Worth The Wait

CH. 7

Sid and Phoebe didn’t unlock their hands the entire walk to the park. Phoebe couldn’t stop smiling and Sid couldn’t shake the warmth he felt even though it was freezing outside and all their noses were red and runny. The kids ran to the swing set instantaneously when the swings were in their vision and Sid and Phoebe slowly followed behind them. They sat on the swings across from the kids and slowly rocked back and forth, not pretending to focus on anything but each other. Sometime after they got lost in each other’s eyes and couldn’t wipe the grins off their faces during simple conversation, the kids ran over and shook them back to reality.

“Siddey,” Rebecca couldn’t quite pronounce Sid’s name right. “Do you play hockey too?” Rebecca knew that Mike played hockey and associated most young guys with the sport. She intertwined her little fingers with Sid and broke up their union, positioning herself in the middle of the pair.

Sid laughed at her general cuteness and the fact that she even knew what hockey was. “Yes, I do. How do you know what hockey is?” he laughed as he teased her.

“Uncle Mike plays hockey.” Sid’s stomach almost came up out of his mouth at the referral to Richards as ‘Uncle Mike’. He turned his head away in disgust so that he wouldn’t give away how hurt he was. “Aunt Phoebe?”

“Yeah?”

“Where’s Uncle Mike?” she looked confused.

Phoebe, clearly not expecting the kids to ask her that, fumbled with her words and felt an instant punch of nausea. “Um, honey you know he’s working,” she tried to giggle nonchalantly, but it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about it.

“But Siddey plays hockey and he’s here. Uncle Mike is never here.” Phoebe knew the little girl, as young as she was, had a valid point.

“Yea, he is here isn’t he?” Phoebe answered slowly as she looked at Sid. “You know what Rebecca? I think Tommy is really excited to go on the slide. Will you go with him?” Phoebe put on her best little kid tone and prayed that her niece would drop it. Luckily, she ran over to her brother and took turns going down the slide with him.

“I gotta ask,” Sid shook his head and sighed. “I know we’ve been over this before and I apologize in advance for being rude but…what do you see in Mike? In the time I’ve known you, you barely talk to him, you never see him. He doesn’t treat you the way you should be treated…what’s the point Pheebs?”

She looked down at her shuffling feet and took a deep breath. “Sid. I need you just not go there. I don’t know how to answer you. No matter what I say it isn’t going to be a good enough answer.”

“If you could give me an answer that spells out why he’s good for you or how well he treats you, and I’m completely wrong…then yeah, there would be a good enough answer.” His tone was strong and defiant. His frustration was apparent and she was having a hard time finding excuses for Mike anymore.

“Sid…” Phoebe wanted to choose her words carefully. “I told you. I’ve been with him since I’m a kid. He wants to be with me,” she started to become angrier by the second. “He could be with any girl and have a ring on her finger. He could be out screwing someone every night, but he’s instead chose to be with me,” she stood up in frustration and looked at him. “I don’t know why that isn’t good enough.” Her annoyance at Sid’s constant prying was shining through. She rolled her eyes and turned to walk away from him but didn’t get two steps before she felt Sid’s hand on her waist, spinning her around to look at him.

“I-I’m sorry,” he breathed out. “Pheebs…please don’t walk away. I don’t want to push you away. I just…I just care about you and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Well I’m a big girl Sid. I can take care of myself,” she started to get choked up. “Let’s just please not discuss this in front of the kids.”

Sid looked down at the tears forming in her eyes and knew the bullshit she was telling him was becoming more and more clear to her. He also knew that she was wrong about some of the things she was using as evidence to be with Mike, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he looked at her, pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m sorry,” he breathed out. Phoebe closed her eyes, took comfort in him and knew that he only had her best interest at heart. No matter how much he hated Mike, she made him a promise that she would be with him for the rest of their lives. She invested way too much of her time and effort into their relationship to just give up now.

“Aunt Phoebe!” The kids were running at them, loud as can be, and she was doing her best to put on a happy front.

“What’s up babies?” she knelt down to their level.

“Can Sid come with us to the monkey bars?” Tommy’s eyes were huge and he was dying for her to say yes.

Phoebe laughed at his innocent request. “Why don’t you ask him?” she directed her eyes at Sid who was smiling down at her and the kids.

“I would love to go to the monkey bars with you!” Sid bent down and tickled Tommy in the stomach, which set him off into a fit of laugher. “C’mon,” he took their hands and led the way. Phoebe smiled as she watched her family go to play together. She then realized that Sid wasn’t her family and had to stop thinking of him as the father of her kids. That job belonged to Mike…eventually. It was almost like a test through observation, her sitting on the swings completely content, watching the kids play with Sid who handled them so well. It warmed her heart to see how quickly they bonded. She never saw Mike treat them the way Sid was.

When they all ran back over to her she couldn’t shake the grin from her face.

“What?” Sid knew exactly what was running through her mind but asked anyway.

“It’s just cute to see the three of you playing so nicely together.”

“Aunt Phoebe!” She looked down at the kids who were screaming for her.

“Yes babies?”

“Can we go for ice cream now!”

“You’re freezing your little butts off and you still want to go for ice cream?” her voice was playful and sweet.

“Yes!” both children yelled at the same time. “Can Siddey come?” Rebecca asked as she pulled on Sid’s arm.

“Of course he can sweetie.” She looked up at Sid. “Guess you’re stuck getting ice cream with us.”

“Fine with me.” The kids took off running to the exit of the park and Sid walked close by Phoebe. “I’m sorry for offending you earlier,” he was as sincere as could be.

“It’s okay Sid. I know.”

He didn’t know if it would be bad timing to grab her hand but he just couldn’t resist. He was presently surprised when she didn’t pull away. “By the way,” he said in soft tone. “You’re going to be an incredible mother someday.”

When Phoebe turned her head to look up at him he was already looking at her. “Well, you won’t make such a bad father yourself,” she smiled at him.

The group went for ice cream at a small place that was surprisingly still open considering the weather. Sid didn’t allow Phoebe to pay for anything and enjoyed snuggling up into a booth with her and the kids. It gave him an image of what having a family with her could be like someday and if it were anything like this day had gone, he would give anything to have it.

When the kids went home and it was only Phoebe and Sid, he realized that the more time he spent getting to know her, the more he was ahead of the game when it came to Richards.

“Sid.” He was ripped from his thoughts. “Do you want to watch a movie or something?”

“Yeah, absolutely. I have a road trip coming up so I was hoping you’d want to hang out tonight.”

“Oh yeah?” Phoebe yelled from the kitchen.

“Yeah,” Sid walked back and forth and plopped down on the couch uncomfortably. “We’re going to New York and then heading to Philly…” he waited for a response and was surprised when she didn’t say a word. A minute or so later Phoebe emerged from the kitchen with popcorn in hand. “Well, good luck. Even though you won’t need it.”

“You aren’t going to come?” Sid was shocked she wouldn’t take the opportunity to go Philly.

“No. I can’t. I have a big test and a paper due.” She sat down next to him and curled up into his side putting the tv on.

“Wow. Okay, I’ll say hi to your boy for you then.”

Phoebe didn’t entertain his sarcasm. “Are you staying over tonight?” she changed the subject.

“If you want me to,” he pulled her in closer to him.

“I wouldn’t mind it. It’s nice not being alone and I won’t see you for a few days.”

“Yeah,” he swallowed. “Hey Pheebs…” She moaned which gave him the clear to keep talking. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too Sid,” her words were muffled since she was pressed against him so tightly.

Sid fell asleep with Phoebe in his arms. At some point in the middle of the night, Phoebe woke up and guided them both into the bedroom where they could enjoy the comfort of the bed for the rest of the night. When Sid woke up the next morning he looked around and took in everything he had with Phoebe. He loved waking up next to her, seeing and feeling her wrapped up in him. He knew that his trip to Philly was going to mean so much more than just division placement…it was going to be the chance for him to see what Richards was all about.