Daughters (TP5)

43 - A Date

Mason held out a cup of coffee for Mike. "It's not Rick's, but I promise it's good."

Mike nodded and took the cup as he wondered what the older gentleman wanted to talk to him about.

"Sit, please." Mason gestured Mike towards the table.

Mike sat. "Did my daughter tell you about me and my wife?"

Mike shrugged. "A little." He wasn't sure what he meant. He knew they were both on their second marriage and they had met here at The Point.

"We had a relationship when we lived in different states. For personal reasons, we settled for a long distance relationship for about nine years."

"Nine years!" Mike couldn't imagine why they continued for so long.

"Except for two to three weeks here every summer."

"Why are you telling me this?" Mike didn't want to presume.

"Just remember, nothing is impossible if you find yourself facing a long distant relationship."

Shocked that he was encouraging him. "Are you telling me, you would support me, if I had a long distance relationship with your daughter?"

"I would be blind if I didn't see what you have done for my Maribelle. She hasn't been this happy since she was..." He didn't answer, but shook his head instead as if he didn't want to talk about the past.

Mike assumed he was thinking of before the fire. Mike admitted, "She makes me happy too."

"Don't let the distance deter you?"

"Why did it take you so long?" Mike asked still finding it hard to conceive how they continued so long apart.

"Many reasons, but our children were a factor."

Mike nodded and wondered if Anna was a factor. "My daughter is upstairs sleeping. I hope you don't mind."

Mason smiled. "I look forward to meeting her. Mari showed me the headlines. I wish I had confronted the one who impregnated my daughter at fifteen. The difference was he was only sixteen, and she had encouraged him. You are a good father and that's a quality I admire."

"Takes one to know one." Mike added before he excused himself to take his walk.

Mike walked by the beach on his way to The Landing. His body tingled remembering their walk the night before. Being with Mari made all his pressures evaporate. Could he just follow Bryan's lead and leave Turner? Would all his worries go away? There was still the problem of Cole. Why did that kid make him uncomfortable? His answer was because of the crap he pulled that Christmas when Bryan brought Sam to Maine.

Mike avoided his responsibilities for a few days. He had to face the long drive back. It had been a week since he had jumped in his truck to go to Anna. Michaela was four days old and had only had a few minor setbacks. Anna was busy producing milk, but in between she was running around with Cole and Sam as if she had never had a baby except for the oversized shirts she wore.

He had woken with Mari pressed against him. After Anna first night in Mari's house, they went back to sharing a bed. Anna slept too late to notice what room either of them woke in. It was becoming harder and harder to not cross the line to intimacy. One sign from Mari she was ready, and Mike would be completely prepared. He felt himself respond to just that thought and realized he felt like a teenager which instantly worried him. Anna and Cole were teenagers.

His phone interrupted his musing, and he answered the call from one of his guys.

"Chief?" the voice said.