wasn’t around and I found myself missing him, I’d close my eyes and hear the echo of him saying my name in my mind.
Nikolai grabbed hold of my hands and gave them a gentle squeeze before he leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “I am happy you here.”
“Do you have a few minutes?” I asked.
“For you all time every day, always.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and led me out of the deli. “What you need tell me? You be at school tonight, yes?”
“Yes.”
“This not wait until class?”
“I thought it best for us to talk before class.”
“What is this about?” he asked, and then he stiffened, as if he’d guessed the subject. “This have to do with that man who not love you, right?”
“Sean called me last Monday…”
He released me and took a step back. “You wait a whole week to tell me?”
I could see he was upset. “Nikolai, I have no obligation to tell you who I talk to and who I don’t. If you think I do, then we need to have a serious discussion.”
I could tell he didn’t like it, but he slowly nodded and admitted, “You right about that. All I want is to protect you.”
I wrapped my arm around his elbow as we continued walking, no real destination in mind. “I heard you told