Chapter 3
"Can someone please answer the phone?" Laughlin asked from the kitchen. It had been ringing for the past three minutes, but nobody even bothered to answer it. Laughlin was busy making a snack for Elizabeth, Nick was watching TV , Elliot was taking a nap, and I couldn't care less.
When nobody got up, Laughlin told Elizabeth she would have to wait for a bit as he answered the phone. "Hello?....W-what? Why are you calling now? I've tried....Oh, really? So after five years you just decided to up and call?....I'm kind of busy at the moment....Fine. Whatever. We'll be there in ten minutes. Bye." He hung up and sighed.
"Who was that?" Nick asked.
"Someone we haven't seen or heard from in five years," Laughlin replied. "Dad."
I raised an eyebrow. "Dad? Dad decided to just randomly call us? What does he want?"
"For the three of us to meet him at the diner," Laughlin said.
"I don't want to go," I said. "He left us, just like Mom did."
"Yeah, well I don't want to go either," Laughlin said. "But we might as well see him. I just need to go wake up Elliot, so the two of you, get ready to go."
I sighed, getting up from the couch and putting my jacket and shoes on. By the time Nick and I were ready, Elliot walked out of her and Laughlin's bedroom, grumbling something about being woken up.
Laughlin walked out behind her, shaking his head. "You know, I cannot wait for this baby to be born. I am done with cranky Elliot."
"Shut up," Elliot snapped with a scowl.
"Can you please finish making Lizzie's snack?" Laughlin asked. "I was in the middle of it."
"Whatever," Elliot muttered, walking to the kitchen.
Laughlin began putting on his shoes and jacket. "I love you, Elliot."
"Uh huh."
Laughlin sighed and gestured for us to leave. Normally, Elliot was very calm but ever since she was in the third trimester of her pregnancy, she was very cranky. A few weeks left. Four weeks, to be exact.
As soon as we got to the diner, I saw my dad waiting near the door for us. He smiled when we walked in. "Look at the three of you," he said. "All grown up. Twenty-three, seventeen, and thirteen. The last time I saw you, you were eighteen, twelve, and eight."
"Yeah, five years ago," I said, crossing my arms. "So why call as now?"
I guess Nick was the only one who wasn't mad at Dad, because he gave him a hug. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, Nick," Dad said. "Let's go get our seats."
The diner host led us to a table and handed us our menus. A waitress came by shortly, so we ordered our food. After he left, Dad cleared his throat. "So. How is everything with you three?"
"I'm in the school play," I said bitterly, still quite pissed at Laughlin.
"I didn't know you liked acting," Dad said.
"I don't," I said. "I hate it but apparently, my brother doesn't care."
Laughlin sighed. "You think we're going to let you get off the hook for what you did? Detention does nothing."
"Uh huh," I muttered.
"What about you, Nick?" Dad asked. "Anything new?"
"Not really," Nick said. "I'm top in my art class, though. My teacher loves my paintings. Not to brag, or anything."
Dad smiled. "That's great. I would love to see your paintings someday."
Nick pulled out his cell phone. "I have a few pictures saved on here."
He handed Dad his cell phone, who smiled even brighter as he swiped through the photos. "These are amazing, Nick! You definitely didn't get my artistic abilities because all I could draw is stick figures."
"Thanks," Nick said. "I was even asked to paint a mural at school."
"Amazing!" Dad said as the food came. He thanked the waiter before continuing his conversation with Nick. I couldn't help but roll my eyes a few times. How could Nick forgive Dad so easily? Sure, he's our dad, but he hadn't raised us for ten years. Our grandparents did for five, and now Laughlin was.
"Laughlin, anything new with you?" Dad asked.
"A lot," Laughlin said. "Look, I appreciate you trying to connect with us again, but you missed a hell of a lot of momentous occasions for us."
"Surely I didn't miss that much," Dad said.
"My first day of high school," I said. "Nick's first day of high school."
"My graduation," Laughlin said.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," Dad said. "I truly am."
Laughlin put down his fork and looked at Dad with a serious look. "I was able to overlook you not being there for my graduation," he said. "But you missed one of the most important things that ever happened to me and you can never get a second chance to see it happen."
"And what is that?" Dad asked.
"The birth of my daughter," Laughlin replied.
Dad looked very shocked to hear that. "You....You have a kid?"
"Yeah," Laughlin said. "Elizabeth. She's two now. And my second child will be here in a few weeks."
"I'm sorry I missed it," Dad said. "I can't believe I missed the birth of my first granddaughter. Laughlin, I'm really sorry. What does she look like?"
Reluctantly, Laughlin handed Dad his cell phone. Elizabeth was the wallpaper and when Dad saw it, he smiled. "She's beautiful. Blond hair. Blue eyes. You know who she reminds me of?" Laughlin shrugged in reply. "She reminds me of Elliot. Are the two of you still together?"
"Seeing as she's the mom of Elizabeth, yeah," Laughlin said. "By the way, you missed our wedding. I tried sending you an invitation, but I couldn't find you anywhere."
"Wow, I feel awful," Dad said. "I also missed my oldest son's wedding. I am a horrible Dad."
"You got that right," I muttered.
"Really, Munro?" Nick asked.
"No, it's fine," Dad said. "I know I haven't made the best choices. I just really hope you three give me a second chance now."
"And what if Mom comes back?" I asked. "She's the whole reason our family is a mess."
"I can assure you, it won't happen," Dad said. "We already got divorced."
Laughlin's cell phone rang and he looked at Dad for permission to answer it because he didn't want to be rude. If it was my cell phone, I would have answered it without asking.
"Hello?" Laughlin answered once getting the nod from Dad. "Wait, are you serious?....But you have four weeks left!....Of course they can, but Elizabeth came late, so I thought he would too....Right. Okay, we'll be there soon." He hung up and looked at Dad. "We have to go."
Dad furrowed his eyebrows. "Really? Why?"
"My wife's in labor," Laughlin said. "Four weeks early. Come on, guys."
"Laughlin," Dad said before we could leave. "I already missed my first grandchild's birth. I am not missing the second. I'll drive your brothers and you could pick up Elliot."
I raised an eyebrow, expecting Laughlin to object. He didn't. "Yeah, sure. Thanks." He left in a hurry, so I had no choice but to wait with Dad.
After he paid, Nick and I followed him to his car. The drive to the hospital was a silent, and awkward, one. We got to the hospital, where Laughlin was already there, surprisingly. How he got there before us amazed me.
Laughlin was with Elliot and Elizabeth, waiting to get a hospital room. Knowing exactly what Laughlin was going to ask once they saw me, I walked over to them and picked up Elizabeth. "I'll watch her," I said.
"Thanks," Laughlin said. "When he's born, I'll the one of the nurses to get everyone."
I nodded and went to the waiting room. When I sat down, I put Elizabeth on the ground because she was saying, "Nicky!" over and over again.
"Hi, Lizzie," Nick said, picking her up. "You get to meet someone special. This is you grandpa." Nick gestured to Dad.
"No," Elizabeth said. "I have different one!"
"You have two," Nick said. "This is your dad's dad."
"Daddy's daddy?" Elizabeth asked, her deep dimples showing as she smiled brightly.
"Yes, your daddy's daddy," Nick said.
Dad seemed really happy to meet his granddaughter, but if he never left, he would have actually been there when she was born. Instead, he had to leave us.
He better not try to take me and Nick away from Laughlin.
Grandma, Grandpa, and Elliot's dad -Edward- walked in shortly after and waited for the newest member of the Wilde/Matlin family to be born.
Grandma and Grandpa must have known Dad was back in town, because they didn't even blink an eye when they saw him. They were probably the ones who gave Dad our phone number.
I thought we were going to be a while because when Elliot went in labor with Elizabeth, we were here for hours. It wasn't even half an hour when a nurse walked over to us and told us the baby was born and quite healthy, even though he was born prematurely. She showed us to the hospital room Elliot and Laughlin were in.
Laughlin was holding his new son, a bright smile on his face. He was a sucker for babies, especially his.
"Let me see my new great grandchild," Grandpa said. "C'mon, Laughlin. Pass him over."
"What?" Laughlin asked. "No way, Gramps. He's mine and I just got him."
"But I am an old man," Grandpa said. "I'm getting older by the second and I'm so much closer to death. I may not have another chance to hold him."
Laughlin rolled his eyes. "Grandpa. You can hold him soon."
"Elliot, tell your husband to let his poor old grandpa to hold your son," Grandpa said. He was always joking around and was rarely a serious person.
Elliot looked back and forth between Laughlin and Grandpa. "Sorry, but Laughlin had to put up with my crankiness for the past couple months. He can hold him a bit longer."
I walked over to Laughlin, getting a closer look at my nephew. "He's so cute. This one definitely looks more like his dad. Have you picked a name yet? Because my suggestion still stands." Elliot and Laughlin had been trying to think of a name ever since they found out their second child was going to be a boy. I was fond of the name Aaron, so I suggested that. Laughlin shot it down, though.
"We did," Laughlin said. "His name is Aaron Calum Wilde."
I smiled. "So you did take my suggestion? I feel so special."
"Don't get used to it," Laughlin said. "Knowing you, you'd start trouble in a day or two."
I shrugged. "What's right is right."
"Alright, Laughlin," Grandpa said. "Pass up my great-grandson now."
Laughlin looked at Grandpa, but then his eyes wandered to Dad. He was probably contemplating whether or not he should let Dad hold Aaron. "Actually, can you wait for a bit longer?" Laughlin asked. "I want my dad to hold my son."
"Of course," Grandpa said with a smile.
Laughlin looked over at Dad. "Want to hold him?"
Dad smiled. "Yeah, of course." Laughlin walked over to Dad, carefully placing Aaron in his arms. "He's so cute. I haven't held a baby for thirteen years."
Elizabeth walked of to Laughlin, pulling in his leg. "Daddy, who's that?" She pointed at Aaron.
Laughlin picked up his daughter. "That is your new baby brother. His name is Aaron."
"Can I hold him?" Elizabeth asked.
"You can hold him after your great-grandpa does," Laughlin said.
"I still didn't get to hold him yet," Elliot said. "What kind of hospital gives the baby to the dad and not the mom?"
"Oh, shush, Elliot," Laughlin said. "You'll get to hold him soon."
"Soon?" Elliot asked. "I had to carry him for months."
"And I had to deal with your crankiness," Laughlin said, placing Elizabeth on the hospital bed with Elliot. "Here, hold our daughter."
"Loser," Elliot muttered under her breath. There was nothing more confusing than the relationship between my brother and his wife.
For the next couple hours, Laughlin, Nick, Elizabeth, and I stayed with Elliot until she was released from the hospital. On the way home, Laughlin went through the drive-through of McDonald's to get us dinner since it was past seven o'clock.
On the way home, I couldn't help but think about the stupid play auditions tomorrow. I had the lines memorized, unfortunately, and I did not want to audition. I was going to make sure it was the worst audition ever.
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Aw, let's welcome the new Wilde family member! At first, Aaron was going to be a few weeks old during the first chapter, but I thought it would have been better to have him be born during the book because it was easier to include Zeke back into the story.
The next chapter is the auditions and let's just say it did not go well for Munro.