Tidbits

"I still haven't forgiven you, father."

Nate looked up from the documents he was reading at the little boy sitting across from him, quizzically.

"What do you mean, dear?"

"For abandoning mother and us."

Nate sighed and put his documents down on the table. He knew he'd have to explain is absence one day to the children, but he wasn't expecting it to be so soon after his return.

"It's a long story, dear. Maybe it would be better if we wait until you're a little bit olde-"

"No!" Betel cried out, to Nate's surprise. It was highly uncharacteristic of the calm and mild 7 year old to lash out like this. "Father, you don't understand! Mother will never admit it because he loves you so much, but he suffered a lot raising Bella and I while you were gone! Y-you don't-"

The boy let out a shaky sob and looked down. Nate got up from his seat, kneeling beside Betel.

"Now dear, I won't pretend like I have any excuses for what I did to you two and your mother. I'm deeply sorry for hurting you." Nate said, gently patting the boy's back, "I regret what I did in the past and while I can't change what I did, the least I can do is promise you that I'll never leave you guys again."

"Do you promise? Pinky swear?" Betel sniffed, looking up at Nate with teary eyes, pinky finger outstretched.

"It's a promise. I swear it on my life." Nate said, locking his pinky finger with Betel's. Taking a handkerchief out of his coat, he dabbed a way Betel's tears. "Now shall we go look for your mother and Bella and have some lunch together?"

"Yes, father!"