Chapter 50: Happy Birthday

David's birthday was Thursday, and his kids had something planned for him. When Hath got home from work, he tried once again to get her to come with him.

“You sure you don’t want to come?” he asked, as he slid on his jacket.

“Sweetheart, as much as I want to spend your birthday with you, your kids didn’t extend the invitation to me. It’s important that they know that I respect their wishes.”

He looked at me skeptically. “You know that they’d be glad to see you.”

“And I’d love to see them, but there’ll be time for that this weekend.” Hath kissed him gently. “Go, have dinner with your kids. I’ll be fine here. I promise.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. Go. I’ll be waiting when you get back. Have fun.”

“Alright,” David said, and was gone.

Hath made herself a light supper, and settled into the living room with a book. After finishing her soup and salad, Hath took a bath, changed into one of David’s t-shirts, grabbed the laptop, and climbed into his bed to play on the board and wait.

* * * * *

David arrived at April’s exactly on time. When he rang the bell, April kept him waiting a full five minutes before opening the door. “Hello,” she said absently when she opened the door. “Happy birthday.” She looked past David to the empty porch behind him. “Where is she?”

“Hath is at my house,” David said. “She said that she wasn’t invited so didn’t want to insinuate herself, even though I asked her to come.”

David watched as his ex-wife’s face softened. He shook his head. She really was something, and he didn’t mean it in a good way. He followed her into the house, and smiled when he saw his kids standing there, barely contained excitement in their faces.

“Happy birthday, Daddy!” they yelled, and launched themselves at him. They had a nice dinner, and dug into the cake that the kids had made. It looked a lot like the pie he had made at Hath’s for Thanksgiving, and when he told the story, April left the room, and his kids got quiet.

“What’s wrong, guys?”

“Why didn’t Hath come over?” asked Lil.

“Well, she didn’t want to come because you guys didn’t invite her,” David said. “She doesn’t want to force you to like her, and doesn’t want to interfere in our time together if you don’t want her to.”

Gabby shook her head. “But she’s your – what – girlfriend? Fiancée? What exactly is she?”

David sighed. “For now, she’s my girlfriend, and the mother of your youngest brother or sister. Later, she may be my wife, but for now, girlfriend will do.”

Colton nodded. “Then she’ll be with you whether we want her to be or not, right?”

David treaded carefully here. “I’ll be honest with you, I want to marry Hath and have her be part of my life. That means she will be part of your lives, of our life.” He looked at each of his children’s faces. “This doesn’t mean I love you any less. It just means that there’ll be someone else in your life to love you.”

“Hath doesn’t love us,” Gabby pouted.

“She will, once she gets to know you.” He took his eldest daughter’s hand. “You just have to give her a chance.”

Gabby looked at her brother and he nodded. She looked to her younger sister, who nodded as well. “Alright, Daddy, we’ll give her a chance,” she said. “But if we don’t like her…”

David cut her off confused. “I thought that when you met her, you all sorta liked her?” He didn’t get an answer, and he sighed. “Well, if you don’t like her then all you have to do is be polite to her, as you would any of my friends.”

Lil came over to climb up into David’s lap. “Well I already like her. She’s nice and smart, and I think she looks like a princess.”

David laughed. “I do too, sweetheart, and I’m glad you like her.” He looked at the older kids. They were flushing. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Gabby said, looking hesitantly at the door her mother disappeared through. David nodded, knowing what she didn’t want to say. He had a feeling that April had something to do with the kids’ now ambivalent feelings toward Hath – a turnaround from when they met her earlier. He helped the kids clean up, then settled in to watch a movie with them. Lil, fell asleep partway through, and David got her into bed. The older kids grew bored with the movie, so David turned it off.

“You guys OK?” David asked. The twins nodded. “Good,” David said, “because you guys are the most important people in my life. You know that, right?”

His children looked at him. “I mean it,” he said. “I’m glad I found Hath and I’m happy she’s in my life, but nothing is going to take your place – nothing could. You do know that right?”

His daughter had tears in her eyes. “Oh, Daddy, we’re so confused,” she cried before throwing herself into his arms. “Mom said…” she trailed off, horrified at what she was going to say.

David shushed her. “Listen. I’m telling you. Hath likes you guys and wants to be a part of your life, but doesn’t want it to be forced. If you want to ask her anything, call her; she’ll talk to you, and she’ll always be honest with you. Or call me. Get the answers from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Alright?”

His kids nodded. “C’mere,” he said, and wrapped them in a big hug. “I love you guys,” David said.

“We love you too, Dad,” Colton answered.

When David got home he was exhausted. Hath wasn’t in the living room like he expected. He started up the stairs, and smiled when he saw a light flickering in his bedroom. “Hath, baby,” he called softly from the hallway. “Are you in there?”

Hath came out, hair tousled from laying in bed. She was dressed in one of his T-shirts that barely covered her panties, and David’s mouth went dry. “Hey, sweet Papa, how was dinner?” She looked at him. “David, honey, what’s wrong? What happened?”

David shook his head. “April had the kids convinced you didn’t like them.” Hath sucked in a breath. “I know,” he said. “I told them to call you or me if they wanted to know anything, or wanted to talk, and I think I assured them that you want to get to know them.” He shook his head more. “I just can’t believe she’d do that.”

“Sweetheart, don’t worry about it. Your kids are pretty smart people. They’ll figure it out.” She wrapped David in a hug. “C’mon to bed,” she said.