02-10-2015, 11:33 AM
Connor had to laugh. The kid had it bad for Aria. He could understand that. He could remember how she'd come out of the back room in just a t-shirt. Boy had he stared then. Course, that was before Ayden. He had plenty of fun staring at Ayden. He put his hand out and took hers in his, smiling at her reassuringly.
The kid seemed relaxed and when he got his beer he pretended pop the top normally, but Connor was now watching more carefully and saw. The kid seemed to enjoy playing with his power. Strangely, Connor felt a stab of something in his heart. The kid didn't look much like Hayden, not really beyond that gangly young man look that they all seemed to have at that age. Hayden had been a goofy kid too, liking to show off what he could do. Connor could see him showing off his power for little things like popping the top off a bottle.
And Connor felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. He felt a father's protectiveness. A twinge of guilt accompanied it. He'd give anything to be sitting at the table with Hayden, his lopsided smile checking out the world as he pulled on a beer. They'd never had that beer. Connor took a sip of his drink. God he missed his son. But he took a breath. He couldn't change the past. He'd promised Hayden. That very night so long ago, he'd promised him.
And his life had changed that night. For the better, for the most part. He could feel that Hayden was still in his heart. And he was safe somewhere. Sleeping maybe. It was enough for him. This kid, though, what did he have? A woman that it sounded like he had feelings for but knew it wouldn't go anywhere? A women who gave him some sense of meaning to his seriously messed up life, trapped as he was?
Connor saw the kid raise his glass to someone else in the restaurant. He was alert again. "Friend of yours?"
The kid seemed relaxed and when he got his beer he pretended pop the top normally, but Connor was now watching more carefully and saw. The kid seemed to enjoy playing with his power. Strangely, Connor felt a stab of something in his heart. The kid didn't look much like Hayden, not really beyond that gangly young man look that they all seemed to have at that age. Hayden had been a goofy kid too, liking to show off what he could do. Connor could see him showing off his power for little things like popping the top off a bottle.
And Connor felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. He felt a father's protectiveness. A twinge of guilt accompanied it. He'd give anything to be sitting at the table with Hayden, his lopsided smile checking out the world as he pulled on a beer. They'd never had that beer. Connor took a sip of his drink. God he missed his son. But he took a breath. He couldn't change the past. He'd promised Hayden. That very night so long ago, he'd promised him.
And his life had changed that night. For the better, for the most part. He could feel that Hayden was still in his heart. And he was safe somewhere. Sleeping maybe. It was enough for him. This kid, though, what did he have? A woman that it sounded like he had feelings for but knew it wouldn't go anywhere? A women who gave him some sense of meaning to his seriously messed up life, trapped as he was?
Connor saw the kid raise his glass to someone else in the restaurant. He was alert again. "Friend of yours?"