getting so much better all the time
He spends one year recovering and one year getting back out there.
She spends one year worrying and one year full of pride.
He spends one year weak and pained and one year getting his smile back.
She spends one year sleeping soundly knowing that he’s close at hand and one year calling him every night to check that he’s home safe.
He spends one year terrified at the concept of having nothing to do and one year starting to do things again. Work. Photography. Listening to music.
She spends one year fuming and then, in the second year, moves in next door to the person she’s been fuming at.
He spends one year trying to get over himself and one year trying to get over him.
She spends half a year turning her back. Exchanging words with the kid sometimes, but treating the father with as much contempt as she can.
He spends two years getting calls every week and refusing invites to baseball games, chess matches. He always finds a reason.
She spends the other half of the year gradually letting the father in. Slightly smiling at him when she sees him in the mornings. Telling him shabbat shalom on fridays. By the end of the second year she’s been to his house four times and watched the kid after school about seven times.
He spends the second year dating around. One boy is kind and Whizzer runs when he tells him he loves him, one boy is angry and Whizzer runs when he raises his fist. There are quite a few angry boys. His shrink tells him he falls for versions of his father. Whizzer stops seeing his shrink. Whizzer stops dating around. He pours his heart and soul into his photos instead.
By the end of the second year she’s sure he’s okay. He’s smiling more than he has in years. She’s so, so proud.
By the end of the second year he stops making excuses. He’ll come to a baseball game in the new year, he promises. It’s hanukkah and he’s lighting candles with Charlotte’s family, who are the sweetest warmest people he’s ever met (bar Delia’s family) when he realises what’s happened. He’s worked it out. He’s gonna be fine.