by M T Stone
“Hooking up with the bartender… Now I know what kind of girl you are,” Jayne teased.
“Jayne! It’s not like I’m going to hook up with him. He’s cute and seems like a really nice guy,” Brenda retorted, her cheeks instantly getting flushed.
“I’m just teasing. Yeah, he does seem like a good guy. Dad seems to really like him,” Jayne added.
Listening to Brenda got me thinking. She seemed like a very caring, hard working woman who had raised her kids alone and now was feeling a bit lost. I wonder how many other moms are feeling single tonight. I had a sudden pain in my heart, thinking about how lonely my mom was going to be if she didn’t find someone special. She had always focused on her career and us girls. She rarely went on a girl’s night out or really made an effort to make new friends after the last time we moved. I’m definitely going to call her when we get back to the ship.
Jack
Well that was a definite change for the better. Even though I knew full well that those girls were attracted to Brandon for shallow reasons, they definitely had put a huge smile on his face. The more they flirted with him, the broader his smile had grown. Eva had pounded manners and respect into both kids all throughout their childhood. Everyone used to compliment us on how well behaved they were and how grown up they acted. It was good to a point, but neither of them had ever really cut loose and had a wild streak. Since Jayne was getting married in June, I knew that her chance had probably come and gone. Brandon on the other hand, was just beginning to feel a sense the power of being a successful business owner. Even though their company hadn’t sold their first garment yet, being the co-owner of it was definitely a good talking point. Just wait until it becomes successful. Hopefully, he will be able to handle all that comes along with it.
“What are you smiling about, Dad?” Brandon questioned.
“I’m just thinking back to when I was your age.”
“Wasn’t Jayne born when you were my age?” he responded raising his eyebrows.
“Alright, I’m thinking about my first two years of college. Finish your lobster, punk.”
We shared a smile, and in that moment, I knew that my son was coming into his own. The events of the last few days had really irritated him. He had always been so conservative, that seeing me being reckless made him angry and maybe even a bit jealous. However, it may have jolted him out of the complacent world that he had been living in for so long.
“You know, Ellie, you and Kate could probably pass as sisters,” I said realizing how much they both looked alike. They both had such beautiful eyes, similar facial features, and the same hair color.
“Hey, little sis,” Ellie said giving her a wink. “You and Brandon have to stop by The Cove and hang out with us some night. It’s a blast after dark.”
“Thanks, but Jack and I have a busy week coming up,” Kate replied as she laid her hand on mine.
“Oh, are you two together? I’m sorry,” Ellie replied loudly. “I assumed you were Brandon’s sister.”
“That would be me,” Jayne said with an amused grin on her face.
“I’m so sorry,” Ellie whispered in my direction.
“That’s alright, it won’t be the last time that happens,” I assured her.
It suddenly occurred to me that not only did Ellie look like a taller version of Kate, but Sasha was another tall blonde bombshell just like Jackie. Is this the most annoying coincidence ever or did karma just come back to bite me? Brandon has always been a great kid, but can I expect him to behave better than me? Suddenly I missed Eva, as she would’ve tactfully handled the situation. Since this was the first time that I had ever seen Brandon come out of his shell, I wasn’t about to embarrass him.
“If you guys are coming along, you better go get whatever you need for the night. The helicopter will pick you up right down there in about 45 minutes,” I instructed as Kate and I got up to leave.
He’s 24… I kept telling myself as I walked away. Hopefully, those two will go easy on him.
~~~
Chapter 11 – Like Father Like Son?
Kate
Jack stared off into the distance as the helicopter lifted off. The way the moonlight danced across the water provided a beautiful backdrop.
“Thanks for the nice dinner,” I said to break the silence.
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it,” he replied before retreating right back into his thoughts.
“Is everything alright?”
“I don’t know. Both kids were so angry earlier. Judging by Jayne’s demeanor, she’s going to hit me with both barrels the first chance she gets,” he postulated.
“Sorry, that’s probably my fault. I didn’t realize she didn’t know about your testosterone therapy.”
“What? Why the hell were you two talking about that?” Jack questioned with obvious irritation.
“Well, they were both grilling me about our behavior the past few days. It was a little out of character, so I blamed it on your testosterone shots. I didn’t want to take full responsibility for it.”
“I get it. Yeah, she’s going to flip out.”
“Flip out?” I laughed. “That’s something my dad used to say when I was little.”
“Whig out? Freak out? What’s the cool thing to say?”
“Definitely not Whig out… maybe freak out or go ballistic.”
“She’s going to go ballistic,” he said giving me a playful nudge.
~~~
Jack
After touching down, Kate headed up to the Lido deck to call her mom. She was anticipating a tense conversation, so she wanted to make the call from her new happy place. I retreated to my old happy place… for a quick cocktail.
“Lewis, my man, I’m in the mood for a double GlenDronach… no rocks this time.”
“Mr. Jack, how have you been? You look like the seas are still a little rough,” he replied grabbing a snifter and the bottle.
“Oh, what would life be without a few waves?”
“You’ve got it, man. It’s not the size of the boat; it’s the motion of the ocean.”
“I don’t think that quote works in this case, Lewis.”
“Hey, it made you smile didn’t it?”
He was right. I was smiling and overall everything felt pretty damn good. Just as my glass went dry, Brenda and Jayne came walking in and took the seats next to me.
“Go ahead and get them what they want and then I’ll have a double GlenDronach neat,” I told Lewis with a wink. I’ve been pretty good all week.
After enjoying our cocktails and small talk for a few minutes, Jayne hit me with the question that had been so obviously burning on her mind. “Why are you taking testosterone shots?”
“Because I had it tested… and it was low.”
“Does your cardiologist know about this?” she demanded as Brenda got up and walked over to converse with Lewis.
“Yes, I talked to him before doing it and had follow-up tests a few weeks ago. If anything, it should have a positive effect on my heart. Do you think I would do something like this without consulting him first?”
“I don’t know, Dad, you’ve been acting so strange lately. Doing things I never thought you would do, and now Kate tells me that she thinks you are taking too much testosterone. I’m not sure what to think anymore,” she replied with teary eyes.
“It felt so good to have some vitality back; I may have overshot a bit. It’s hard enough for normal men to lose their testosterone, having a deteriorating heart makes the decline even more dramatic. I needed a boost, Jayne. I really needed to get out of that funk.”
“I know, Dad, but don’t overdo it. I know that you like to go big or go home, but sometimes you need to use a little moderation.”
“That sounds so much like my mother, and Eva, too, for that matter. They always balanced me out, but now Kate is much more like me. I guess I need to cut back a bit on the juice and use a healthier approach. My plan is to use aggressive exercise once I start stem cell therapy,” I assured he
r.
Jayne shook her head and focused on her martini glass. “I think you’re looking at stem cells as being another quick fix, just like a shot of testosterone.”
“No, you’re wrong, Jayne. What I’m looking for is a miracle,” I whispered. “I want a fucking miracle and a healthy heart for the first time in 25 years. I don’t want to slowly wither away like my dad. I want to live!”
“I hope you get your miracle…. I really do. Just be careful,” she replied tearing up once again. “We lost Mom at such a young age. Neither Brandon nor I can stand the thought of losing you, too.”
I stood up, pulled Jayne to her feet and gave her a big hug. “You don’t have to worry, kiddo; I’m going to live to age 93.”
“I want that in writing,” she said releasing a stream of tears against my cheek.
We heard the whir of the helicopter blades as it approached the helipad. Brandon and the girls were landing, so we could get underway to Nassau. The first thing that I noticed when they came through the doorway was that both girls had changed into bikinis and cover-ups. They were all bubbly and full of life, so they were obviously going to party late into the night. Ah, to be 24 again.
~~~
Kate
The conversation with Mom started out tense but actually turned out to be quite enlightening. Apparently, she and Jack knew each other much better than Jack had led me to believe. She, of course, wouldn’t give me any details, only that he had been her first love and she had ended up with a broken heart. That’s alright, I really don’t need to know any details. The Jack that she described back then didn’t sound anything like the Jack I knew. She described him as a self-absorbed jock who was more concerned with partying than spending time with his girlfriend. He had obviously changed dramatically since then. From everything I had heard, he was a family man who was dedicated to his wife and kids. I’m not going to worry about it.
“Hey, you survived.” Jack laughed as he saw me coming down the hallway.
“Yeah, she started out pretty mad but settled down as we talked. She claims that she was mad because I lied to her, not because we are dating. I don’t really believe that.”
“What else did she say?”
“Not much… She claims to have known about us the day she ran into me at Saks. She says she didn’t buy my story for a second.”
“Cynthia is a pretty smart woman. She’s been around the block,” Jack replied knowingly.
“I know. I don’t know why I even try to lie to her. She also told me that you two dated in college.”
Jack remained silent for a moment before saying, “What did she have to say about that.”
“Only that you stole her virginity and left her with a broken heart,” I replied wanting to see his reaction.
“She didn’t say that…” he replied with a gasp.
“Pretty much… she said you were kind of a playboy and she ended up broken hearted.”
“That may be true, but I certainly didn’t steal her virginity,” his tone turned serious.
“Okay, I made that up to get a reaction out of you. I honestly don’t want to know what happened between the two of you in that department.” Gross.
“Well, I want you to know. Cynthia and I got along very well. We had the same circle of friends, so we partied together quite often. Whenever we drank too much, we would usually make out and wake up together. It never went beyond having some fun. After I started dating Eva, however, your mother suddenly wanted to get serious as well. By then, I was so obsessed with Eva that no one could’ve pulled me away. Needless to say, she didn’t take it very well. Our friendship was strained for several years after that,” he explained while looking me directly in the eyes.
“I can see why that would be hard. It also explains why my dad didn’t like you. I’m sure he always knew how she felt about you.”
“It always bothered him, even though I didn’t feel the same way. I tried to talk to him a couple of times but to no avail.”
“Now I’m dating you. I definitely don’t want to think about how I would feel if I were either of them.” I don’t care what Dad thinks at this point, but hopefully I can make it up to Mom.
The seriousness of the moment was interrupted by the sound of laughter coming from Brandon’s room. Both girls were laughing hysterically, so I’m sure Brandon was doing something crazy. He could make some of the best facial expressions ever. They were hilarious.
“Sounds like they’re having fun, anyway,” Jack said sounding a little envious.
“Oh, we’ll have some fun, too,” I assured him. “It just won’t be tonight. I have a little too much to process at the moment.”
“I totally understand,” Jack replied putting his arm around me and kissing my forehead. “I’m too old for you; your mother and I hung out in college, and my daughter is almost three years older than you. All I can say is… I love you.”
“What’s more important than that?” I asked giving him a smile.
“Nothing.” Jack concurred, as he wrapped his arms around me and pushed me backward through the doorway of our cabin. “If we both feel the same way, then nothing else should really matter should it?”
“I agree. But it doesn’t mean I won’t have second thoughts once in awhile, especially when it comes to my mother’s feelings.”
“I understand, but it’s not like your mother and I would’ve ever gotten together. Time passed us by years ago.”
“I know, but I just want to see her happy,” I told him feeling the weight on my heart.
“Happiness is a choice, Kate. If she chooses to be happy, she will have a much better chance of finding someone to spend the rest of her life with. If she holds onto the pain and bitterness that your father caused, it’s unlikely she will ever move beyond her current situation,” he reasoned.
“I know she wants to move on, but it’s hard to do. He disappointed her so many times,” I replied, thinking back to all of the broken promises over the years.
“That’s why she needs to let go. He made her life miserable, but now he’s gone. She shouldn’t give him another day or even another moment.”
“Can we have lunch with her next time we’re in the city?”
“Of course, I still consider her one of my oldest friends. As long as she isn’t hostile, I have no problem taking her to lunch.”
“Thanks, Jack.”
“You’re welcome. Now let’s get comfortable, it’s been a long night.”
Jack stepped behind me, reached around and began unbuttoning my blouse. Even though I still had a million different thoughts running through my mind, his touch felt good. He slowly worked his way down while kissing the side of my neck. He knows exactly how to get to me.
“Is this helping to clear your mind?” he whispered.
“It’s a start,” I replied as a smile crossed my lips.
Just as my tension began to melt, there was a pounding at our door. “Dad, are you awake?” Brandon yelled.
“Yes, what’s up?” Jack answered, as startled as me.
“Sorry to bother you, but is there a different hot tub that we can use?”
Jack had to laugh at the request. “Yes, at the rear of the main deck. I’m sure the one on the Lido deck has already been drained and cleaned as well.”
“We’ll use the other one, thanks.”
“Alright, Brandon, have fun,” he said rolling his eyes.
I excused myself to the bathroom. Any romantic encounter would have to wait for a more opportune time. Not only was I feeling distracted, but as the sounds of Brandon and the girls faded down the corridor, Jack’s thoughts were elsewhere as well.
“I wouldn’t worry too much, Jack. Brandon is a pretty smart guy,” I assured him.
“I know. I just don’t trust those girls, especially the blonde.”
“She reminds you of Jackie, too, huh?”
“Exactly.”
Jack
In some ways, it was great having the kids onboard the yacht with us, b
ut in other ways, it made things feel rather awkward. I was suddenly thrust back to the role of being a concerned father instead of having fun with Kate. It felt really strange being in such close quarters.
I woke up about 3:30 am, and things were eerily quiet. I couldn’t resist the urge to get up and check things out. Slipping on a pair of sweats, I quietly made my way out into the hallway. After standing there for a few seconds, there was definitely no sound coming from Brandon’s room. I walked down the corridor toward the back of the ship. As I descended the staircase, I was a bit relieved to find Brandon wrapped up in a blanket on one of the couches. That’s the Brandon I know and love. He’s still more like Eva than me. He had been acting so out of character earlier in the evening, that it had bothered me the rest of the night.
He stirred as I covered him up with a thicker blanket. “What’s up?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came to check on you. I wanted to make sure you were behaving.”
“I always behave. You know that.”
“You do, and that impresses me. You came home with two beautiful women, who were both flirting with you, and somehow you have the will power to sleep on the couch.”
“Well, I have to admit… it was a combination of tequila, the hot tub and the ocean waves that landed me on this couch. I sent the girls to the room just before I lost my dinner over the railing.”
“Ahhh, that happens to all of us at one time or another. Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah, I’m fine as long as I stay propped up a little. Otherwise, everything starts to spin again,” he replied with a sour look on his face. “I’m not so sure I could’ve handled both of those girls anyway,” he smirked.
“I was wondering about that. The couch was probably a wise choice, but there are two open cabins at the end of the hall if you want one.”
“Actually, I’m going to stay here, just in case I get sick again.”
“There are toilets you know, but you do what you want. Good night, Brandon,” I said giving him a pat on the shoulder.
“Good night, Dad. You behave now,” he said giving me that smartass look again.