by Jw Grodt
“I’ve got an early day tomorrow. C’mon Nikki, let’s go to bed.”
“Well, Nicole doesn’t look so tired. She can stay up and watch the news with me if she wants,” Brad suggested, trying to sound indifferent.
“Oh, no,” Jared said as he stood and pulled Nicole off the couch,” I’ve been away several days and I’ve missed my wife. Hotel beds may be comfortable but their damned lonely.”
Brad smiled through clenched teeth, grinding them so tightly he thought they might shatter. “Quite right, son. Goodnight.”
She looked back at him as Jared took her hand and led her down the stairs. He tried to keep the mental pictures of what would soon be happening out of his head, but it was futile. He traded his brandy for a couple double shots of bourbon and went to bed. He passed out, reassuring himself this would all be over soon.
The sound of the trash truck woke Brad the next morning. He had overslept and he had a pounding headache. He wandered through an empty house and consoled himself with some “hair of the dog.” On the drive to work, he looked ahead to when Nicole would be safely ensconced away on the Outer Banks. He formulated the excuses he would give Stan when he needed to break away on short jaunts to see her.
As soon as Brad arrived at work, he called Maggie into his office. She looked at him nervously. He sensed by her nervous look she had an idea of what was coming.
“Sit down and relax, Maggie. There’s no bad news.”
She tried to smile that sweet, trusting smile he had always admired.
“Maggie, I want to take you into my confidence and tell you of things to come. I’m retiring and moving to the southwest.”
“But Bradley—”
“Let me finish, dear. I’m selling Stan the business and I told him you were part of the deal, that he couldn’t let you go. Funny thing is when I told him that, he told me that if you didn’t agree to stay, he wouldn’t buy the business.”
She began to softly cry. “Stan’s a great man, but somehow it won’t be the same without you. Where will you go and when?”
“I will be back and forth for a while just to help Stan get comfortable and assist in the transition. Then, in three or four months, I’ll move to San Diego. Of course I’ll be available for you or Stan whenever, if ever, I’m needed.”
“Bradley, I just don’t know how we will fare without you.”
“That’s very kind, but we both know that you and Stan can handle any phase of this business. There’s one thing further. Stan asked me to tell you that if you agreed to stick with him, he will give you ten percent of the company, yours the day he takes over. I told him that was a very good idea.” Brad scratched the back of his head. “Frankly, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself.”
Maggie laughed through her tears. “Bradley, I won’t breathe a word of this to a living soul until you say it’s okay.”
Brad got up and walked around the desk. They hugged each other tightly for a minute or two.
“I miss you already,” she sniffed and said.
“Maggie, can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, sir.”
“The time I asked you to dinner, why did you refuse?”
“In confidence?”
“Of course.”
“Because of Julie, God rest her soul. It would have seemed like a betrayal to me. Second, I couldn’t risk having to leave and break my promise to Julie. I promised her I’d keep an eye on you.”
Maggie gave him one more hug and a “thank you” then returned to her desk.
Later, when he sat in Kelsey’s during Happy Hour, Maggie’s words echoed through his brain. Dull pangs of regret settled in his stomach, but he couldn’t define the reason. He didn’t want to try.
“Keep ’em coming, Kelso,” he told his old friend.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Monday morning: D-Day. Brad opened the shades to see the sun reflecting off the new growth of spring leaves. The world was in a heightened state of beauty. Robins scurried over his back lawn, in search of breakfast buried in the sod. Life was regenerating itself, and Brad was following along.
As he sipped his coffee he kept looking at his watch. Nicole was to call him, on his new phone, after Jared boarded his flight. Their plan was to meet at the townhouse at the same time. He was growing anxious. What’s keeping her? Finally the phone sounded. She rattled off something about traffic and roadwork.
“Okay, get the rest of your things together and I’ll be over in half an hour,” he told her. Brad threw her two suitcases and his small suitcase into the newly purchased SUV and headed for the townhouse.
When he pulled into the drive, she came out with a few boxes and went back for a few more before locking up the house. After everything was loaded they exchanged a short kiss.
“Did you leave the note and keys?” he asked.
“Yes, and my rings also.”
“Good, then we’re ready to roll.”
When they had gone down the road a few blocks, she noticed he was taking a different route. “You’re not going to your house?” she asked, puzzled.
“Surprise! I’m going with you!” He gave her a broad grin and grabbed her ring-less left hand.
“How can you do that? Who will pick up Jared?”
“Relax, sweetheart. I’ve arranged for some vacation and I’ll have plenty of time to rent a car and drive back to pick him up.”
“You think of everything, don’t you?” She squeezed his hand.
They drove for about two hours before they made a pit stop to top off the tank and grab some lunch.
“Let me drive a while,” she said to him when they got back in the car. “I need to get used to this new vehicle.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He tossed her the keys and walked to the passenger side. “You know, my dear, we are now past the point of no return. Did you believe this would ever happen?”
“Absolutely. It was my plan since I met you.” She gave him a wink.
Brad bumped his head on the roof of the car as he slid into the passenger seat. He rubbed his forehead. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Not since Jared introduced us, surely?”
She looked over with a sly grin and stuck the keys into the ignition. “Come on, Brad, you and I have always known it was ‘in the cards,’ right?”
He stared at her as she careened onto the on-ramp of the interstate, not sure how to respond. He shrugged it off.
“Let’s check out the news.” He reached for the radio dial and searched for a news station. Not long afterward she tuned in some music, not much to Brad’s liking. All at once he was keenly aware of their age difference. He wondered what other things might come up over time, but that was too much to deal with. He dropped his seat back and took a nap.
He awoke later when the car engine shut off. “Where are we?” Brad fought off his grogginess. They were at a gas station.
“We’re in Duck, but I don’t know how to get to the condo. I need the restroom,” Nicole replied.
When she returned, Brad was back behind the wheel and drove to the Claremont Condominiums. He pulled into a numbered space in the underground parking garage, grabbed a couple of bags, caught the elevator to the fifth floor and they made their way to the unit.
When they arrived at the door, he put down the bags. “Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you,” he said.
She giggled and did as he requested. He unlocked the door, swept her up in his arms and carried her across the threshold into the living room. Nicole giggled nervously as she kept her eyes closed. “Now you can open your eyes.”
“Oh Brad, it’s beautiful! And it’s furnished too!”
She feasted her eyes over the mid-century retro furniture and the spacious modern kitchen.
“Yes, my lady. All the comforts for you.”
Her eyes lit up. �
��Does it have a big bed?”
“Why, of course!”
“Let’s see!”
She ran in search of a bedroom, peeling off her clothes as she went. Brad stood back for a moment and let her get a head start. He filled his lungs with oxygen for what seemed like the first time in years. This was the best thing he had ever done.
They had that night and the next day together. On the third day Nicole drove Brad to the rental car place the next afternoon and he started for home. He phoned her at eleven-thirty to tell her he had arrived safely. That night he could not sleep. He was uncomfortable in his own house. His real life was back at the condo. Jared would be home the day after tomorrow, and he had to prepare himself for the act he would have to put on when his son came home to an empty house. How many months of consolation would be adequate before Brad himself had to stage his own death and hurt Jared yet again? Did it matter? Brad instead consoled himself: Jared was the beneficiary on his half-million dollar life insurance policy. He’ll get over both of us on that sum of money.
Thursday morning, after closing down Kelsey’s the night before, Brad drove to the airport. He found his son in baggage claim.
“Hey,” Jared said when he saw his father coming toward him. He pulled his suitcase from the carousel and looked around. “Where’s Nikki?”
“She called me last night. Said she had a doctor’s appointment and wanted me to scoop you.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yes, she is. She said it was one of those routine female visits and she just forgot about the appointment. If it’s all right, I’ll need to just drop you and go. I have an appointment with a client this morning to discuss a bid.”
“No problem, Dad. I could use a nap anyway.”
They walked to short-term parking and, after Jared tossed his suitcase in the trunk of Brad’s car, they took off. Brad formed his words carefully as he sped down the interstate.
“Jared, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Hmm?” Jared leaned back on the headrest, his eyes half-open.
“I been having some minor respiratory discomfort lately and so I saw the doctor. It turns out after some tests and x-rays that I have some sort of pulmonary ailment with a big long name.” Jared turned in the car seat and looked at him with concern.
“Don’t worry, son. He said it wasn’t life-threatening. He did suggest, however that I consider moving to a different climate—one that’s drier. Apparently the molds in this region aren’t good for me. I’ve seen too many of my friends not take their doctors’ advice and die. That’s not for me. I’m planning to move to Southern California.”
“When is all this happening?”
“Most likely within the next few months. I have a lot of loose ends to tie up first.”
“Gee, Dad. That’s some heavy news. Nikki will be shocked.” Jared looked out the window and thought for a moment or two.
“What about the house, the business, and all your other stuff?”
“I’ll sell them, of course.”
“Wow, I never saw this coming. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”
“What could you do but worry? You have a life of your own to deal with.”
“This will really change things. I mean, what if Nikki and I have kids? Their grandfather will be on the other side of the country! I never wanted this, with Mom gone and all. She would want us to be together as much as possible.”
“It will be okay. Son. You guys can fly out for the holidays or I can fly back here. Besides, you know how I’m always complaining about winter and the cold. Seems each year it bothers me more and more. I’ll miss you son, but I sure will enjoy the weather.”
Dad, can I buy the house?”
“My house?”
“Of course, After all, it is the house I grew up in.”
Brad began to sweat. How was he going to explain this? Jared went on.
“That way, we could keep it in the family. Nikki and I would have room to expand as our family grows and you’d have a place to stay whenever you visited.”
“Well, I never thought you were the sentimental type.” Brad was searching for an explanation and trying not to panic.
“I’m so much more like Mom than you give me credit for. I look like you, but inside, I’m all Mom and her mushy, sentimental ways.”
Brad had to buy some time to come up with an explanation. “Well, let me look into it and see what I can work out.” He changed the subject and talked about all the fun they would have when he and Nikki came to visit him in California. Before long they were driving down Jared’s street.
“Looks like Nikki’s home,” Jared said, nodding to her car in the drive as they pulled in. “Thanks for the lift, Dad. I don’t know how I’m going to break the news to Nikki. This is all so crazy and sudden.”
“Well, no need to tell her right away, right?” Brad said, envisioning Nicole in a bikini sunning herself at the beach that very moment.”
“You’ll be sure to let me know about the house, won’t you?”
“Sure, son. See you for dinner soon.”
“Sure thing.”
Brad drove on, trying to imagine his boy wandering all through the house, calling for his wife…finding the note. He started to feel sick and wondered if he would get through the day. His cell phone vibrated incessantly and he ignored it, putting off the inevitable for as long as he could.
When he got home that evening, Jared was there, waiting for him. He fell into his arms, sobbing. It reminded him of the times he had comforted him when he was a child, after losing a game or getting in a fight. How could I have done this? He adopted a face of compassion and fatherly concern as Jared told him what he had found.
“Dad, I don’t know why she was so hung up on the virgin thing. I never said that was important to me. And the baby thing! Sure, I told her I wanted a big family, but not if I can’t have it with her. I need her! She’s the most important thing in my life. Kids aren’t everything!”
Brad’s stomach folded over on itself. He hugged Jared and tried to ignore it.
“Oh son, I’m so sorry for you. What happened? Was she married before?”
“No, of course not.”
“Oh, so she had other lovers, then?”
Jared turned away and paced the room. His face was red and his teeth were clenched. Brad couldn’t tell if he was enraged or in extreme emotional pain.
“She was raped! It happened when she was just a teenager. They never caught the low-life. Christ! Where is she? I want to see her! I want to tell her all of this doesn’t matter!”
Watching his son break down in his living room was the most gut-wrenching thing he had witnessed since looking down on his late-wife’s lifeless body. Even April hadn’t been this painful. Tears welled up in his eyes and he fought them back. He’ll be okay. He’ll find someone else. Hell, I need to disappear. I’m no father!
He sat up with Jared into the wee hours. His son made a few phone calls to various friends of theirs, inquiring as to whether they had heard from Nicole, but not indicating anything to raise alarm. Finally, Jared collapsed in exhaustion and slept on the sofa, his phone next to his head. Brad took the bourbon bottle to his room and shut the door.
The next day, Brad paid a surprise visit to the office of the man who had bought his house.
“Gerald, I’m sorry to bother you with this, but I need the house back.”
When the man heard Brad’s words he was not pleased, nor was he interested.
“Okay look,” Brad said when Gerald put up a flat refusal, “what if I make it worth your trouble?”
Gerald leaned back in his high-backed leather chair and folded his sport jacket-clad arms across his skinny chest. “I’m listening.”
“I paid two hundred sixty thousand for the townhouse my son lives in. It appraised f
or two-eighty. I’ll give it to you for two fifty against what you paid for my house.”
“And cover all expenses until you can give me possession?”
Gerald leaned forward and picked up pad and pen.
“Give me the address, send me a copy of the appraisal and I’ll have my attorney check it out. I’ll let you know later,” the man finished. The two men stood and shook hands and Brad left.
Jared stayed at Brad’s house for the next week. By week’s end Jared could get through a day without sobbing like a baby or having explosive fits of rage. Brad suggested that they take Pocahontas and drive to Carlisle, Pennsylvania for a car show and swap meet. His son reluctantly agreed and the two men took off. They tried to enjoy the show. Even having dinner at Di Vinci’s, their favorite restaurant in the area, didn’t brighten Jared’s mood for long.
They returned home early Sunday morning. “Sorry you didn’t enjoy the trip, son”
“It’s just too soon, Dad. I hope I didn’t spoil it for you. I just can’t get Nicole off my mind. I’m driving myself crazy wondering where she is or who she’s with.”
They ate a quiet dinner and retired to their rooms early.
Monday morning Brad walked in the office and Maggie greeted him with a few messages.
“Good morning, Bradley! “Gerald Manning called and asked if you would call him when you arrived. Stan needs some materials on the Hopkins job and Terry just quit.”
Brad backpedaled toward his office. “Thanks, Maggie. Run our ad for Terry’s replacement and ask Stan to choose the best man for his position. He needs to spend more time in here with me. I’ll make that call to Gerald now.”
Brad closed the door to his office and phoned Gerald. The phone seemed to ring forever. Finally Gerald picked up.
“Listen, Brad,” he said, not wasting time with small talk, “I will make that deal with you but not for two-fifty. I’ll give you two hundred twenty thousand against the other.”
“Damn. Gerald! You’re killin’ me!”