Log: Welcome To Heartbreak
Who: Mike and Tina
When: Tuesday, November 2, 2018
Where: Phone
What: You’re going to be a godmother
Mike probably should’ve waited until he got home or at least until he was in his car before calling Tina. But as it was, he already had the phone up to his ear and was waiting for her to pick up before the door of the diner even closed behind him. He walked past the few people out on the sidewalk, dodging the ones that didn’t get out of his way fast enough. Almost to his car, Mike suddenly found the idea of being in a tiny space suffocating.
He knew that Lincoln Park was maybe ten minutes away, behind the hospital, so he made his way over.
Tina hadn’t picked up yet.
Tina entered the grocery store through the automatic doors and grabbed a cart. She steered with one hand as the other fished into her pocket to check her grocery list on her phone. Mercedes was at Tina’s apartment with her roommate. The pair had instantly bonded, so Tina figured she’d just bring home food after work rather than go out and break up their love fest of painting nails and watching Taye Diggs movies. Once her thumb glided across the screen to unlock her cell, she noticed she had a missed call from Mike. Just as she was about to dial, his name and number flashed on her screen.
“Hey,” she greeted, putting the phone to her ear and rounding the corner to head to the vegetable section. “Sorry I didn’t see your call until now. I was taking the subway, so yeah, no reception.”
“Hey.” Mike returned the greeting. He passed a woman jogging with a stroller as he entered the park. “I have something to tell you. God, I don’t even know how to start.”
Tina stopped in front of the asparagus, unsure whether or not she should be afraid to hear this. “Please don’t tell me you got hit by another two-by-four.”
“It feels like I did.” Quinn’s news had completely blind sighted him. Mike walked past some people playing Ultimate Frizbee.
His tone made her uneasy. “Mike, what happened?”
“You’re going to be a godmother.” He had just settled on coming out with what he needed to say. “Quinn’s pregnant.”
“WHAT?” Tina nearly dropped her phone. And gained a few startled glances from passersby. “I...what?” she repeated, her volume a little lower as his words momentarily stunned her ability for diction variety. Then what he was saying began to set in. She swore under her breath. “Oh my God. What...what are you guys going to do?”
“I told Quinn that I was going to be there for this kid. Beyond that I have no idea.”
“Oh, Mike,” Tina murmured, taking a deep breath as she ran a hand through her hair. She had no idea how he was dealing with this, especially on top of everything that had just happened. “Is there...anything I can do?” She didn’t really think she could do much, however, given that she was standing in a grocery store over 600 miles away, blocking the way to the produce section.
“Invent time travel?” Mike sighed, and rubbed the palm of his free hand against his eye. If he was being honest with himself, he wouldn’t change things drastically if had to do things over again. He would have tried harder with Quinn, rather than never be with her in the first place.
He was by the playground now. He envied the kids playing on the swings and seesaws, so carefree and innocent. It was like that Stones said, “Childhood living is easy to do.”
“I mean, I wanted to be a dad. But everything is just so... I feel like throwing something. But the closest thing right now is my phone, and that would just be rude since we’re having a conversation. And I need to cut back on my throwing of things. An engagement ring and a trashcan are just too much. Oh God, I threw the engagement ring.”
Mike knew that he was panicking. “That could have been more diapers!” At his outburst he noticed some of the mothers at the playground look at him suspiciously. He made his way towards the picnic area.
Tina shook her head and bit back the tiniest of smiles. Even in hysterics, Mike had the tendency to be amusing. She kept her voice steady. “Mike, remember what I told you in Cincinnati? Breathe, okay? We’ll get through this. I know this is a shit-ton to process right now, but...wait. Did you say you threw a trashcan, too?”
“Yeah. It was when I was really drunk apparently. That night before I picked you up at the airport. I didn’t even know I did that.” Mike wondered about his flash. If he was that out of control that night, what would he end up doing that would make his flash come true? “Tina, my flash. What if it happens and I can’t be there?”
He was thinking worst case scenario.
“Try not to think like that," she soothed. "The fact that you’re concerned about being there for your kid means you probably won’t do anything to jeopardize that. And if...if something does happen, we’ll deal with it together, okay?”
“You’re right. What would I do without you?” Mike took a seat on top of a picnic table, his feet on the bench.
“Wither away,” Tina supplied simply. Then she smiled a little in spite of herself. “You’re going to be an amazing dad, Mike. You should know that. The best advice I've been given for dealing with the blackout is that you can't let what may or may not even happen define you. So how about we both try that.”
She leaned her elbows forward against the cart. “You meant it when you said I’m godmother, right?” This may be the worst timing ever, but she knew Mike would make a great parent. And, defensive-over-Mike feelings aside, Quinn, too. Abby was wonderful. And Tina knew she'd already do anything for her godchild. Plus there'd be people like Finn caring for this kid, too.
They'd be okay.
“How could you not be?” He knew talking to Tina was a good idea. She could always keep him grounded and sane.
“Just making sure you haven't replaced me." She moved aside to let a lady with a serious lettuce agenda skirt by her. “If you feel like going crazy, try to wait until I’m there with you. I don’t want the next call to be about you throwing more trashcans, or sharp objects...or people.”
“Aw, but you're irreplaceable. And knowing me, the next call will be about how I bought a motorcycle and crashed it. By the way, I’m thinking about buying a motorcycle.” Mike chuckled.
“Mike!” she whispered shrilly, finally grabbing what she needed and putting it into the cart. “That’s like the worst idea ever.”
“Or is it the best idea ever?” He smirked, leaning over and resting his elbow on his leg.
She suppressed another smile he couldn't even see. “Please don’t make me hurt you.”
When: Tuesday, November 2, 2018
Where: Phone
What: You’re going to be a godmother
Mike probably should’ve waited until he got home or at least until he was in his car before calling Tina. But as it was, he already had the phone up to his ear and was waiting for her to pick up before the door of the diner even closed behind him. He walked past the few people out on the sidewalk, dodging the ones that didn’t get out of his way fast enough. Almost to his car, Mike suddenly found the idea of being in a tiny space suffocating.
He knew that Lincoln Park was maybe ten minutes away, behind the hospital, so he made his way over.
Tina hadn’t picked up yet.
Tina entered the grocery store through the automatic doors and grabbed a cart. She steered with one hand as the other fished into her pocket to check her grocery list on her phone. Mercedes was at Tina’s apartment with her roommate. The pair had instantly bonded, so Tina figured she’d just bring home food after work rather than go out and break up their love fest of painting nails and watching Taye Diggs movies. Once her thumb glided across the screen to unlock her cell, she noticed she had a missed call from Mike. Just as she was about to dial, his name and number flashed on her screen.
“Hey,” she greeted, putting the phone to her ear and rounding the corner to head to the vegetable section. “Sorry I didn’t see your call until now. I was taking the subway, so yeah, no reception.”
“Hey.” Mike returned the greeting. He passed a woman jogging with a stroller as he entered the park. “I have something to tell you. God, I don’t even know how to start.”
Tina stopped in front of the asparagus, unsure whether or not she should be afraid to hear this. “Please don’t tell me you got hit by another two-by-four.”
“It feels like I did.” Quinn’s news had completely blind sighted him. Mike walked past some people playing Ultimate Frizbee.
His tone made her uneasy. “Mike, what happened?”
“You’re going to be a godmother.” He had just settled on coming out with what he needed to say. “Quinn’s pregnant.”
“WHAT?” Tina nearly dropped her phone. And gained a few startled glances from passersby. “I...what?” she repeated, her volume a little lower as his words momentarily stunned her ability for diction variety. Then what he was saying began to set in. She swore under her breath. “Oh my God. What...what are you guys going to do?”
“I told Quinn that I was going to be there for this kid. Beyond that I have no idea.”
“Oh, Mike,” Tina murmured, taking a deep breath as she ran a hand through her hair. She had no idea how he was dealing with this, especially on top of everything that had just happened. “Is there...anything I can do?” She didn’t really think she could do much, however, given that she was standing in a grocery store over 600 miles away, blocking the way to the produce section.
“Invent time travel?” Mike sighed, and rubbed the palm of his free hand against his eye. If he was being honest with himself, he wouldn’t change things drastically if had to do things over again. He would have tried harder with Quinn, rather than never be with her in the first place.
He was by the playground now. He envied the kids playing on the swings and seesaws, so carefree and innocent. It was like that Stones said, “Childhood living is easy to do.”
“I mean, I wanted to be a dad. But everything is just so... I feel like throwing something. But the closest thing right now is my phone, and that would just be rude since we’re having a conversation. And I need to cut back on my throwing of things. An engagement ring and a trashcan are just too much. Oh God, I threw the engagement ring.”
Mike knew that he was panicking. “That could have been more diapers!” At his outburst he noticed some of the mothers at the playground look at him suspiciously. He made his way towards the picnic area.
Tina shook her head and bit back the tiniest of smiles. Even in hysterics, Mike had the tendency to be amusing. She kept her voice steady. “Mike, remember what I told you in Cincinnati? Breathe, okay? We’ll get through this. I know this is a shit-ton to process right now, but...wait. Did you say you threw a trashcan, too?”
“Yeah. It was when I was really drunk apparently. That night before I picked you up at the airport. I didn’t even know I did that.” Mike wondered about his flash. If he was that out of control that night, what would he end up doing that would make his flash come true? “Tina, my flash. What if it happens and I can’t be there?”
He was thinking worst case scenario.
“Try not to think like that," she soothed. "The fact that you’re concerned about being there for your kid means you probably won’t do anything to jeopardize that. And if...if something does happen, we’ll deal with it together, okay?”
“You’re right. What would I do without you?” Mike took a seat on top of a picnic table, his feet on the bench.
“Wither away,” Tina supplied simply. Then she smiled a little in spite of herself. “You’re going to be an amazing dad, Mike. You should know that. The best advice I've been given for dealing with the blackout is that you can't let what may or may not even happen define you. So how about we both try that.”
She leaned her elbows forward against the cart. “You meant it when you said I’m godmother, right?” This may be the worst timing ever, but she knew Mike would make a great parent. And, defensive-over-Mike feelings aside, Quinn, too. Abby was wonderful. And Tina knew she'd already do anything for her godchild. Plus there'd be people like Finn caring for this kid, too.
They'd be okay.
“How could you not be?” He knew talking to Tina was a good idea. She could always keep him grounded and sane.
“Just making sure you haven't replaced me." She moved aside to let a lady with a serious lettuce agenda skirt by her. “If you feel like going crazy, try to wait until I’m there with you. I don’t want the next call to be about you throwing more trashcans, or sharp objects...or people.”
“Aw, but you're irreplaceable. And knowing me, the next call will be about how I bought a motorcycle and crashed it. By the way, I’m thinking about buying a motorcycle.” Mike chuckled.
“Mike!” she whispered shrilly, finally grabbing what she needed and putting it into the cart. “That’s like the worst idea ever.”
“Or is it the best idea ever?” He smirked, leaning over and resting his elbow on his leg.
She suppressed another smile he couldn't even see. “Please don’t make me hurt you.”