Second Chances

The Birthday Party

Dylan paced back and forth in his bedroom, being carefully watched by an elderly Wolf.  The massive white beast had grown so old over the years, he no longer had the energy nor the heart to do anything but eat, sleep, and do his business.  Even getting up was a struggle for him.  Which made him the perfect captive audience for his master's cub's venting.

"What am I gonna do?!", Dylan cried, obviously distressed.  "Dad can't marry Megan!  If he marries her, than he'll never get remarried to Mom!  We'll never be a family again!"  He knelt next to the family pet and stared at him with wide, frightened eyes.  "What do I do, boy?!", he asked in a pleading voice.  All he got in response was a loud, toothy yawn.

Dylan plopped down on the side of his bed and buried his face in his hands.  "Dylan?"  He looked up to see Becky standing in the doorway, wearing her favorite pink party dress.  His temper flared up as he rose to his feet.  "What did I tell you about going into my room?!", he shouted as he strode towards his little sister.  Becky held up her hands.  "I-I heard you crying...I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"No!  No, I'm NOT okay!", Dylan yelled, pacing in circles over his bedroom floor.  "Yesterday, I saw Dad in the jewelry store, buying an engagement ring for Megan!"  Becky gasped, sounding more happy than upset.  "He's gonna do it!  He's gonna ask her to marry him!"  She started doing a little dance.  "This is the best!"

"WHAT?!", Dylan shouted, making her freeze mid-dance.  "How can you say that?!  This is the worst!"  "Why?", Becky asked, growing curious.  "Don't you want Daddy to be happy?"  "By replacing Mom with some cheap hag?"  "But Daddy told us during that session with Miss Dinah that he wasn't trying to replace Mommy.", Becky reminded.  "Besides, would it really be so bad if Megan became our stepmom?"

"YES!", Dylan yelled, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  "I don't want a stepmom.  I don't need a stepmom!  And neither do you!  We're doing just fine without one."  He clutched his head in between his hands, rubbing his temples as he panicked.  "This can't be happening to me.  It can't.  I thought that letter from Mom would drive Dad and Megan apart!"

"I'm not surprised.", Becky added, shrugging her shoulders innocently.  Dylan looked at her with a quirked eyebrow.  "You're not?"  Becky went on to explain.  "Mommy's letter made Megan scared that she and Daddy will get back together, and Daddy realized how she felt.  So now, he wants to make sure that Megan knows that he loves her.  And how to do that?  By telling her he wants to be married to her and not Mommy."

Dylan felt his heart drop.  Every word that Rebecca spoke was like another needle in his heart, because what she was saying actually made sense.  His dad didn't want to lose Megan, and she didn't want to lose him.  Popping the question to her would reaffirm his affection for her, and prove that she was the one that he wanted to be with.  Dylan understood why his father was doing what he was doing.  That didn't mean, however, that Dylan was any less upset about it.

I'm not going let this stand., he thought, narrowing his eyes in both anger and deep thinking.  I'm not going to let Dad ruin any chance of happiness we have left.  I have to nip this whole thing in the bud before its too late.  "Kids!"  Conner's voice echoed from downstairs.  "Get down here!  The guests are starting to arrive!"  The children immediately hurried down to answer their father's call.
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Dylan's tenth birthday party was abuzz with chatter and activity.  Becky, along with half of all the guests were occupied on the big bounce-house, which was designed to look like a volcano.  A long table displayed the buffet food, which included hamburgers, hot digs, and macaroni-and-cheese, while another table held up a giant pile of presents for the guest of honor.