Mandy threw her head back and laughed as Kip struck the same poses all by his lonesome. Colton piled onto the sofa beside her. "What? What? What?"

Mandy shook her head. "Just a present from an old friend."

Colton took the pictures from her hand. "Is that you?" he asked.

"Yes, when I was eighteen."

"Who's the guy?"

"He was my boyfriend."

"Before my dad?"

Mandy sighed. "Yeah before your dad."

"Can I call him now?"

The clock was creeping towards eight. "Not yet. It's still really early."

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Colton drooped his shoulders. "It really sucks that he hardly ever calls."

Mandy's heart fell. She put her arm around Colton and hugged him to her side. He resisted the contact. "I know sweetie." What could she say? Your dad doesn't want to visit with you. Which Mandy had been secretly glad of. She didn't trust Eric to take care of Colton. She'd never admit it to Colton, but his dad had a history of being unreliable, so for the past four years she was glad there had been little contact between father and son.

She'd tried her best to keep other males in Colton's life. He played on sports teams and he spent time doing "guy things" with male friends of hers. But, it wasn't the same as being with your dad.

"Tommy, he's in my class, he doesn't live with his dad, but he gets to spend some weekends there and stuff."

"Your dad lives far away. It would be hard for me to get you up there for the weekend. Why don't you check out your new video game Santa got you? In about an hour we can call your dad. And then we'll start getting ready to go to Monica and Stewart's."

Colton shrugged, but allowed himself to be distracted by the new video game.

At nine Colton called his dad. He didn't say anything about wishing to have a visit. That disappointed Mandy, she thought maybe if Colton told his father, Eric might make more of an effort to come down. Instead they exchanged good wishes and thanks yous for their respective presents. Colton had chosen a CD for Eric as well. Colton explained why they weren't going to Saskatchewan. Then Eric said he had to go he had family visiting. "I miss you," Colton said. "Love you too." Well, small miracles, Eric usually didn't say things like that. He'd certainly never confessed any love for Mandy during there three years together. But Mandy had never loved him either.




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