No Happy Endings Here, Part Ii

...She did not see him at the reunion, the big night came and he was a no-show, Janet felt sad, but figured he might need time, so back to their hometown the two did go. But Chet went on the alumni website, got her email and asked if they could meet, the place was a low-key diner he knew, she saw him in a booth and took a seat. She couldn’t quite read him from his expression, he kept quite neutral as he drank coffee, then finally said, in a heavy voice, “Janet, why didn’t you ever tell me?” She frowned and said, “I was so young back then, I didn’t know what to that, what to do, and you were going to graduate school, I didn’t want to take all that from you. “And maybe I thought that I could be strong, that I didn’t need a man to help me, but maybe I thought too much of myself, and now I just want to make Mia happy. “She looks more like you every passing day, and I admit that I’ve missed you myself. I guess I want you to be part of her life, and, well, maybe be part of mine as well…” He was quiet as he took in the words, she thought she saw some kindness in his eyes, until he learned forwards and said, “The nerve… to think I’d ever dare let you inside! “Do you even understand what you’ve done? Do you comprehend what you’ve taken away? I missed half of my daughter’s childhood, and you think everything will just be okay? “I never got to hear my girls first cries, or feel her small kicks as your stomach swelled. I never got to rock my girl to sleep, or see her crawl like a rug-rat from hell! I never got to hear first awkward words, or watch her stumble through her damn first steps, never got to read her bedtime stories, or see the first day of school, when she left. “Never got to bring her to my parents, or show her things that I think she would like, never got to tech my girl anything, or feel the love that she’d bring to my life! “And maybe I could’ve dealt with all that, if I at least knew that she might exist, but you bring her to men, ten, and a stranger, and think that somehow I’d be all right with this?! “And then you come here and imply that you might want to pick up from where we left off? This isn’t some freakin’ Hollywood script, and I’m tempted to tell you to get lost! “But I’ve already been cheated of ten years, so I guess we’ll have to make arrangements then, but know, if it was not for that sweet girl, I would never want to see you again.” CONCLUDES IN PART III.