Two Much Alike

“That means no,” she said, obvious disappointment in her voice.

“We didn’t come up here to visit the parks,” Frannie reminded her. “We came to find Alex.”

That broke Alex’s silence. “You didn’t have to come. I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can buy a bus ticket without my help, but where did you plan to sleep tonight?” Frannie demanded.

“At a campground. Rosie’s cousin has one and she said I could stay there.”

“You don’t have a tent.” Frannie eyed his backpack, which was exceptionally fat yet couldn’t possibly hold a tent and sleeping bag.

“I don’t need one. I brought a blanket. I like sleeping on the ground. Me and Josh did it a whole bunch last summer.”

“It’s one thing to sleep outside in your best friend’s backyard in the city and quite another to be in the wilderness,” Frannie said.

He puffed up his chest. “I’m not afraid.”

Just then Rosie came hustling toward them with a tray full of food. “Okay, we’ve got two regular burgers and fries and one kiddie-size,” she said as she cheerfully set the food on the table. Noticing that Alex had shoved his half-eaten meal aside, she put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Hey, a big kid like you ought to be able to finish that burger. You feeling okay?”

“I was until my mom said I have to go home without finding my dad.” He turned his brown eyes on her, looking very much like a puppy in need of a scratch behind his ears.

Frannie could see the look produced the desired effect. The teen’s face softened in sympathy; she turned to Frannie and said, “If you need a place to stay for the night, my cousin has a resort and campground not far from here. I could call and see if he has any empty cabins.”

Frannie watched Alex’s eyes brighten at the possibility. “Can we?”

Frannie knew her son wasn’t going to like her answer. She stared out the window briefly, trying not to let the look on his face tug so strongly on her emotions.

“I appreciate the offer, Rosie. It’s very kind of you,” she said. “Unfortunately, we’re not prepared to spend the night away from home.”

The waitress shrugged. “If you change your mind, just let me know. Can I get you anything else?”

Frannie couldn’t help but warm to the genuine caring in the young woman’s eyes. It made her realize that her son had been fortunate to stop in this particular diner.

“I think we’re fine for now,” she replied, then turned her attention to Luke, who needed help getting more ketchup on his fries.

To her relief, Alex didn’t force the issue. He sat in silence, occasionally taking a bite of his hamburger, but mostly sipping his pop. Just as Rosie returned to ask if they needed refills on their beverages, Alex jumped up.

“Look! There he is!”

Frannie immediately turned around to see who had captured her son’s attention, but all she saw was the back of a man getting into an SUV.

“It’s Dad! Mom, it’s him! I know it is!” Alex could barely contain his excitement, bobbing up and down like a jack-in-the-box. “Can’t you see him?”

Frannie couldn’t. The SUV was across the street, and traffic moved at a busy clip in front of it.

“That’s your dad?” Rosie asked with an incredulous lift of her brows, but Alex didn’t answer her.

“He’s going to drive away. I have to stop him. Move!” he ordered his sister, pushing her out of the way so he could get out of the booth.

“Alex, wait!” Frannie called after him, but he didn’t stop. She slid out of the booth, following him outside onto the sidewalk. They saw the SUV pull away from the curb and travel down the street.

“He’s gone!” Alex stood on the corner, his shoulders sagging.

Frannie gently put a hand on his. “Come back inside.”

He shrugged off her hand. Frannie didn’t try to take his arm again, but let him stand there for a few moments before she again said, “Come back inside.”

Finally, he did as he was told. As soon as he sat down, Rosie came over to the table. “Did you see him?” he asked the waitress. “Do you know who he is?”

“That was Joe Smith. Are you sure he’s your father?” she asked uneasily, then looked at Frannie, who shook her head gently.

Alex unzipped his backpack and pulled out one of the yellow flyers. “See? Doesn’t he look like that guy in the SUV?”

Rosie studied the photograph, her eyes narrowing. “It sure does look like Joe, but he wears his hair different.”

“What I’ve been trying to explain to Alex is that there are men who look like his father. You know, they have the same color hair, the same nose, similar smiles,” Frannie said to the waitress. “I’m sure that’s the way it is with this Joe Smith. He’s simply someone who resembles Alex’s father.”

The waitress nodded in agreement. “And to be honest, Joe doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to lie about who he is. He’s a pilot. If you want, I can give you directions to his place. It’s on the Gunflint Trail.”

Alex said yes at the same time Frannie said no. He looked at his mother and asked, “Why not?”

“Because he’s not your father. Your father isn’t a pilot,” Frannie reminded him. Joe Smith isn’t Dennis Harper, she told herself, and to take a trip up the Gunflint Trail would only make the day more frustrating for all of them. Alex’s eyes were filled with a false hope that Frannie had no doubt would be replaced by disappointment if he were to meet this Joe Smith.

When Luke indicated he needed to go to the bathroom, Frannie gave the twins strict instructions. “Don’t either of you move from this booth. Understand?”

Both nodded. As much as Frannie hated leaving Alex alone for even five minutes, she knew she needed to tend to Luke. As she walked past Rosie, she said, “Would you do me a favor and let me know if Alex tries to leave?”

The young woman smiled. “Sure.”

When she and Luke emerged from the rest room, Frannie was grateful to see that Rosie had followed her request. Emma and Alex were still seated in the booth. Alex’s face was animated, and it was only as Frannie returned that she saw the reason why. In his hands was a crudely drawn map on a white paper napkin.

“What is that?” she asked, eyeing the map suspiciously.

“Rosie told me how to get to the Gunflint Trail,” Alex answered.

“We’re not going there,” Frannie said as she helped Luke back into the booster seat.

“Why not?” It came out as a whine. “Mom, please! I spent all of my can money to buy that bus ticket.”

Frannie felt even worse. She knew how hard Alex worked to collect cans. Every week he’d go from house to house in the neighborhood, gathering aluminum cans so they could take them to the recycling center where he’d receive a small amount of cash. Every cent he made went into a locked box he kept under his bed because he had a goal: to buy his own computer.

Now he’d spent that money on a bus ticket to go in search of a man who didn’t want to be found. A man who didn’t care that Alex even existed.

“We’re already here,” Alex continued to plead with her. “Can’t we at least go see him?”

It seemed as if two hands had a hold of Frannie’s heart and were tugging it in opposite directions. She briefly closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them she’d discover this entire day was a bad dream.

It wasn’t.