Kel felt strangely serene. As he hasn't felt in a long time. She had left work early, taken Sammy from school, shopped. It was a lenient evening, not cold, so much so that Sammy could try to take some free throws in the garden. He watched him throw the ball and wait for it to fall back into the basket but the ball soared in the air. Sammy didn't give up. He ran to pick her up and start over.
"Who's coming to dinner?" He asked her as she dribbled.
"A friend of mine"
"And what's this friend's name?"
"It's called Brandon"
"And can you play basketball?"
"Yes. I think so"
"Ah good," Sammy replied, "because you just can't do it"
"Oh thank you"
"Daddy can do it. You didn't," Sammy pointed out cruelly.
Kel stopped for a second, he knew his son had no intentionality, but when he named him something broke. He cursed himself for being in that situation. For what Sammy was losing and what she knew very well. It was not explained how Dylan managed to stay away from him; yet they came from the same shortcomings. He had been asked for it for years. Things between them worked to the extent that they had always worked. Goodbye and come back. It seemed like they couldn't be without or together. There had been very hard days when he had tried to stay, but that soul in turmoil had no peace. He couldn't calm down and holding him back he had only made things worse. Adapting to him instead had consumed Kelly.
The phone rang and Kelly thought it was Brandon to cancel. No come on.
"Hello?"
"Hello Stranger" Dylan's voice was disturbed.
"Dylan?"
"Hey"
"It will be full night in London, you could have called even later"
"I'm not in London"
"Ah no? Already problems in heaven?"
"Kel..." he snorted.
"So where are you?"
" in Machala"
Dylan was back on one of his projects. The school he was building in Ecuador and his environmental research projects.
"Do you want to talk to Sammy?"
"I wanted to talk to you too"
"Should We?"
"We have to. I'm sorry I left you just a message when I arrived in London, I should have waited for me to go home and try to call back"
"It doesn't matter," she said in a spontaneous, sweet tone.
"No, I should have" he concluded resolutely "and I know you're mad at me but Kel, it's always me"
"I know"
"I'll be back for Sammy's birthday and we'll spend some time together"
"I know you will"
"Brenda will probably come with me"
On the other side there was silence.
"Kelly?"
"Brenda is there with you?"
"He's with me. I wanted to show her my plans."
"Are you together?"
"I don't know, it's still a becoming"
Still that heart split in half with which she had to live. Continuously. And he exhausted her. He had believed that Sammy could be enough, that it was enough. But it was a mistake. Dylan doesn't cheat him. Dylan don't harness him.
"Kelly hasn't been together in years"
"I know this"
"I don't want to be afraid to tell you things"
"In fact, you don't have to have any," Kel sighed, "we have to find a compromise, something that doesn't destroy what we have in rubble. That we earned. That we wanted. But I don't even know where to start"
"Neither do I. But can we try?"
"We can," replied she surrendered, "I pass Sammy to you so you greet him. I have people for dinner"
"Who's coming?" He asked.
"Brandon," Kelly replied.
"Really?"
"Really," Kelly was starting to rush "don't get weird ideas to you. He's not like you"
"What does that mean he's not like me?" Dylan had his voice vaguely altered.
"Brandon doesn't get outstretched into people's lives. He never did. But I haven't seen him in years and I want to spend an evening with an adult. A friend of mine. We don't have to end up in bed together. It doesn't always work that way. Not for everyone. Sometimes people know how to take the hearts of others and hold it in their hands without shattering it."
"Ah yes? Is that what I did?"
"That's what you did and I'm no longer a little girl who believes every word, who lets herself be carried away," Kel stopped, breathed, "sorry. I was unfair"
"Figured"
"Will I pass you Sammy?"
Kelly called his son back and saw him walk away with his phone and basketball "hey Pa! A friend is coming, yes. I'm taking shots.. not so much pa... I'm good when you get back? Really?"
And he disappeared into the house.
Kel closed his eyes and repeated what had been repeated several times, lets Kel go, lets go.
Machala (Ecuador)
Brenda was looking at the Pacific Ocean. He was not far from Dylan. He saw him move and smile. The ocean, him. He didn't even know why he had agreed to get to Ecuador and what days awaited him. But he was happy to be there. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment.
Dylan beckoned her that she was done and that they could go. The air was moist and heavy but the sunset show reminded her for a moment L.A. He hadn't touched that ocean and sunset painted above with his eyes for ten years.
They were at Bolivar port. They had rented an uncovered dark green off-road vehicle.
"Are you done?"
"Yes. Your brother is invited to dinner tonight"
Brenda looked at him for a moment to see some signs of dissent but couldn't find any.
"From Kel?"
"Yes," he turned around and saw the look of those who scrutinized, "I'm not going to tackle topics that aren't there. I just want her to be happy. I really want it. I hurt her Brenda. I hurt her, maybe too much"
Not just her, I think Brenda. He promised not to ask questions.
"Where are we going?"
"At dinner," he replied. There is a great seafood restaurant down the street.
"Do you know what this place reminds me of?"
"Baja," guessed him.
"Yeah," she laughed.
"How Jimbo got pissed off"
Brenda laughed even harder.
"Jim and Cindy have always loved you. You have to know this"
"Yes I know"
They shook hands.
"'Maybe there will be a dance"
"Maybe," Brenda replied.