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“Maybe Uncle Mike can take you!”
Robby’s head snaps up from his phone. What– ?
There’s three pairs of hazel eyes looking at him expectantly from across the coffee table.
“Robby, you with us?” Dana asks, and Robby narrows his eyes at her, seeing her amused smirk. He let himself drift off for a second but he wasn’t expecting to be roped into some babysitting gig in the five minutes he wasn’t paying attention to the conversation.
Dana, Grace and little Annie are all staring at him, waiting for his response.
“Heard you guys are going up to the cabin for a couple of days,” Grace explains after more silence from Robby. “I know you have one more day off than mom, and I’ve heard you were planning on driving up there early anyway, so I just thought you could maybe take Annie with you?”
Robby furrows his brows, searching for a good response. Yes, he was planning on driving up there early, but it was to clean up Benji’s stuff, as a surprise for Dana. He’s overheard her complain so many times about the fishing gear strewn around the place.
“I’d come pick her up first thing in the morning, and I’d take mom with me so she wouldn’t have to drive on her own,” Grace continues, her voice growing more anxious. “If that’s okay with you, of course.” She finishes, folding her hands in her lap.
Robby’s learned a long time ago that he’s simply unable to say no to Dana’s girls. It was impossible when they were little, begging him for sweets from Dana’s secret stash, and it’s still impossible now, even though they’ve both grown up. And it seems that it applies to their next generations too.
“Yes– yeah, of course.” He shrugs and smiles at Grace and Annie. “Would you like that, kiddo?” he says to the little girl.
“You gonna go on a trip with Uncle Mike?” Grace asks, nudging her daughter with her knee.
Annie shoots Robby a toothy smile and nods enthusiastically. That settles it.
The road to the lake cabin is peaceful and long, giving Robby just enough time to think back to the last time he took it, around twenty years before.
It was the Fourth of July weekend and Robby somehow managed to get three days off in a row. His only plans were his couch, his TV and probably the crate of beers he kept stashed away in his basement. But then, on his way out of PTMC he bumped into Dana. Her anxious voice was ringing through the ambulance bay, and by all the honeys and sweeties he figured she was talking to one of her daughters.
Robby immediately guessed what that was about – a call came in earlier, informing Dana that Benji landed in Presby’s ER with his arm broken in two places, effectively putting a spanner in any plans they might have had for the weekend.
“Sweetie, I know, but I promise he didn’t do it on purpose,” Dana pleaded into the phone. She finally noticed Robby and her voice softened. “Okay. Yes, okay. Fine, we’ll talk at home. I love you. Bye, honey.”
Robby raised his eyebrows at Dana, silently asking her what’s up.
“Somehow Grace is furious with me for Benji breaking his arm. I told him to leave the fence the fuck alone but you know how he is,” Dana shrugged. Did he know? “Anyway. Now he can’t take the girls to the cabin up north like we promised them he would, and I obviously can’t take last minute time off so–”
“I’ll take ‘em,” Robby said before he lets himself think too much about it.
“You will?”
“You lookin’ at me like you just found out I know how to drive, Dana.”
“No, no,” Dana shook her head. Why was she blushing? “I just– I dunno, didn’t really peg you for a family type guy.”
“Oh please. Three days in that lake cabin you keep bragging about? Who wouldn’t jump in on that?” Robby kept his tone light, trying to deflect. Truth was, he saw how exhausted Dana was recently, and he imagined the girls’ trip would have been perfect for her. He knew how much she liked coming to a quiet home – something that’s nearly impossible with two pre-teens in the house.
“You not scared of two girls eating you alive out there?” Dana arched her eyebrow, looking Robby up and down.
“Please,” Robby scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’ve been threatened at knife point twice this week. I think I can handle your kids.”
He’ll never admit this, even now, but he was scared shitless, going on that trip. Not even for the girls’ safety – he was a great swimmer, thank you very much – but of how awkward it could get. He’s met Grace and Mary-Kate a few times before, when they came with Benji to pick up Dana after her shifts, but it was always brief, Dana’s husband quickly dragging the girls back into the car.
Robby’s worries fell away the second they started their journey. The girls were like little Danas – talkative and sharp witted. They had Robby wrapped around their fingers before the three of them reached their destination. They yelled at him to sing the latest pop hits with them. They made him something called a friendship bracelet. They gave him a rundown on the latest celebrity gossip they read in colourful magazines that Dana definitely did not allow at home.
Then there was the whole uncle thing. Robby was sure it wasn’t Dana who put it in her girls’ heads. And it definitely wasn’t Benji, who only addressed him with hey, bye, and a stern handshake. The girls knew his first name, but they also never really used it – never really had the chance to, until that trip. Robby’s fairly certain it was Mary-Kate who came up with the nickname, trying to draw his attention to the story she was telling him from the backseat. Uncle Michaeeel, she drawled. And so, it stuck for the next 20 years.
Even though it is his name, Robby still cringes at the sound of it from time to time. He’s really gotten used to Robby. That’s a name that he’s made for himself. Not Michael – given to him by his parents who clearly did not give a fuck if he lived or died. Mike was better, Mike was used by Jack who from the beginning used Robby’s first name to jump over the fence Robby was building around himself.
So when Mary-Kate and Grace started calling him Uncle Mike, it was hard not to scowl at first. Because of the name, but also because of the title. He felt like an intruder to Dana’s family. Yes, he and she were friends, very close friends, but as much as he wanted it, he knew they’d never cross a line into something more. He could be called many names but homewrecker wasn’t one of them. It was painful, being accepted into Dana’s family by her girls, knowing this is just an illusion of something he really craved.
But in true Robby fashion, he stuck around. No matter how much it stung.
Before Robby knows it, it’s Saturday, and Grace’s car is coming up on the road leading to the cabin. He’s standing in the driveway, watching Dana get out, a smile breaking out on her face the moment she sees Robby.
“He lives!” she exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air.
“Oh please,” he laughs. “Annie’s an angel, compared to Mary-Kate and Grace.”
“Hey!” Grace comes up to Robby, giving him a playful shove. He chuckles as he pulls her in a tight embrace.
Dana laughs, watching the two of them interact. There’s a part of her that screams at her, tells her she should feel guilty. That this feels too good to be true – her daughters so easily accepting Robby as Dana’s partner and not just friend. She pushes the feeling deeper down.
The garage of the cabin is open and Dana’s first instinct is to look away. She remembers the frustration she felt every time she went in there, looking for something and being swamped with Benji’s fishing gear and power tools that he swore he would use and never did. But a glint of light coming in through the window catches her attention – they had a window in that damn room?
Upon closer inspection Dana realises the garage has been thoroughly cleaned. The shelves are empty of unnecessary clutter, now lined with clearly labeled boxes. All the swimming gear has been washed and is now standing proudly against the wall, reflecting colorful light off of the plastic.
Dana’s heart clenches as she whips around and sees Robby who’s standing right behind her, watching her reaction.
“Oh, baby,” she whispers and wraps her arms around his neck. Robby gives her a quick kiss and nudges her nose with his. They stay still for a second, with Dana’s face pressed into the crook of Robby’s neck. She squeezes his shoulders tightly, trying to convey with all her might how much what he did means to her.
They make their way to the lake side of the cabin, hand in hand. Soon Dana’s fishing around her pocket for her pack of cigarettes, much to Robby’s dismay.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Dana drawls, without even glancing in his direction. “I just completed a two and a half hour drive with my daughter who drives like a maniac.”
“No idea where she got that from, huh,” Robby teases.
If looks could kill, Robby would drop dead right here on the lawn. But they don’t, so Robby just scoots closer to Dana, pressing his arm into her shoulder. They watch the sun glisten on the water.
“Grandma!”
Dana whips around, her hand flying behind her to hide the cigarette. Robby can’t help but smirk at the sight of Dana acting like a child caught red handed in front of her precious granddaughter. Annie flies across the grass and into Dana’s arms, embracing her in a tight hug.
“Eww, what’s that smell!” the girl wrinkles her nose and pushes herself out of Dana’s embrace.
Robby has to cover his mouth to stifle his laugh. Dana shoots him another deadly stare before patting Annie on the head.
“Nothing you should worry about sweetie.” She’s five years old. She can go another year without knowing about her grandma’s vice. “Come on, honey. Let’s get started on that dinner before you and mama hit the road.”
Dana’s in the kitchen, cooking with Annie when Grace joins Robby on the porch. It’s a peaceful evening; the air is heavy with humidity and full of cricket sounds. Robby’s gently swaying on the porch swing, his fingers tracing the faded My Little Pony stickers Grace and Mary-Kate put on it ages ago. He smiles to himself, remembering how Dana once pulled out the colourful plastic horse from her lunchbox.
“Thank you, Robby.”
He smiles to himself, and nods without looking up. Grace plops down on the bench next to him, her knee bumping his.
“I’m sorry I sprang this on you so last minute,” she started to explain, but Robby cut it short.
“‘S okay, sweetheart. We had a blast.”
Quiet falls between them as Robby rocks the swing with his leg.
“Is this not weird to you?” Robby asks, breaking the silence after a while. His thoughts are racing, and even though he’s fearing Grace’s answer, he has to know. “Me being here, instead of your dad?”
Grace considers his words for a while.
“Nope,” she answers, her lips popping with the p. “Listen, it’s not like you’re some random man, suddenly appearing in our lives. You’ve been in mom’s life since before us. Me, Mary, even dad.” Grace shrugs, looking down at her hands. Robby watches her, his heart hammering in his chest.
“I don’t know how much she’s told you, but the last couple of years haven’t been easy. I love dad but I also know he hasn’t really been the best husband.”
Robby is silent, waiting for Grace to continue. He knows it’s not his place to agree, even though he does. He’s been by Dana’s side nearly every day for the last thirty years – he had the front row seat to the ups and downs of her marriage.
“I’m really happy for you two. I’m really glad she has you. As a friend, as whoever. And selfishly, I’m really happy that I have you, too.”
There’s tears stinging in Robby’s eyes as he wraps Grace in a tight embrace. He’s made peace with the fact that he lost his shot at being a father a long time ago, but if this is the next best thing, he’ll take it gladly.
“C’mon. We better check on that dinner Dana and Annie are making.”
The delicious smell of food fills the cabin as the four of them gather around the dinner table. Dana and Annie have made spaghetti with meatballs, Grace’s favourite from when she was a child. Annie’s animatedly telling a story about how she and Robby laid on the pier, watching fish through the gaps between the planks, and how they made smores for dinner last night.
“Did Uncle Mike snore?” Grace asks once Annie pauses her story for long enough so that anyone can get a question in.
“Hey!” Robby interjects, his voice high pitched in mock offense.
Grace grins at him and turns to her daughter again. Robby knows very well where she’s going with this question.
It was the second night of their trip when Dana got a phone call from Mary-Kate. Her daughter was whining on the phone about how loud Robby was snoring, and how they couldn't get him to stop. Dana knew their pain very well – Benji was also a snorer.
“He was snoring so loud the whole house was shaking!” Grace says with a grin on her face.
“Was not!” Robby tries to defend himself but he knows there’s no point. Annie’s whole body is shaking with her laughter, and so is Grace’s.
“So anyway,” Grace continues. “We had to call mom and beg her to do something about it!”
Dana grins at Robby and runs her palm along his arm. He tries to seek compassion in her eyes but he sees the same evil twinkle that Grace has in her eyes right now.
“Mom told us to put the phone to his ear and she yelled at him to turn to his side, and it worked! He stopped immediately!”
Annie can’t stop giggling and kicking her feet under the table. Robby’s ears turn pink, embarrassed to be put in the center of attention like this. He does love this story though, the domesticity of it. He looks around the table and his heart is bursting with affection for the girls sitting around it.
“Okay,” he says, getting up with a grunt. “Come along kid, you’ll help me clean up.”
When it’s just the two of them again, Dana wraps her arms around Robby, and presses her torso into his back. Through his t-shirt he can feel her press small kisses into his shoulderblade. Robby hums as he turns around in her arms and envelops her in a hug.
“Thank you,” Dana whispers into his chest.
“No problem, D. You know I love them as if they were my own, right?”
Dana’s throat tightens. Robby probably has no idea how many years she’s spent wishing that they were his own. That maybe if she played her cards right, and so did he, then they wouldn’t have spent the last thirty years tiptoeing around each other, always checking where the line is. Even though she has him now, Dana can’t help but think that they somehow wasted half of their lives not going after what they really wanted. It doesn’t matter now, though. Robby’s here right now, his sturdy form in her arms.
Before Dana can take control over her emotions, tears spill from her eyes, wetting the fabric of Robby’s t-shirt.
“Hey, hey,” he says as he pulls away slightly to get a better look at Dana’s face. “What’s wrong?”
Dana shrugs, hastily wiping her cheeks.
“I’m not sure what I did to deserve this. To deserve you,” she explains, her eyes boring into his.
Robby gently brushes the tears Dana's face, his palms setting on her cheeks. He gives her a soft smile as he cranes his neck to press his forehead against hers. In truth, he doesn’t know either. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve her. It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that they are here now, together, standing in front of Dana’s cabin as the sun sets on the water.