“Now, you have applied to adopt Josh. That is a bit of a lengthy process, since we’ll need to get approval from Josh’s father, and we’re unsure as to his current location. But for now, I grant you custody of Josh. Formally, the decision is made by my director, but that is really just a formality. She hasn’t met you and won’t know whether you are suitable or not.
“Adam, I know you’ve already completed the training, but I’d very much like for you, Marc, to take that course as well. It’s mostly online, but there are a couple of discussion sessions that go along with it. Is that okay for you?”
Marc nodded. He was still a bit in shock. Sure, he’d always planned to be on the form to adopt Josh in time, but he’d never expected he’d also be formally fostering him. This was great news, of course, but it was still overwhelming. They were now officially a family. My second family. Jonathan!
All of a sudden, emotions and memories from the past few years washed over him, and he remembered how a simple pedicure had led him to this apartment in Albany Park, Chicago. Had someone told him five years ago that he’d become the father of a fifteen-year-old Indian boy and fall in love with a Korean psychiatrist by way of an old man, he’d have called them mad and laughed at them. Yet here he sat, looking at Adam with his beautiful skin, those almond eyes, and his elderly parents, and his son, with his olive-brown skin and that beautiful shoulder-length black hair. How lucky he was. And for just a moment, he looked up at the ceiling of their temporary abode and gave silent thanks to the man who’d made it all possible: Jonathan.
* * * * *
Chapter 19 - The Spa
When Marc saw the space, he knew it would be perfect. It was a loft, in roughly the same neighborhood where their house was being rebuilt. He’d given up on downtown. Property prices were just too outrageous, and he knew he’d never be able to afford a lease, not sustainably anyway. Sure, he could pay for it and let Parker and Cody pay for everything at the house, but that was never an option, neither for him nor Adam, although he was sure the boys would have, without ever batting an eyelash. But as much as he loved his first family, he didn’t want to be a burden or a leech. It just wasn’t his style.
But this loft? It was on the suburb’s main street, a two-story brick building that once housed a newspaper. The paper in question had long ago ceased to exist, not surviving the final downfall of printed paper products mid-century. The ground floor now consisted of a fancy restaurant and upstairs was empty.
It had been a clothing store most recently, but the label’s main office had closed, and so this location was closed down, too. It was, right now, an open space, with the exception of a small section that housed the warehouse, and an office and space for the employees to linger, eat lunch, and get dressed for work. The agent showcasing the space said the landlord was willing to renovate the premises if the lease signed was long term.
Marc’s mind was spinning, and when he came back to the apartment that night, he began to draw sketches of how he wanted to furnish the space. There would be a reception area, reminiscent of the space’s past, with a newspaper touch and feel to it. There would be sofas for the clients to sit and wait, a small bar serving refreshments, and Joeng had offered to share her family’s tea recipes with Marc to serve there. The two main massage treatment rooms would be built in the back of the space, away from the traffic on the street below.
The windows would have to be draped to create the proper atmosphere, but Marc liked the red bricks and wanted to preserve as much of the industrial feel but combine it with soothing purple and green pastel colors to create a unique atmosphere, at once looking back on the past while embracing the future.
He’d been poring over product catalogues for months now, looking at the latest spa furniture, and he’d found massage tables and treatment equipment for facials, hands, and feet that had a futuristic, space-like touch that would be perfect for his vision. There would be two main massage suites and two rooms for more cosmetic treatments. Marc also wanted to include rooms with a large Jacuzzi, a sauna, a steam room, and a room for various body treatments, different body wraps and the like. He drew a corridor connecting the various rooms to the reception area, which would be adjacent to the office and staffroom.
Just visualizing it all made him jittery and excited, and he couldn’t wait to show it to Adam as soon as he got home. It was late fall, and Parker and Cody had long ago returned from their vacation. The entire family was supposed to get together this coming weekend to discuss their forthcoming Christmas vacation in Florida. He was looking forward to sharing his plans with the rest of them. But first, he wanted—no, needed—Adam’s input and consent to the spa plans before he signed the lease and got the construction underway.
That night, when Adam and Josh came home, Marc cooked one of his specialties, “moules frites,” and showed them the pictures he’d taken that morning at the site, as well as the sketches he’d made in the afternoon. Both Adam and Josh loved the space and that sort of settled it.
“I’ll call the real estate agent in the morning to tell her I’ll take it.” Marc was thrilled and really excited that his business idea was finally taking shape.
“Who are you using?” Adam asked.
“Oh, you mean the real estate agent? Her name is Mindy, and she works for a local firm specializing in business spaces. I found it online. Since I couldn’t find anything affordable downtown, I figured I’d better focus on our own backyard. I mean, let’s be honest, the house is in one of the poshest suburbs of all of Chicago. There are many affluent people living there, and if we can offer great services, maybe we have a shot at keeping those people in the neighborhood, rather than them driving all the way into town. Even with the new train services, it’s a forty-minute ride. In that time, they could squeeze in a massage, a facial or a pedicure.”
“I certainly don’t oppose your thinking. Besides, once people realize who you are, you’ll have more work on your hands than you can imagine. Don’t forget, you’re a Jackson, and that still has a lot of pull in this city.”
Marc blushed. “I’d rather be my own man.”
“Marc, that’s not what I meant. You are your own man. The way you’re building this business only proves it. You could’ve easily joined the Jackson family business or retired from work altogether. You certainly don’t have to work, with the trust fund that Jonathan left you. I think it’s admirable that you want to build something of your own. But on the other hand, why deny who you are? You are Jonathan’s widower, you are Jeanette Dunn and Rick Jackson’s stepfather, like it or not. People know that, and people will talk about that. The press will pick it up, and I have a hunch you’ll be the talk of Chicago and beyond once you have your grand opening.”
“Do you really think so?”
Adam nodded. He shoved some more fries into his mouth and swallowed them with a sip of a cool, dry Chardonnay. “I sure do, and unless you fuck it up with lousy treatments or bad customer service, you have nothing to fear. But I happen to know for a fact that you will not screw this up. I know how that mind of yours works.” Adam leaned over and kissed Marc. “I’m very proud of you, you know that, right?”
“Would you two get a room already?” Josh laughed and shook his head. “But Marc, seriously, Adam’s right. You will be a success. And you will be the talk of the town. Heck, if you knew half the stuff people say about you in school…”
Marc and Adam both looked at Josh with puzzled expressions. “Is everything all right?” Adam asked.
“Yeah, sure. No problems. It’s just that people talk. I’m in the same school as the other Jackson kids, remember? You can ask Kyle or Louise, if you don’t believe me. The Jackson clan is infamous.”
“But you’re not bullied or anything?”
“No, it’s not like that. Come on, guys, this is a rich neighborhood. It’s not like people are jealous or anything, but it’s like I’m related to movie stars. I may never have met Jonathan or Dan, but they’re celebrities, and sometimes kids ask ques
tions. That’s all.”
Adam nodded. “Yeah, I remember being a kid, and the questions, but I thought that was more because I was rescued by the foundation, not because it was a generic thing.”
Josh shook his head. “Oh, it’s not like this in other schools, at least, not where I grew up. Nobody knew who the Jacksons were, where I used to go to school, but here, everybody knows them. Rick and Jeanette went to school there. I guess people in the area simply know them, is all.”
Marc nodded. “I guess you have a point. We’ll see. I’m not going to call it the Jackson Spa, though.” He laughed. “That’s where I draw the line.”
“What are you going to call it?” Adam asked.
“I don’t know, yet. Maybe ‘Marc’s place’ or ‘Oasis’ or something else. Any ideas?”
“I’m not sure if using your name is a good idea. It depends on what kind of atmosphere you want to create. Your name may not work with every sort of branding.”
Marc frowned. “Hmm, you have a point. What I want to accomplish is to have an oasis, a place where people can escape from their hectic lives, find tranquility, and I think the combination of the old industrial space grounds them in the now, and the futuristic furniture and equipment will unleash their minds and free their imagination, while the color scheme hopefully will put them at ease to facilitate that process. Does that make sense?”
“Absolutely. You sure did put a lot of thought into this. What about ‘Oasis of Tranquility’?” Adam suggested.
Josh jumped in. “I like that. How about ‘Sea of Tranquility’?”
“Sea of Tranquility?” Adam asked, “I like it, but what’s wrong with oasis?”
“Nothing, really, but I’m sure you’re not the first one to want to create an oasis. They’re fine, they just have the drawback that you will, once you leave, find yourself in the desert again… Whereas the sea, the ocean, it’s water, and water is the source of life. It’s really soothing, and it goes well with the color scheme you’re looking at. Besides, oceans are pretty big; they last. And there are no deserts.” Josh laughed at his thought.
Marc looked at Adam and said, “This is supposed to be our son? What happened? Did they brainwash you in school or something? When did you become such a philosopher?”
Josh blushed and stared down at his plate. “I, uh, it’s just that I’ve been spending a lot of time at the school library, reading up on things. I’ve read these books about India, and Ayurveda and stuff.”
“You read up on Ayurveda? How come?” Marc was clearly surprised.
“I figured, uh, that maybe I could help you?” Josh was blushing and didn’t dare to lift his gaze to meet Marc’s.
Marc sprang up from his chair and grabbed the boy to give him a bear hug. “Thank you, Josh. This means the world to me. It’s so very considerate and nice of you. I’m speechless.” He dried off a tear threatening to escape his eye. “Adam, what have we done to deserve a kid like this? He’s so wise.”
Adam nodded and put his hand on Josh’s arm. “You do us proud, Josh.”
Josh shrugged. “It was just a stupid idea.”
“No, not stupid at all, and even though one can drown in an ocean, I absolutely love your idea—the concept of tranquility and the sea—and I think it ties beautifully into my past, working on a cruise ship, and also pays homage to my story, how I met Jonathan, and how I ended up here. Thank you, Josh, ‘Sea of Tranquility’ it shall be!”
Marc beamed. He loved that name, and even though he already saw how the purples and greens would have to morph into shades more appropriate for the ocean, he actually thought that was even better. He could also envision having the soothing sounds of waves rolling onto a beach as a gentle background in various places around the spa. He sat down again, beaming with pride.
“You know what? You gave me an idea. I haven’t looked much into Ayurvedic treatments. Maybe you can tell me more about it. And if I find someone who’s willing to help me, maybe we could even offer something at the spa in due course.”
Marc’s words made Josh smile broadly. Marc knew Josh was curious about his cultural heritage but didn’t know he’d actively begun to research his roots. He wasn’t sure how the boy would deal with the betrayal at the hands of his father, if that would lead to a denial of his cultural and ethnic heritage or not.
Marc didn’t know how he would have acted in a similar situation, but he did notice that Adam paid no homage to his Korean heritage. He was American through and through, despite his parents’ adherence to their culture of origin. Maybe, over time, if their relationship continued to improve, Adam would re-evaluate his roots. Marc was certainly proud of his origin and his roots, as the meal he’d prepared today served to prove once again. He’d yet have to take Adam and Josh to Belgium, to meet his family in Liege, but that was merely a matter of time. Christmas?
* * * * *
Chapter 20 - A Family Affair
“Are you guys ready?” Adam asked, looking back into the airport van. His father and mother were sitting timidly on the back row of the van with Josh. On the row in front of them sat Marc with his parents; to help ease into the time difference, they’d arrived in Chicago a few days ago. They were all heading out to the airport to fly to Orlando. They’d meet the rest of the Jacksons at O’Hare, where their chartered plane was waiting for them.
Having gotten a visual okay from everyone, Adam gestured to the driver that they were ready to go. The Kim-Duchesne part of the Jackson clan was ready for Florida. What have I gotten myself into? Adam had to chuckle. On the other hand he was a bit excited about the trip. While he had met everyone in Marc’s extended family, he’d spent little time with them, and certainly not a full two weeks.
As an added bonus, his father was still alive, and he was well enough to travel with them to Florida, against all odds. Yes, he was very sick, but the past few months had been balm for his body and soul. To rekindle his relationship with Adam, to get to know Marc and Josh, to not only be given a second chance but to actually see how happy his son was, had given the old man more strength and life force than anyone would’ve expected. And he clung to life, wanting to savor every day with his family.
Adam was worried about taking his dad along, and when the idea of celebrating a big family Christmas had begun to take shape in the fall, Adam had barely dared broach the subject, afraid he’d hurt his parents’ feelings if he joined Marc in Florida.
Instead, they’d surprised him by asking if it would be possible for them to tag along. A call to Rick and everything was taken care of. And since both Marc and Adam realized that this would most likely be the last Christmas for Adam’s dad, they also invited Marc’s parents to take yet another trip across the Atlantic. They had already met the Jacksons, but they had yet to meet Adam and his parents. Marc felt it important that they did, and they were, of course, curious about Josh. Yes, the prospect of a grandchild that would actually be a child, not grown-ups like their step-grandchildren Rick and Jeanette, had proven to be too interesting to ignore.
Shaking his head, Adam resigned himself to the fact that his was the most unusual patchwork family he’d ever encountered. Not that it was a bad thing, but thanks to the chance encounter between Jonathan and Marc, the latter had become a part of a large, loud, and loving family, so very much unlike Marc’s quiet and shy Belgian parents or Adam’s own, strict and very Asian family. I just hope we all get along.
Adam tried to wrap his head around the entire group of people who would fly to Orlando. There was their little van with seven people, then there were Parker and Cody with their four kids, Rick and Rachel with Dennis and his latest girlfriend, Jonathan and Emilie with their daughter Jessica, and finally Jeanette and Paul with their kids, Daniel, Louise, and Paul. Even cousin Mary would join them, but she’d fly directly to Orlando and catch up with them on site.
Wow, that’s quite a group. Twenty-six people. That’s insane. He kept that to himself, though, and he was secretly looking forward to a Christmas dinner with so ma
ny people, not to mention Christmas morning in Rick and Jeanette’s suite with all the presents for the kids. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The flight from Chicago to Orlando was calm, and Adam kept a close watch on his and Marc’s parents. The latter had already been privy to a flight on a private jet, to attend Marc’s and Jonathan’s wedding, but his own parents had never been on a private airplane before, and this was a fairly large one—a converted narrow-body airliner—to fit the entire clan and their luggage.
When they arrived in Orlando, the jet parked to the side at the VIP terminal, where several large black limousines waited to take them to their resort, right next to the Magic Kingdom. Driving up to the hotel’s main entrance, the view it presented to the waiting hotel staff must’ve been quite a sight, and Adam wondered how Rick had managed to secure enough rooms for everyone, including large suites for the families with children, and to make sure they were all in one and the same building to facilitate spending time together, particularly on Christmas morning.
The views from their suites were magnificent, across the lake over to other hotels and the entrance to the Magic Kingdom and the many towers of its famous castle. Adam had never been to Florida before and certainly never to one of Disney’s parks. Amusement parks weren’t something his parents did when he was a boy, and then…well, once he was on the street, they were off the menu. But like the other adults and kids alike, he was giddy with anticipation.
Rick, who had organized the entire trip, had made sure they would always have at least one meal per day together as a large family, while they would be able to spend time with their own nuclear families or in smaller groups during the remainder of the day. Adam saw on his itinerary that they’d have a large family breakfast together the next morning and then, the day after, on Christmas Eve, they’d all have dinner together. On Christmas Day, they’d have brunch after opening the gifts and giving the kids time to play for a while. Finally, on New Year’s Eve, Rick had organized a surprise outing. No one knew what that would be, but they were all looking forward to it.
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