"I hear your Dad is coming to town," Rico said first thing when he dropped in to see Gabe and Sammy. Of course, Mona wasn't with him, and that put Gabe in a bad mood.
"So, doesn't mean I have to see him, a lot like Mona never hanging out with your friends," Gabe knew he shouldn't have said it, but a lot made him bitter these days. Especially, when his uncle invited his dad to come down.
He hugged himself and turned away as if he'd serve dinner and Sammy could chat with Rico.
"Oh, he doesn't mean it," Sammie said about Gabe's remark to Rico who of course, snickered back.
Gabe went to get the garlic toast out of the oven and dished out spaghetti and meatballs to Sammy who sat down to her salad but passed the fresh ranch dressing she'd made to Rico so he could be served first.
Gabe stayed quiet as the three of them started to eat ever so casually at the dining table.
"Did you make this, Sammy?" Rico asked.
"Oh, we both did," she said Gabe did all the chopping and even helped with the meatballs.
"We'll have meatballs all week," Gabe smiled as if he hoped he didn't say another word about Mona, but couldn't help but ask. "What does Mona make for dinner?"
"Well, you know, she's busy. I mean she stayed late at work. Sometimes, it's just cereal."
Rico shrugged and twirled the spaghetti on a fork and stuffed it in his mouth.
"Cereal?" Gabe said with disgust. "Couldn't she at least make you a decent bowl of Ramen with some veg and a fried egg on top?"
"We might be lazy," Rico admitted. "I wish we had more meals together, but with jobs and all it doesn't happen often."
"Are you sure you two live together?"
"Enough," Sammy eyed Gabe as if he was going too far. "Sometimes, all we have is a peanut butter sandwich, and we survive, don't we?"
That shut Gabe up. He was going to clean his plate or else, and finish off the cottage cheese too.
"Sorry, I'm being an ass," Gabe said later while they cleaned up and Sammy took a call from her mother in the bedroom. "I just don't want to see my Dad. I can't stand the thought of it, you know."
"I get it," Rico told him of his troubles with his own mother. "All I ever was, was a paycheck to her, and now that I'm gone. Well, I can't go back either. There are just some things that stick in your mind while growing up. But you are going to be a dad now."
Rico dried the dishes. "You never mentioned how you felt about that?"
Gabe scrubbed on the pot they used for any dinner. He wanted it nice and clean for the next stir-fry or a stew.
"Oh, I guess it's setting in," Gabe said. "I mean, I never was expecting it, by any means..and then it did, and well.." Gabe winced. "Yeah, it makes me nervous. It makes me mad that I don't know how to be a good father. I want to be, but..but what if I am just like my Dad, after all?"
"That would never happen," Rico squinted.
"Hell, I'm already turning in to him."
Gabe cracked up. "I don't know how to play nice, you know. I just know I talk like him sometimes. I don't want to, and then before I can stop myself I'm saying things I shouldn't."
He was quiet then as he rinsed the pot. "I'm so lucky to have found Sammy. I don't want to lose her. But..you know, the things I thought I would be doing with my mom, haven't happened. It's hard to meet the past again. I don't want that to happen to you. I don't want you having to do everything for Mona, either."
He pressed his lips tight and went to get them a light beer from the fridge. "Are you sure you're happy with Mona?"
"Yes, yes I am," he said to Gabe after he popped the top off the beer. "And I know you're happy with Sammy. Don't think about anybody but the two of you starting a family. It'll be fine."
Gabe wasn't so sure of that as he took a sip of beer.
"I find Mona rather fascinating," Rico smiled.
"Get out of here," Gabe almost spewed his beer on Rico.
"See, I don't have to worry about you taking Mona away from me."
He laughed and Gabe laughed too.