Page 125 of Falling Together

“What about Mark or Jamie?” I ask. “What are they up to?”

“Too busy.”

Luke is picking at a hole in his shorts, not looking at me.

“I know our place isn’t exactly the coolest, but you can always invite them over for dinner. Or to play video games.”

It may not be where he wants to be, but I’ll never make my own kid feel unwelcome because I’m too busy.

Luke doesn’t respond. He keeps staring at his feet. Until he bursts into tears. For a moment, I’m stunned into silence. I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen him cry. Sure, he had the outburst when we told him Georgia was pregnant, but he’s never one to show much emotion.

I leap from my spot, banging my knee on the coffee table in the process, as I pull him up and into my arms.

“Hey. It’s okay. I’m here.”

He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. I ignore the throbbing in my knee as I try to console him from whatever is troubling him.

Holy shit. Something must really be wrong.

“I’m so sorry, Dad.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I screwed everything up.”

He cries even harder, great heaving sobs that rack his entire body.

“It’s okay, Luke. It’s okay.”

I say it over and over again, trying to calm him down—and myself. I don’t know if I’ve ever been more worried in my life. He’s never cried like this and it’s making my own panic rise.

“Do you think you can tell me what’s wrong?” I ask. “What you think you screwed up?”

“Everything,” he says, voice muffled because his face is still buried in my chest. “You and Georgia. My life. Mom’s life.”

“Wait just a minute.” I pull back, staring into his red-rimmed eyes. “Why do you think you screwed up your mom’s life?”

I start there. It’s easier than telling him what I screwed up.

“Ever since I came back, she keeps telling me how busy they are now that they’re home.”

I hate her. I have never hated someone in my entire life, but I could kill my ex for making him feel like this.

“That’s not your fault, Luke. You talked to her. She told you that you could come back and live with her.”

“I made you come back too. With everything with the baby⁠—”

“Hey.” I grab his shoulders and make him look at me. “I need you to hear this, okay? I mean really hear me. None of this is your fault. I won’t apologize for your mom, but she’s always more concerned with the wrong things.”

“You’re not. You came down here to help even though you knew Georgia needed you.”

“And that’s my fault. You don’t have kids yet, Luke, but when you do, you’ll learn that you’ll do anything for them.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

He squeezes me again for another hug. “No, I am. I’m sorry this isn’t working out how you planned.”

“And my friends are all kind of duds now.”