Divorced! Now what?

Chapter 29

Theo POV



I rushed to my folks' home on Sunday, running later than I had wanted. It was almost eleven o'clock by the time I left the hospital after checking on a patient who had not been recovering as well as I had hoped. He is lucky to still be here after his major heart attack, and I have done a quick repair job. He requires further surgery. However, he needs to improve a bit before I can return.

Everyone was already there, including our new addition to the group, Sam. Felicity received a warm response to her announcement, even though Dad was a little frosty at first. That was more to do with not even knowing she had been dating Sam all that time. Dad likes to be kept in the loop when it comes to his girls. 

He gets all he needs to know about my life. Each Sunday, when we have our guy's time, which reminds me, I need to see if he wants to join Bethany and her Dad. It would be nice to have a larger group together on sports day.

I entered the house to be welcomed by the aroma of lunch cooking. Mum likes to make a Sunday roast for us. She said it was, so she had peace of mind, knowing we get at least one proper home-cooked meal a week, but I think it is her way to see us all. She loves to cook, and with none of the children living at home anymore, she is a little lonely; even with all the charity work she does, it is different from having family around her. She had hinted more than once that a grandchild would be lovely around now.

'Finally, you are late.' I was growled at by Felicity as I entered the kitchen, handed over a bunch of flowers to Mum, and kissed Mum on the cheek.

'Late for what? Food is another hour away?' I asked, pulling Felicity into my arms for a hug, but she tried to pull away from me.

'Sam is in there, trying to follow football, but he does not follow football. Dad is giving him a hard time not watching football or sports of any kind. Go and rescue him. Please.' She added at the last moment.

I chuckled as I walked away, snagging an apple as I left. Taking a long bit, I leaned on the door frame and watched Dad ribbing Sam as he got the player's name wrong again. My eyes flicked to the TV screen as the commentator started to get excited about a play, and I watched as the opposition gained a touchdown. Then I chuckled when Sam cheered when he should not have. We supported the other team.

'Sam, my boy, you and I are not going to be close if you keep cheering for the other team.' Dad growled at him.

'Dad, you have to admit it was a good touchdown.' I said by way of announcing I was here.

'Finally, someone who knows which team to cheer for; it is about time you arrived here.' Dad snapped at me.

'Work.' was all I said to Dad. He nodded his understanding and turned back to the game.

'Hi, Sam.' I shook his hand and took a seat on Dad's other side, giving Sam a baffler between them.

It was half-time when the call for dinner arrived. Dad grumbled because it was interfering with his game, and I suddenly thought of Mum's reaction when I talked about asking Dad to join me for a sports day. We can get Mum to change the lunch to Saturdays.

Lunch today was roast chicken, and I wondered why the change. We always had roast beef. The conversation was light, and I mostly asked Felicity and Sam questions. When things got a little too personal, I jumped in.

'Dad, I have a new neighbor. I was telling you about it. Well, her father is into sports like you are, and she suggested a Sunday sports day at her place.'

'What about our luncheon? Mum squawked out. She is not at all happy with the fast changes that are happening here.

'We can change the day. Or maybe you can make it a girl's day together.' I suggested, already seeing Mum was not impressed and would try to stop it.

'I don't know, Son, why not get them here instead?' He was looking at Mum when he made the suggestion.

'She has a huge screen, Dad, and I mean, it almost takes up the whole wall.' I started to say, but did not get to finish my attempt to change his mind. If we got out of here and sat where we all wanted to watch the game, it would be better than here, where Mum could keep coming in and interrupting us at a crucial moment.

'What time should I be there?' Dad was sold when I mentioned the huge screen that did the trick, and I did not need to get into the free beer and food.

'Saturdays are luncheon and girls, we have Sunday as our day to pamper while the men shout obscenities at the TV screen.' That went better than I thought it would. I half expected to promise my kidney or something.

'I do not see why the sports day cannot be Saturday. They have football then, too?' Felicity grumbled.

'I can suggest it to the others.' I started to say, and Dad jumped in.

'No, Sunday is my day off, not chores. Saturday is chores day. Unless your mother wishes to change that too?' He looked at Mum as if to will her to argue.

'No, I am happy to change our meal day.' She preened as if she had just won the lottery or something. Women, I often don't follow their train of thought.

The rest of the day went as it normally would have, except for Sam making the wrong call all the time at the game. I wondered if Felicity would mind if I did not include him in our Sunday sports session, but before I had a chance to ask, she opened her mouth.

'Sam, do you want to join Theo and Dad on his sports day?' She asked after Sam got another one wrong.

'Would you guys be offended if I said no to joining the sports day? I am not really into sports that much.' He looked pleadingly at me as if I would get him out of a hole.

'Felicity, you are not my daughter; you can't be able to bring home a man who does not follow sports.' He growled at my sister, and though she pouted and put on a sad face, we all know Dad did not mean what he just said. He showed that he could not understand a man who did not want to watch football.

'You do not need to join us, it is obvious you would not enjoy the game as we do, and in the end, you might end up being the butt of a joke or two, so it is best you keep your sanity and stay away from us on sports day, when we turn into a crazy person for the whole day. We can get a little loud and excited when the same is close.' Dad said, giving him the out he wanted.

'Thanks, Dad.' Felicity hugged Dad and moved away quickly when she realized she had blocked the screen.

The day continued with screams on the screen, and all thoughts of Sam getting it wrong vanished. As we won the game and started watching the next, Felicity took Sam away so he would not embarrass her any further, and Dad and I got lost in the games and, more or less, forgot anyone else was in the room.

Chapter 30 - Divorced! Now what?