The first thing Preston saw when he opened his eyes was the cab driving shaking him awake. Looking around, he realized he’d slept the entire way home.
He stood at the mouth of his driveway long after the taxi drove off, staring at his front door. The trek seemed an impossible gauntlet. Preston inhaled deeply, reminding himself that each step brought him that much closer to his bed. He was still exhausted after the week he’d put himself through.
There was no hero’s welcome for him when he trudged through the front door. His wife was washing dishes in the sink, sparing him no more than a glance over her shoulder. Preston expected the mood to be frosty for a while. He just prayed she didn’t start in on him. He didn’t have the energy for it.
“Where’s Robert?” he asked as he unburdened himself of his luggage. The first thing he needed to do was apologize to his son for missing his game. Again.
Oh, Robert. I don’t deserve your constant forgiveness.
“In his room getting ready for bed,” she said, not taking her eyes from her work. “There’s a plate for you in the fridge, if you didn’t stop to get dinner along the way.”
Preston recognized it as a peace offering. He felt unworthy of her tolerance as well. He’d laid out that these would be trying times while he and Pierce laid the foundation for their firm, but each of these trips emphasized that he’d either grossly misrepresented how tough the path would be, or grossly underestimated what it would take to forge his future.
“I came straight from the airport. I’ve been away long enough.”
She sniffled as she dropped the sponge in the sink, turned, and flung her arms around him. It stabbed his heart to see the tears in her eyes as she kissed him. He couldn’t keep doing this to them, but the firm was so close to providing an income they could live off of without the need for further expansion.
It had to be.
He was the one to break the embrace. “I’ve got to see Robert,” he stated. “The boy’s been without his father for too long.” When she nodded her understanding, his heart felt so weighted with grief he didn’t know if he would be strong enough to walk out the front door for another week.
“He didn’t have a good game,” she called to him as he headed toward Robert’s bedroom. “H was really depressed you weren’t there.” She raised her hands in surrender when he turned on her. “Not trying to fight. Just thought you’d want to know what you’re in for.”
Preston nodded and resumed his march to Robert’s bedroom. His son was listlessly pulling his PJ’s over his head.
“Hi, Robert,” he said softly from the doorway. He berated himself for wishing his son was excited to see him. He didn’t deserve his son’s enthusiasm.
“Hey, dad,” Robert said as he crawled into bed, not even looking at him.
Preston frowned as he walked over to tuck Robert in. “What’s wrong?”
“Ricky and TJ aren’t talking to me,” Robert said glumly, staring up at the ceiling instead of looking at him. “They’re saying it’s my fault we lost the game.”
Preston chastised himself for being happy Robert’s team had lost so he selfishly wouldn’t have to feel guilty for missing another game.
“They’ll get over it,” he assured him. “And even if they don’t…Robert, you’ll find there are more important things in life than being popular.”
“Like making money?” Preston winced. He didn’t think a child was capable of a barb like that. “Are you done leaving us? Soccer starts next month. Are you going to be at those games?”
His mouth hung open for the longest time before he admitted to himself he had to tell the truth. “I’ll see what I can do, Robert. These meetings went very well, but…now other companies have heard how good we are, and want us to come and meet with them.” He thought about tantalizing Robert with all the toys he’d be able to buy him, and nearly vomited over the fact that he’d contemplated bribing his son for his affection.
“But I promise,” he pressed on, “I’m going to try to make all the games I can.”
Preston was hoping for a reaction, but all Robert did was roll over on his stomach to face the wall, so he wouldn’t have to risk looking at his father anymore.
“That’s what you said last time.”