Daddy Next Door

by Tina Lee

  Back at the house, Brenda made some ice cold lemonade for Jack as he screwed in the final hinge. He dug for his handkerchief in his back pocket wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead. The cupboard was fully functional again and Brenda couldn’t thank him enough.

  He drank the glass of lemonade in one go and asked for a refill. He took his time with the second glass, a gulp at a time. “So what’s your story?” he asked.

  “My story? I don’t have much of a story.”

  “Tell me about you.”

  “Oh my God. You sound like every guy on Tinder.” She leaned on the refrigerator and thought about how to describe herself. It was surprisingly difficult. “I’m in college studying Computer Science. My parents are from Philippines. That’s why I’m Asian looking if you didn’t notice. I like reading a good book and cooking. That’s all I got.”

  “You’re the first Asian girl I’ve ever made out with,” he said softly like someone else was in the room.

  Brenda had heard that line before. “There’s a first for everything.”

  At the grocery store, Josh pushed the cart while Luke and Amy looked at what bread to buy. Amy recommended the wheat bread which Luke and Josh immediately refused.

  Amy and Luke walked snail pace behind and conversed about how in today’s society chivalry isn’t what it used to be. Luke disagreed. He claimed to be chivalrous given the situation and the person. Amy dared him to prove it, which was daring him to ask her out on a date, but Luke hesitated to pull the trigger, and Amy sensed it.

  She changed the subject and told Luke about the guy sleeping on her couch. Luke felt sorry for Jack and immediately made some phone calls to some friend of his. Within twenty minutes Luke had set up an interview for Jack at one of his friend’s factory where they made ginger biscuits. The only qualification Jake would need is to be literate and have a good set of hands. Amy hugged Luke for his kindness. Perhaps Luke was right about being a gentlemen and chivalry still being alive, Amy thought. He was such a sweet man and by the looks of it, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

  Josh didn’t know why the adults were hugging but he ran and joined them. People strolled by, looking at what seemed to be a family hugging in the middle of aisle number three.

  When Amy arrived at her apartment she was eager to tell Jake the good news. “Are you serious?” Jake asked Amy.

  “I’m serious.”

  Jack shook Luke’s hand. “Thank you, man. I really needed it.” His voiced cracked as he was on the verge of tears. Jack excused himself to the bathroom where he sat on the toilet and cried. After a hard and unlucky year, he finally got a break.

  Chapter 6

  “G

  ood morning, Luke!”

  Ashley, the young receptionist at the front desk, said.

  He entered the elevator and immediately everyone stopped talking. Luke was one of the top brokers at his brokerage. Everyone believed he was some superhuman that could see things they could not. And in some way, he was. Luke could read the numbers like a book. He could visualize it and pick it apart and comprehend it. He could sift through the information and quickly make decisions. He was a risk taker—a madman some would say. But in a game of winning and losing everyone wanted to be around the winning man.

  Luke walked through the aisle of small cubicles. Everyone was getting ready for the start of the day. The opening of the market. Today money will be made and money will be lost.

  The younger guys all looked like they were about to shit themselves. The scrawny, young, hopeful brokers who thought it would be like the movies tried their best to keep their head above water. He was once like them. This place was unforgiving. If you weren’t made for it then you would be gone before you know it.

  There was loud chattering in the room; brokers sharing what they knew with each other and the amount of coke they did last night. It was the only way they knew how to cope with a high-pressure job like this one. Everyone had a vice.

  Luke opened his office door and rested his bag on his desk. He sat in his chair and plugged in his earphones. For the next ten minutes, he listened to classical music before the chaos began. The calm before the storm. He closed his eyes and thought of happier times. His deceased wife entered his thoughts, then a sense of tranquility filled him. Even in death, she was the only one who could make him feel this at ease. He thought about her every morning before work.

  There was a frame of her on his desk, right between a picture of Josh and trophies he had won for being excellent at his job. His fingers felt the design engraved in the frame of her picture. He missed having her to go home to. She was once his beacon of light for getting through the day at this crazy place.

  Now, work didn’t bother him at all. In fact, after the death of his wife, he buried himself in more work to keep himself busy. The never-ending movement of numbers and figures was enough to distract him from his sorrow. It made him excel and become the man he was.

  He cracked his knuckles and took deep breaths.

  It was time.

  Another successful day for Luke. His clients and boss were happy, and that made him happy. He ended his day at work by meditating again. He took a sip water to quench his dry throat. He had been talking non stop all day. Earlier he had to talk some sense into Sally after she was panicking about some bullshit article she read online. Then there was Mr. Foster, who recently lost his wife and was thinking of keeping his money in the bank instead of investing it. Luke empathized with the man and talked him into using his money to invest. Numbers were only one side of the job. There was also the human element which Luke understood because he too was humbled by life, he too had lost a wife.

  He packed his bag and looked at his wife picture before leaving his office. Outside, Dan, George and Adonis were waiting for him. “Luke,” they said together like frat boys. “Where are we going, Luke?” Dan asked.

  “I don’t know about you but I’m going home.” He walked past the three men and headed for the elevator. They trailed behind him.

  “Come on, Luke. Let’s go have a beer or something,” George said.

  “Unlike you guys, I have a kid.”

  “And so what? You can’t have a beer because you have a kid?” George asked.

  “We’re worried about you,” Dan said.

  Luke stopped and turned. “Does it look like something is wrong with me?”

  Adonis stepped forward. “That’s the thing, Luke. We can’t tell the difference.”

  Adonis, Dan, and George had been his drinking buddies for years. They were the few people who had managed to excel at the brokerage. All that money to spend with no family to spend it on. They were good guys but still acted like teenagers, Luke thought.

  Luke gave it a thought. He looked at his watch and calculated that he could have a beer or two and still make it in time to read Josh his bedtime story. “Let’s go to Hammer and Nail,” Luke said.

  His three friends smiled and got into the elevator with him.

  They entered Hammer and Nail, a bar downtown where very few of the upper class knew about. Luke didn’t like bars where the cooperate guys frequent. They were usually douche bags and would ruin the vibe. The locals around these communities were more interesting. They were plumbers, janitors, cooks and construction workers. They were the people that everyone ignored, and that was why they told the better stories. Luke would rather hear about how one of the janitors saw a fight on the train ride home than to hear a guy in suit boast about bullshit.

  Dan was always the funny guy. He always had a joke to tell, and whether the joke was funny or not, Luke would always laugh because Dan’s bizarre laugh was so contagious. Luke couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed until he was crying and his cheeks hurt. Coming here was the right idea. He needed this.

  “Joe,” he called the bartender, “A round for everyone on me.”

  Sitting beside Luke was a middle-aged Mexican man with a shot of tequila in his hand. He described what he found in the pipes of a creepy
house he worked on. He described what he believed to be a severed finger in the pipes. He said he packed his things and left immediately.

  “So how is the kid?” George asked. He was the preppy one of the group. While the rest grew up in modest homes, George spent all his childhood in a mansion with his personal butler and maids. Luke thought he was a cool guy. He was always humble and laid back, and definitely not spoiled and obnoxious as a lot of people seemed to believe.

  Luke drank his beer. “He’s good. Just a bit bored now that it’s summer and he doesn’t have anyone to play with.”

  “Get the little guy some friends,” Adonis said. He was one of five African Americans working at the brokerage. He was the cool guy that everyone liked. His charisma, killer dance moves, sense of humor and positive attitude made him good company to be around.

  “Yeah. I signed him up for some summer camp so that he doesn’t die of boredom.”

  A woman struts by with her long legs and broad hips. Their heads all turn as she walked by.

  “Damn,” Adonis said. “We got a model up in here.”

  She sat at the end of the counter by herself and ordered a glass of beer. Her eyes were fixed on the television that hung on the wall. A Los Angeles Lakers game was on and she seemed interested in the sport. Luke liked women who had an interest in sports.

  “You should go over there and say something,” Dan said.

  “Nah.” Luke turned away from the woman.

  “Come on, Luke. When was the last time you had yourself a fine honey?” Adonis asked.

  “A week ago.”

  His three friends looked at each other. “You’ve been getting it on.” Adonis laughed.

  “I’m human too.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.” Dan patted Luke on the shoulder.

  “So you and that fine honey have a thing going on?” Adonis asked.

  “It was a one-night thing,” Luke admitted with shame.

  “That’s cool. Nothing wrong with one night stands. I prefer them,” Dan said.

  “Hell yeah.” Adonis gave Dan a high-five.

  “What about you, George? You prefer one night stands too?” Luke asked.

  George shook his head. “Not my thing. I’m on your side here.”

  “I’m looking for something real. You guys have to remember that I have a kid and I want to set the best example for him. I don’t want him seeing different women leaving my apartment every morning. I want to teach him the importance of family like how my parents taught me.”

  They realized he was being serious and refrained from joking on his need for commitment. “I understand, man. Go find that lucky woman and put a ring on it.” Adonis said.

  “Wait a minute.” George pointed at Luke’s face. “You found someone already didn’t you?”

  Luke smile. “No, it’s not like that.”

  His three friends pulled their stool closer to interrogate Luke. “Spill it. Who is she?” Dan said.

  “I already told you it’s not like that. I just like someone that lives in my complex. It’s innocent, I swear.”

  “What is she like? I’m curious to know what’s your type.”

  “Her—could you guys give me some space. I feel like I’m suffocating.” They pulled their stools back. “Her name is Amy. She’s a pretty blond who lives on my floor. She’s cool, funny and Josh can’t get enough of her. There’s one problem, though; she’s too young.”

  “How young?” Dan asked.

  “She’s still in college. 21 or 22 maybe.”

  “I’ve seen worse age gaps. Phil in finance has a hot 23 year old girlfriend and he’s 46! That’s twice her age,” Adonis said.

  “Are you afraid she will be too immature for you?” Dan asked.

  “Not at all. She seems very down to earth and mature for her age. Certainly more mature than I was at her age.” He paused. “22-year-olds aren’t looking to settle down. This is the 21st century. 22-year-olds want to be wild and go through boyfriends like new clothes. Which 22 years old wants to commit herself and help take care of a kid that’s not hers?”

  “You do have a point there,” George said. “You would have a higher probability of finding a serious partner in your age range.”

  “But life isn’t like that,” Adonis intervened. “Life isn’t about numbers and probability. You cannot calculate love, bro. I get it. She’s some years younger but if the connection is real then I say try it. See where it takes you. Who knows what the future holds?”

  Who knows what the future holds. His late wife used to say that. She was the optimist in the family. Adonis could be right. If the connection was real then why not take a chance on it? We’re not getting any younger, his late wife used to say that too.

  Luke and his friends finished their drink headed out. It was good catching up with the boys, Luke thought. “Let’s do this more often, Dan said.”

  “Agreed,” Luke replied.

  He thought about Amy on the drive home. By force of habit, he tried to calculate how things would work out between him and Amy. Was he really ready to burden Amy with taking care of a child? That seemed like a lot of weight to put on a college student. Then it occurred to him that maybe he should wait until she leaves college before he makes any sort of advance. Now didn’t seem like the right time.

  Josh was already sleeping by the time he reached Mrs. Huckleberry. He tucked in the boy and planted a kiss on his forehead. His ritual every night.

  Luke felt guilty for allowing Josh to grow without a mother in his developmental years. It was when a child needed both parents the most. He blamed himself for not moving on sooner. He was so caught up in the past and ‘what was’ that he was neglecting his child the tender love of a mother.

  “Sweet dreams, kiddo.”

  Chapter 7

  T he sweetness

  of Amy’s coco mocha coffee exploded in her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored her first taste of coffee in the morning. A day wasn’t started until coffee was consumed.

  It was 7:30 am at the Starbucks just two blocks from her apartment. Amy pulled her pullover over her head and plugged in her earphones and sipped her coffee. She observed the chaos in the morning as people rushed to the counter to fuel themselves with caffeine then be on their way to work. Men in suits, uniforms, women in heels and pretty handbags. It reminded her of home. There was a coffee shop just across the street from her house. Amy would get up before sunrise and look through her window and watch people stand in line outside the shop waiting for its doors to open. It seemed silly for anyone to stand in line for coffee when there were many other coffee shops in the area. It was until Amy tried the dark roast coffee that she understood why anyone would be so patient. It was definitely worth waiting for. The bitterness of it had a kick that would jolt life into you. It is said that it could bring the dead to life!

  A man in his early twenties, with his laptop in one hand and his coffee in the other, looked around for somewhere to sit. His eyes then met Amy’s. He walked over displaying zero signs of confidence and asked if the empty seat in front of Amy was reserved for anyone. After all, there were two coffee cups on the table. The other coffee cup was for Brenda who was back at the apartment sleeping.

  “You can sit,” she told him.

  “Thank you,” he said nervously. He opened his laptop and started typing a thousand words per second. He was cute. Short brown hair brushed to the side. Turtleneck sweater. His name was Chad, or so she guessed. Chad was written on his cup.

  The drumming on the laptop continued, and every tap brought Amy closer and closer to slamming his laptop shut. Her mood was ruined. She took up her coffees and left.

  While walking back to her apartment, Amy saw a sleepy little girl being pulled by the hand by a mother in hurry. Her tiny jaws opened wide for a yawn so deep that it made Amy yawn too. The sleepy child reminded Amy of herself running behind her mother in the mornings to catch the train. The train was always jammed pack in the mornings. Amy had awful memories of sweat
y people, sticky feet and being packed like a sardine in the hot furnace. Those were unhappy times, indeed. Luckily, it wasn’t for long. Amy’s dad purchased an used Volkswagen and put an end to her early morning runs down the subway stairs and suffocating train rides.

  She had planned to call home more often but never found the time to—

  “Good morning,” the paper man said with a smile. A middle-aged black man with patches of grey in his hair and beard.

  “Good morning.” Amy returned the smile. They both stopped and waited at the pedestrian crossing for the walk sign to light up.

  “You heared about the super moon tonight?” he asked.

  “No, I did not. What exactly is a super moon?”

  “The full moon tonight will appear larger because the moon will be at its closest to the earth!”

  “Interesting. I will definitely look up in the sky tonight.” The walk sign lit and people filled the street. The paper man gave Amy a nod before being lost in the sea of people.

  When Amy got home Brenda was in the kitchen making pancakes. There were chopped strawberries and bananas and grapes in a bowl on the counter. Brenda dug in the cupboard for the vanilla and cinnamon while rock music blast in her ear through her earphones. She nearly got a heart attack when she saw Amy standing there looking at her with two cups of coffee in her hands.

  “Got you some coffee.”

  “It’s cold.”

  “Brenda, you never appreciate the things I do for you.”

  “Oh shut up and take a seat. Breakfast will be served.”

  Amy looked at the pleasantly made pancakes with fruits on top and syrup dripping off it. “What would I do without you, Brenda?”

  “Thank me tomorrow night. I’m going to make roast duck with apple dressing.”

  Amy smiled. “You love cooking, and I love eating your cooking.”

  The moment Amy met Brenda she knew they would become best friends. No one had ever connected with her on such an intimate level before. It was as if they were friends before in another time, another life. They were meant to be friends. This Amy knew for certain.