Make It Work

Chapter Eleven

"Yes, Robert, it's me," Carla smiles, even though Zeek couldn't see her.

"H-How have you been?" he sits up straight with a huge smile on his face.

"I'm doing fine how about you. I haven't seen you in years?"

"I have been well yeah," he stares at his wedding pictures on his desk, "so, is there a reason that I am getting this surprising call?"

"I heard that you were in my city and I wanted to catch up."

"Uh, yeah sure, when are you available?" he looks through his calendar making sure that he was available for she wants to meet up.

"How about right now?" Carla walks through the door heart leaping out of her chest at the sight of the man in front of her.

"How did you get back here?"

"One of the men at the desk let me back here."

"Great," he rolls his eyes annoyed that that nobody let him know about the incoming call or that Carla was making her way back here, "how is Genesis?" he asks getting out of his chair making his way towards her.

"Why don't you ask her yourself," she looks behind gesturing for the little one to come from behind the wall. Slowly the little that is a complete replica of her father comes into view.

"Uncle Bobby!" she smiles widen and she runs to Zeek almost knocking her mother over.

"There's my little girl," he bends down bracing himself for the impact of her, "God she gotten so big, how did you know that I was in Atlanta."

"We went up to Chicago for the last week of Genesis summer vacation, to visit the family, and Vern told us that you moved here with your wife. That took me by surprise because I didn't know that you were married."

"Yeah," he reaches behind him grabbing one of the many pictures of Logan that is on his desk handing it to Carla, "we're going to be celebrating our four-year anniversary soon."

"Wow, and I didn't get an invitation," she tries to hide the sadness that she wasn't able to celebrate such milestone with her best friend.

"Well, you weren't really talking to me at the time Carla."

"It doesn't matter, you could have at least sent an olive branch or something, here it from my mouth that I didn't want to, plus Genesis would have been a great flower girl."

"I know, trust me, I regret that."

"Oh, I recognize her," Carla comments when she finally looks down at the picture.

"How?" Zeek takes the picture out of her hand about to place it on his desk before Genesis took it.

"That's the nice lady from the store, she smelt nice."

"Come again?"

"When we were at the store, Genesis decided to run from me and ended up bumping into her. I was getting nervous because of the way she kept on staring at my child, but now I kind of know why."

"She doesn't know about you guys."

"Why not?"

"Because if I tell her about you two then I would tell her about the other part of my life that I am not ready to discuss."

"You're still beating yourself up over that, Robert, it wasn't your fault."

"How could it not been, you didn't talk to me for three years and when we were in the same facility you acted as if I wasn't there."

"And I apologize for that, and I forgive you," the former best friends have an intense stare down until the seven-year-old broke the silence.

"I want ice cream," she comments leaning onto her uncle's chest.