Rating: PG
Summary: A little boy makes a Christmas wish.
Type of fic: Story
***
Part Four
Stephanie stood up to greet Dwayne as he walked towards her. She smiled in greeting, and her heart skipped a beat when he returned it.
�Sorry I�m late, Steph,� he said quickly. �The last meeting ran a little long.�
She sat down again. �No, that�s okay. I�m just glad that you agreed to meet me.�
Dwayne said nothing as he sat across from her. They sat in silence for a few minutes. It was the first time they greeted each other without so much as a frown, and it made her wish for things to go back the way they were.
�So�I�m amazed you were able to get us a table at such short notice,� she finally said.
He smiled ruefully. �Yeah, I had to pull a few strings, make a few threats, and swear to a few more promises.�
Stephanie laughed to ease a little of the tension. �Nothing too excessive, I hope?�
�Actually, I already had a table booked for a meeting, but it was rescheduled.�
Her eyes widened slightly, and she felt a stab of guilt. Although he hadn�t said it, she knew Dwayne was the one who had cancelled the aforementioned meeting. �Oh. I�m really sorry.�
But he shook his head. �It�s no problem, Steph.�
Just then a waiter approached them with the menu, but Stephanie waved hers away. �I�ll have the special, thank you.�
�Make that two,� Dwayne added, ignoring the menu altogether.
The waiter left with a slight nod, but returned only moments later with a bottle of house wine. Stephanie took a sip of out of glass to help calm her nerves.
�What�s going on with Bryce?� Dwayne finally asked, looking at her with concern.
�I found a letter to Santa in his room this morning,� she said, reaching into her purse for it.
�Okay. I thought he sent one a week or so ago?�
�He did. He wrote a second one.� Stephanie stared at the letter in her hand for a moment, biting her lower lip. She was suddenly unsure of how Dwayne would receive it. What if he decided that it was best if they explained to Bryce what �divorce� was all about?
�What does it say?� Dwayne finally asked.
She slowly handed the letter over, and watched his face as he read. His brows were furrowed slightly as his lips pressed together in a small frown. She saw his eyes moved to the top of the page and he read through it again. Stephanie could feel her insides tightening.
He finally looked back at her. �Bryce never said anything about this to me.�
�Or to me. I can�t believe he�s been keeping it all to himself, the poor kid,� she said.
Dwayne�s gaze moved from her to the large windows, and he just stared outside for a couple of minutes. Stephanie kept silent, but she watched him. She had almost forgotten how attractive he was. He is. In their early years of marriage she was the one who used to wake up early, and she had loved watching him sleep. His face was so calm and smooth, and always with a hint of vulnerability that she loved about him.
He finally looked back at her, and for a moment their eyes locked. Stephanie�s breath caught in her throat. She had almost forgotten the effect he used to have on her. The effect he still had on her.
Dwayne cleared his throat and was the first to look away. �What are we going to do about this?�
She shook her head, clearing it and trying to focus on the problem at hand. �I�m not too sure, but I thought that it important that you know.�
�Thank you, Steph.�
She smiled. �Maybe we could talk to Bryce about it?�
�I�m not exactly sure what we should talk about though,� Dwayne replied. �I thought we explained it to him about why we�re�separated.�
Stephanie suddenly felt her heart begin to race. She had to ask. It was now or never. �Dwayne�why-�
�Your lunch, sir,� a waiter interrupted as he placed a plate in front of Dwayne. He moved around the table and placed a second one in front of her. �Ma�am. I hope you enjoy today�s lunch special.�
�Thank you,� Stephanie replied automatically, cursing inwardly. The moment had been broken.
�What were you going to say?� Dwayne asked.
She forced a smile. �Nothing, it�s okay. We need to talk about Bryce.�
*
As Bryce walked out of the school, his eyes immediately started searching for his Mom. She was picking him up today. However, the first person he saw was his Dad.
A huge grin came over his face, and he raced towards his Dad. �Daddy!�
His Dad smiled at him, and he scooped Bryce up into his arms. �Hey, short stuff!�
Bryce laughed at his Dad�s words. �Not short!� he protested. �I�m gonna be taller than you when I grow up!�
His Dad also laughed. �Yes, you will.�
�Hey, shorty. Don�t tell me you�ve forgotten about your Mom already?�
Bryce looked over his Dad�s shoulder and was thrilled to see his Mom. �Hi, Mommy!�
His Mom reached for him and he went to her eagerly, planting a big kiss on her cheeks as he hugged her around the neck.
�Have a good day?� she asked him, smiling.
Bryce nodded enthusiastically. �We did some painting today, and it was really funny �cos Luke spilt all the red paint over himself and it looked like he was all bleeding and everything!�
�Sounds like a lot of fun,� his Dad said.
�You�ll have to show us what you painted later,� his Mom also said.
Bryce just kept on grinning. He couldn�t remember the last time both his Mom and his Dad had picked him up together, and he wondered if Santa was giving him his wish early.
end part four.
