Telescope Eyes

Two weeks went by faster than Micah hoped for.

She sat at the bar stool looking over at the clock every few seconds, her foot tapping with the ticking. Reagan laughed from next to her, taking off her apron and setting it behind the counter. “They say a watched pot never boils,” she chuckled, tying her long hair into a bun.

Micah sighed, finishing the doodle she had drawn on her order sheet, “I just want to go home.”

“Go,” Reagan laughed. “You get off in like five minutes, I can hold down the fort,” she replied, using her hand to gesture to the empty bar.

She grinned and sat off the stool giving the younger girl a hug, “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

Micah clocked out and drove to Eric’s apartment, a little boy running into her arms as soon as she opened the door. She picked up her son and balanced him on her hip as she set her purse on the counter. “Hey baby, what are you boys up to?” She smiled, looking into her little boy’s green eyes.

“We’re just packing up dad—Eric’s room,” Colton replied.

Micah and Eric had talked to the little boy trying their best to explain to him that Eric wasn’t his actually daddy. They told him about the stork and how he brought presents to good people, and how Colton was only Micah’s present. He didn’t understand, but luckily he was so little it honestly didn’t matter to him as long as his ‘daddy’ or now Eric, would play with him.

It was hard for Micah though, to see her son grow up without a father. She wanted more than anything to pretend that Eric was his—because he was, well he was perfect. But nothing in life was ever that easy.

Some day Colton may hate her for this, but that was a day that she was pushing farther into her mind. She was still praying that day would exist though, that would mean that he would still be here.

“Micah, I need help!” Eric whined, walking into the living room with a pout on his lips.

She chuckled at the boy who looked completely distressed. His hair was a mess and his shirt was wrinkled, his eyes holding bags underneath them from his lack of sleep. She and Colton followed them into the couple’s bedroom; Micah groaned when she saw the amount of clothes he was trying to shove in one small suitcase. “Eric, that isn’t going to fit,” she sighed, raking her fingers through her hair.

She unfolded every crumpled up shirt and pair of jeans, folding them nicely as Eric and Colton had a pillow fight on her bed—her son winning every time on purpose she was sure. She placed all of Halvo’s liquid products in bags in case they went on a flight so that the pressure wouldn’t make them explode and she even left him a sweet little note hidden in one of his pockets just to make him smile.

And, with the distractions of being attacked by her boyfriend and child every ten minutes, it only took two and a half hours.

Micah laid her back onto the plush cushions of the couch, smiling as Colton curled up next to her, his green eyes shining and his pink stained lips pulling in a little frown, “I’m going to miss him,” he mumbled, laying his head on her arm.

“I’m going to miss him too baby, but he’ll be back soon. He has to make money so that when he comes back we can stay here,” Micah reassured, rubbing her son’s back.

It was always hard for Colton to watch Eric go, and if it wasn’t hard on Micah enough that her boyfriend was leaving for months it was even harder to watch her son cry about it as well. She had to stay strong and fight her tears until he was out of town and Colton was asleep just so that she could keep from breaking down in front of her kid—the one person who needed her to be strong. He depended on her.

“Do you think when…Eric comes back we can go to the aquarium again? I liked that,” Colton said softly, yawning.

Micah smiled, kissing his forehead, “I think he would love to do that again, kiddo. Maybe, maybe tomorrow morning we can talk him into going ice skating before he leaves? Maybe Grandma and Daniel will come too.”

“Really?” The little boy yelled excitedly.

“Does that sound fun?” She grinned.

Colton nodded his head, kissing her cheek, “You’re the best Mommy.”

“So are you buddy,” Micah chuckled, holding her little boy tight to her side and closing her eyes. She soon put Colton to bed and went to lay in her and Eric’s sheets.

She’d miss his smell, or the way at night he would just hold her and whisper cute little things in her ear. She’d miss the way his smile was wider than ever when he was around Colton.

Eric stepped out of the shower with wet hair, his body only clad in blue boxers. He lay on the bed next to her pulling her thin frame into his warm arms. “I don’t want to leave tomorrow,” he whispered into her hair, his arms rubbing the bare skin that her rising t-shirt exposed.

“Quit,” Micah sighed. “I mean, they could replace you anyways.”

“Ouch,” Eric laughed, giving her a playful glare. “I’m going to take that insult as you trying to demean what I do so much that I have no other choice but to stay because I feel horrible about myself.”

“Is it working?”

He sighed, kissing her forehead, “You know if I could stay I’d be here in a heartbeat—or if I could take you with me, but—

“We can’t risk his health,” Micah said softly nodding her head. “I wish I could go with you, but it’s just not in the cards for us right now.”

“We’re going to be okay, Mic. This relationship isn’t just for fun anymore—I’m serious about this, about us. Sure I’m going to miss you, you know that, but I’ll be home soon and I’m going to come up on Colton’s birthday to see you guys,” he said sweetly. “It’ll be like I was never gone.”

“You say that every time you leave,” she groaned, closing her eyes and snuggling into his chest. “When will it actually be true?”

Eric laughed softly, “It won’t, but it’s the thought that counts, right?”

Micah laughed along with him and took in heavy breaths of his scent. This time when Eric left it would be harder than the others. All the other times he came for a week at most—but she had been with him every day for about a month now; she was used to having him around. It would be weird to not see his smile every day, or give him a sweet kiss goodnight.

“Don’t find someone better than me,” she whispered softly, closing her eyes and letting fear take over her mind. She wasn’t stupid—she saw groupies waiting at the bar at all of the boy’s shows. What if one of the girls got her claws in Eric?

“Micah,” Eric laughed, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look up at him. “Seriously babe, you’re being ridiculous. I would never, ever do anything to hurt you like that.” She stared into his eyes silently, watching as his features changed from confidence to regret. “I know what you’re thinking about right now,” he said gently. “We were sixteen and it was a mistake…I was drunk, you know that.”

“It still hurt,” she said quietly, closing her eyes and pushing the memory to the back of her mind. “I—I just don’t want you to forget about me.”

Eric sighed, “That’s impossible, honey. Seriously, believe me when I tell you that you were my first love—and my only love. You’re the one for me, you’re it.”

She blushed as a small smile took over her lips, “I’m sorry—I am being ridiculous, aren’t I?”

The boy nodded his head before kissing her earlobe, nibbling the skin softly. “Now, what do you say that we make the best of the last few hours we have together?”

Micah grinned, letting her hands slide down to his boxers. “Sounds great.”

*

Micah giggled as Eric placed both of his hands on her hips, moving her faster on her skates that she was already wobbling on, “Halvo!” She squealed, grabbing onto his wrists tightly. “I swear if I fall!”

Eric started laughing in her ear, pulling her back against his chest as they glided smoothly on top of the ice, “Don’t you trust me baby girl?”

They came to a slow stop and Micah instantly grabbed for the wall, clutching her chest with her hand taking deep breaths, “This was a bad idea. I already am bruised from that tumble a few minutes ago.”

Eric continued to chuckle before he kissed her temple softly. The pair skated over to a tall row of metal bleachers where her mother was finishing lacing up Colton’s skates. Micah sat down next to her baby boy and double checked them as to make sure he wouldn’t have wobbling ankles—the last thing he needed was a broken foot.

“Mommy,” Colton said, drawing her attention to the little boy’s green eyes.

“Yes baby?”

“Does it hurt when you fall? I saw you fall—and I’m scared,” he admitted, taking a deep gulp.

Micah smiled softly, holding out her elbow. “It does hurt, mama got a bump right here.” Colton gasped and looked at her nervously. She leaned in to the child with a smile on her lips. “But,” she whispered, “There’s a way to make it feel better. Can you give it a kiss?”

Colton pressed his lips to the skin on her elbow making a small smacking noise with his lips. “Does that help?” He asked eagerly.

Micah nodded her head and smiled wide, “It’s all better! See, that’s all you need whenever you’re hurt or sad or anything, just a little kiss will make it better.”

Her son smiled and held out his hands for her to hold as he stood up. Micah braced him and grinned as Eric grasped the little boy’s other hand. They made their way to the ice, bracing the small child between them.

Colton looked terrified: he was shaking and had a frown on his lips. Micah and Eric both took more weight off of his feet practically holding him up on their own; they found their lips turning up at the ends when Colton’s laugh rang out through the air as he glided over the smooth ice. They did lap after lap. Micah skated alone as she watched Eric place his hands on Colton’s hips and push him faster around the arena, her child’s laughs lingering in the air.

She smiled to herself before stepping off the ice and wobbling over to where her mother was reading a book at a white table. Lydia took off her glasses and smiled, noticing her daughter’s presence. “Having fun?”

Micah nodded her head, glancing over to Colton, “A lot. I think he is too, which is all that matters.”

Lydia frowned as she looked over at her, “So earlier, Colton called Eric by his first name instead of ‘dad’…what was that about?”

Her chest froze. What was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to tell her mom the truth—that wasn’t happening. “Uh you know, it’s just one of those phases. They say it happens when kids are around this age,” Micah stammered, looking over at the two skating.

“Right,” her mother replied shortly, clicking her tongue. “How is Colton handling Eric leaving?”

She sighed, picking at her fingernails. “Not very well, it’s always hard on him. He’ll be better in a few days though and Eric is really great at making sure to video chat with him at least twice a week.”

Lydia smiled and took a sip of her hot cocoa, “Eric adores that boy.”

Micah chuckled, “Sometimes I think Colton is the only reason he stays. He loves him more than he loves me.”

“Well, wouldn’t you prefer that?”

She smiled honestly, “Yeah, I would.”

That was true, too. Micah would much rather have someone stay for her child than for her; she would want Colton to be happy and loved before she was. She wanted his life to be perfect—she could handle bad in her life, but he didn’t deserve any more than he already had because of her.

Micah turned as she heard someone clear their throat from behind her. She was faced with her brother who had his hand laced with a small brunette’s. “Mom, Micah,” he began, glancing nervously at the girl beside him, “This is Jessica.”

The girl waved shyly, blushing as their mother smiled widely, beckoning the girl to sit down. “Gosh, Daniel has been telling me about you for weeks,” Lydia gushed excitedly, causing Daniel to turn a bright red.

Micah laughed at her brother and joined conversation with her mother and her brother’s new girl. She seemed sweet and very innocent, though Micah knew looks could deceive you. She knew that if Jessica hung out with her brother she probably wasn’t as shy as she seemed, but that didn’t mean she was a bad kid.

Hell, she reminded Micah a lot of herself.

“Mommy come skate!” Colton yelled, hobbling over to her with Eric holding him tightly so he wouldn’t fall flat on his face. She smiled as she looked at her son’s genuine smile, his cheeks tinted slightly pink from the cold along with the tip of his nose.

“Duty calls,” Micah chuckled, getting up and following her two boys to the slippery surface. They skated for a while more, laughing when they fell and giving kisses to make the bumps feel better.

Everything great came to an end though. After another two hours Micah and Colton found themselves sitting on the stairs of Eric’s apartment complex. She frowned as tears poured down her little boy’s cheeks as he clung to the only real man in his life.

“Don’t go,” Colton mumbled, his arms tight around Halvo’s neck as he kneeled to his level.

Eric took a deep breath and Micah closed her eyes, refusing to cry in front of Colton. “Want to know a secret?” He whispered, causing the child to nod his head slowly sniffling softly. Eric faked a grin and looked deep into Colton’s green eyes. “I told mommy that if you’re really good then in a few weeks you can come see me in New York, also known as Gotham City—the place where Batman is from,” he said gently.

“Batman?” Colton gasped, “Really?”

Eric nodded his head, “Sure thing, kiddo. One thing though, you have to promise to be really good for mama. No acting up or fits—you have to take care of her when I’m gone.”

The little boy nodded his head seriously causing Micah to grin, “I can do that.”

Eric smiled, “Good. I’ll see you soon okay buddy?”

Colton agreed and gave Eric one more kiss on the cheek before starting to climb the stairs slowly. Micah watched as he made his way up safely, her arms crossed against her chest. She looked at the boy in front of her with a small pout on her lips.

“I have to go, baby,” Eric whispered, taking her into his arms and pulling her against his chest. “I’m going to miss you so much—everyday.”

“Me too,” Micah whispered weakly, her tears threatening to pour out from her lids. ‘

“Take care of him, sweetie. You’re a great mom,” he said while kissing her forehead and closing his own eyes tightly.

“Call me when you can—text me…anything,” Micah sighed. “I just need you somehow.”

Eric grinned, “You have me, in every way.”

She chuckled and moved her hands to either side of the boy’s face, giving him a firm kiss on his pink lips. “I love you so much, Eric,” she said honestly.

He kissed her back gently, smiling against her lips, “I love you too, Micah.”

She said her final goodbyes before climbing the stairs to his apartment and watching the boy drive away to where he was meeting his band mates. She closed the door once his truck had disappeared down the road and sighed as she took a seat to her son on the plush couch.

She smiled as she watched a young Harry Potter flicker across the screen as he rode a broom for the first time. God, she remembered the first time she watched this movie when she was only a few years older than Colton was now. Where did the years go?

“Can we bake cookies, mommy?”

Micah laughed softly before nodding her head and scooping the little boy into her arms and carrying him into the kitchen. She heated up some chicken fingers for him to eat first as she prepared the batter to be cooked. Within twenty minutes the dough was ready and being placed into the oven and Colton was lying on the couch once again with his eyes drooping.

Micah placed a blanket over her son’s body, smiling as his eyes looked at her adoringly. “Make sure to tell me when my cookies are done, mommy.”

She giggled and pressed her lips to his forehead, “I will, honey.”

Micah began to head to her bedroom to grab a book when she heard a knock at the door. Her mind instantly hoped it was Eric, and Colton did too as she watched him shoot up on the couch looking at the door excitedly.

She bit her lip curiously walking over to the door. She opened it quickly, revealing a boy with messy hair and a crooked grin. His green eyes burned into her as she brought the door closed behind her.

She stepped into the Arizona heat looking up at the boy nervously, “Uh, John what are you doing here?”

“Did Halvo leave yet?” He asked, running a hand through his hair and shielding his eyes from the sun.

“Yeah, you just missed him,” Micah replied in a rush, hoping this conversation ended quickly and John would be gone before Colton got curious.

“Damn,” John mumbled, before chuckling softly. “Well, I leave tomorrow and there’s a going away party tonight at Tim’s house if you want to go. I was going to invite you and Eric—but seeing as he’s not here…”

“Next time just call!” She chuckled, nerves apparent in her shaking voice. “Is that all then?”

“You okay?” He laughed, looking at her weird demeanor.

Micah used her hand as if to brush him off, “Oh yeah totally.”

“You just seem kind of—rushed, did I interrupt something? Are you hiding someone in there that you don’t want me to know about?” John joked playfully.

“You’re so funny!” She replied, her heart beating at an unusual pace. This could not seriously be happening.

“But anyways, are you going to be there tonight?” John asked, smiling that crooked grin at her.

Micah tousled her hair, looking anywhere but his green eyes. “Oh you know,” she started, “If I can get off work I’ll be there.”

John opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a much younger voice.

“Who are you?”

Micah felt her heart stop as John’s smile turned from happiness to confusion. She looked down at the little green eyed boy at her feet, her breathing becoming rougher, “Hey sweetie, go back inside, okay? You know it’s not good to talk to strangers,” she said shakily to her confused child. “I’ll be right in.”

John chuckled and looked at her with a small smirk, “Do you babysit or something?”

“Um—

“But mama,” Colton protested.

John’s smile faded as he looked at her with his brow scrunched. “Colton,” Micah began; her chest was rising and falling out of fear and her head was spinning. “I said I’ll be right back inside.”

“Micah, what’s going on?” John asked quickly, his voice full of bewilderment.

“Mom,” Colton whined, pulling on the bottom of her sweater.

“Micah,” John said, more force in his voice.

She looked in between the two boys that looked weirdly alike, taking a deep breath before looking down at her son. “Go inside, now,” she said adamantly. This was not the time for him to choose to not listen to her.

“But Mom—the timer—

“Colton Cornelius, what did I say?” Micah said, snapping at the child.

She felt her chest tighten and her mind went blank as she realized what she had just said. Tears welled in the little boy’s eyes as he walked back inside and as she listened to the oven timer beeping from the inside she comprehended that he was just telling her the cookies were done.

She needed to go inside and hug him, dry his tears and tell him she was sorry—but right now all she could focus on was the sound of rough breaths hitting the air next to her.

“C-Cornelius…”

Micah turned to the boy next to her who was staring at her vacantly. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. His eyes were looking everywhere but her and his hands were fidgeting.

“W-what…Micah…what…fuck,” he mumbled all at once, sounding as if he was having an anxiety attack. “H-he…”

“John,” she whispered softly, reaching out to touch his hand.

He retreated away from her quickly, placing his hands in front of him as if to tell her to not come any closer. He was shaking his head back and forth quickly, “I-I have to go.”

Micah watched as he sprinted down the stairs and hopped into his white truck, peeling out of the parking lot, not even bothering to halt at the red sign telling him to stop. She felt tears finally start pouring down her cheeks as she watched him run from her.

It was like every notion that had ever told her to not tell John about Colton was justifying itself; he wouldn’t be there. God, she needed Eric right now.

Micah walked into the apartment not even bothering to wipe away the makeup that was still running down her cheeks as she pulled her child into her arms tightly, rubbing his back as he cried. “I-I’m sorry, mommy, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, baby. Shh, it’s okay,” She mumbled into his hair, holding her tightly to her chest. His cries stopped after a few moments and soon it was her sobs that were shaking them.

“Mama, are you okay?” Colton whispered while placing either one of his small hands on her cheeks.

She nodded her head through her tears; she was supposed to be his rock—but here he was doing exactly what Eric had instructed him to do even though he was merely four years old: he was taking care of her. “Mama is just hurting a little right now,” she whispered, “It’s okay though, baby.”

Colton leaned forward and gave her a little kiss on her head like he had done earlier that day to her elbow. “All better right?” He said with a cute, hopeful smile on his lips.

“All better,” Micah laughed softly even though it wasn’t sincere.

“I’ll always love you, Mommy.”

She smiled and her eyes squeezed shut as she prayed to God that for once maybe he could help her. She prayed that Colton could always love her—even someday when he realized that his mommy was a liar.