Almost Perfect
Chapter 5
“Pop!” Gus exclaimed when he recognized his father’s number and answered his phone.
“Sonny Boy, how’s it hanging?”
“Low and to the right. To what do I owe this honor?”
“I have a proposal to make but I don’t want to make waves or pressure you.”
“Sounds a bit mysterious. Go on.”
“Smelly Mel....”
“Dad.”
“Right. Your mother and I are going on a business trip. We’ll be touring Perspectives and Isles. I’m adding N’rgy to the list. I want you a part of that meeting.”
“And?”
“Is your passport up to date?”
“My passport? Yeah, I think so; why?”
“Canada.”
“Canada? What about it?”
“I’m thinking of expanding into the northern tundras of Canada. I thought you’d like to be involved in the process from the ground up. And if you wanted, you could keep an eye on this branch.”
“How north are we talking?”
“Not far, the Toronto area. What do you think?”
“I think it sounds interesting.”
“Interesting enough to come with us? Providing your boyfriend can spare you. I’d value your opinion and it would give you some time with Mel.”
“What? Wait, who is this and what have you done with the real Brian Kinney?” Gus asked as he pulled the phone away from his ear to stare at it. His father’s voice calling his name brought him back to the phone.
“I’m serious. A little birdie told me that Mel still feels a little awkward about you kids since she’s been back. I figured I could kill two birds with one stone by bringing you to Canada with us; so to speak. So are you interested?”
“Yeah, I’m interested but I do have to speak to Ray.”
“Of course you do. You have at least a week to discuss it with the little woman and beg her permission to let you come out to play.” Gus rolled his eyes as he heard his father snicker.
“Ha ha. I honestly think if I was gone for a few days Ray wouldn’t notice.”
“Trouble in paradise?” Brian snarked.
“Not at all. This is Ray’s last semester. He’s working his ass off. Actually, I’m a little worried that if I’m not around he’ll waste away. He forgets to eat or sleep when he’s studying.”
“Gus, he’s a big boy; he doesn’t need coddling. You have more than a week. Go, discuss then get back to me. I promise you I have no ulterior motive other than getting your opinion. However, if the prospect of heading up a branch intrigues you then you’ll be in on it right from the beginning.”
“Dad, I live in New York.”
“And I live an hour away from Kinnetik and Part Deux. And hours from Perspectives and Isles. Toronto is less than two hours away from New York.”
“That’s not the point.”
“It’s precisely the point, Gus. Let me ask you something and I want you to be honest. If you didn’t have Ray to consider, would you come with me?”
“In a New York minute. But I do have Ray to consider. I love him.”
“And I love Justin but sometimes I have to travel for business.”
“I know. I just don’t know if Ray would be as understanding as Justin.”
“Now you have an opportunity to find out. Call me. Later, Sonny Boy.”
Gus disconnected then stared at his phone a good long time trying to glean wisdom from it.
*****
“Hey,” Gus greeted Ray as he walked into their apartment. It was obvious that Ray was exhausted.
“Hi,” Ray replied. He dumped his stuff near the door then made his way to the couch before collapsing on it.
“Rough day?” Gus asked as he approached, gently pushing over Ray’s hips making room for him to sit.
“Yeah. I’m not sure how much more I can take of this,” Ray said with a sigh. “I don’t think I’m going to make it.”
“Sure you are.”
“And I feel bad for you.”
“For me? Why?”
“I haven’t had any time for you; for us,” Ray murmured into the cushions.
“You’ve been busy and we’ll have plenty of time for us when you’re done with college and you're a big time lawyer,” Gus said with a smile in his voice.
“Won’t we be even busier? You with Kinnetik and me with whatever firm I’ll be with?”
“So are you saying you don’t even want to try?” Ray rolled over to look up at Gus.
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I’m too tired to think.”
“Then don’t. Go take a shower and I’ll bring you some soup. But while you’re in the shower, think about this. We’ll only get busier as time goes on, when we’re finally doing what we want to do with our lives. We should be learning how to coordinate our schedules and make dates for just us,” Gus wisely said. Ray gave him a curious look. “Think about that and about how much I love you,” Gus said as he leaned down to kiss Ray’s lips. They savored each other’s taste for the moment then Gus let Ray up.
“You’re so smart,” Ray quipped as he headed for the bathroom.
“Yup,” Gus agreed as he went to the kitchen to open a can of soup.
*****
“Better?” Gus asked after he took away Ray’s tray. Gus treated Ray to dinner in bed.
“Much! I still don’t know how you manage to make a meal out of almost nothing.”
“I told you, it’s a gift. Now is your brain in a better place than it was before?”
“Much better. Why?”
“We have something to discuss. I was really considering putting this off but after that thing with my dad, you’ve convinced me to just say stuff that’s on my mind. Just please don’t fall asleep before I get this out.”
“I promise and I give you permission to pinch me if I start to snore,” Ray joked. He was fully awake with all of his attention on Gus.
“My dad called today. He and my mom are going on a business trip in a few days. They’ll be gone for about a week. He’s showing Mel the L.A. branch and the one in England.”
“Wow, that’s some trip. What’s it got to do with you? Wait, does he want you to go with them?”
“Not to England. To Canada.”
“What’s in Canada?”
“He’s thinking of opening a branch in Toronto. He’s bringing my Mom...”
“Because she’s a lawyer and can cut through all the legal stuff. That’s a great idea. I knew your dad was smart but that’s genius.”
“What is?” Gus wasn’t sure what Ray was alluding to.
“Your dad’s thinking.”
“Yeah, a Canadian branch.”
“Not just that.” Ray perked up and put on his lawyer voice. “There’s opportunity here. One, when was the last time you spent some quality time with your mother. Two, if your dad is successful then you’ll be there to observe and participate in a start up. How many people our age get a chance to do that and not have to use their own money?”
“It’s not about money.”
“Of course not. Gus, this is a prime learning experience. When you eventually take over Kinnetik and I know you will someday, this is something you’ll be doing. Expanding the business; branching out, growing. This is what you were talking about the other day. You have to go.”
“But.”
“No buts. If I wasn’t so busy, I’d go with you. This is something I want to be doing. Business law, real estate law, international business law. Hell, if I wasn’t this close to finishing this semester I’d be pushing your skinny ass onto the plane myself and I’d be sitting in the next seat.”
“You’re serious.”
“Fuck, yeah! Gus, I’ll be fine. I can see it in your face. You’re worried that I’ll waste away; that when you get back you’ll find me a shriveled husk gasping for breath on the living room rug.” Gus gave Ray an incredulous look. Ray burst out into laughter.
“That’s not funny. Half the time you don’t know if you’re coming or going.” Gus nearly shouted the words at him. Ray threw his arms around him. “I’ll miss you,” Gus whispered.
“And I’ll miss you; but like you’re always reminding me, we have the rest of our lives together. And you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right,” Gus said. Then he pushed away. “What am I right about?”
Ray smiled as he shook his head. “You’re right about us scheduling our time together. For us to make this work; for you and me to pursue our life’s dreams then we have to work at making time for each other. I’m willing to do it,” Ray said seriously then he cupped Gus’ face as he kissed him.
“I’m willing to work at it too,” Gus said when they came up for air.
“Call your dad. Let him know that you’re going. This is too important to miss out on.”
“What if he decides a Canadian branch isn’t in the stars?” Gus asked.
“That’s a possibility. But that’s also a learning experience.”
“Okay, I get it. I’m here to learn.”
“Good. Lesson over,” Ray said as he snuggled into the mattress pulling Gus down with him. The boys kissed, giggled and wrestled as they rolled around their bed then eventually made love until they fell into a satisfying sleep.
*****
“Sonny Boy, did you think over my proposal?”
“Yeah, Pop, I did.”
“And?”
“I’m in.”
“Is Ray all right with this?’
“Yes, he is. In fact he convinced me to do it.”
“I knew he was a smart kid. I’ll email our itinerary to you and call you when we get to New York.”
“Okay, Pop. Love you. Give my love to Mom.”
“Love you too, Sonny Boy.”
*****
“Michael, it’s your mother,” Debbie said into her phone when Michael answered his.
“Yeah, Maw, what’s up?”
“Dinner … here … tonight.”
“I … um … I don’t think Ben is available for dinner,” Michael stammered.
“I didn’t invite Ben, I invited you.”
“Huh?”
“You, me, dinner, here tonight,” Debbie said with exasperation. “This is not open for discussion. Be here at 6:30.”
“Okay, Maw,” Michael gave in.
The line went dead.
Michael stared at the phone before putting it down on the desk in the office at his store. He crossed his arms on his chest wondering what his mother was up to. She generally wasn’t that abrupt and snarky with him. His brow creased as a new thought came to him. He walked out into the store and stared at his daughter who was unpacking and shelving some comics that had just come in.
“JR!” Michael said loudly. “What have you been telling your grandmother?”
“Is … is that my father’s voice I hear?” JR asked sarcastically. “It’s been so long since he spoke to me that I don’t remember what he sounds like.”
“That’s not funny, young lady!”
“Oh, so now I’m a young lady. I thought I was some incompetent child unable to take care of herself or make decisions about how she wants to live her life.”
“Stop it, JR. And answer my question. What have you told Maw?”
“I’ve told her what I’m feeling and living these days.”
“And you’ve painted me as the villain in all this, not that slut of a girlfriend of yours,” Michael said haughtily.
“That is uncalled for! Take that back or I’m leaving.”
“I won’t take back what’s the truth,” Michael declared.
“You … you’re a nasty man,” JR stated. “I won’t stay here with you a minute longer.” JR grabbed her jacket and left the shop slamming the door behind her.
Michael watched her leave. “She’ll be back,” Michael whispered to himself.
*****
A few hours later Michael walked into his mother’s house. She was in the kitchen working on dinner.
“Hi, Maw,” Michael called out.
“Hello, Michael,” was the terse reply.
Michael frowned as he walked into the kitchen. His mother’s tone didn’t bode well. “Is Carl joining us for dinner?”
“Yes he is. He’s upstairs cleaning up. He’ll be down in a minute.”
“What’s he cleaning up from? I thought you both were retired.”
“That doesn’t mean we have nothing to do. Carl’s been getting some outdoor stuff ready for spring. He works hard,” Debbie stated emphatically.
“I didn’t mean…”
“I’m sure you never mean to be critical even when you are.”
“What? What’s going on, Maw?”
“We’re going to sit down and eat this delicious food that I made. When we’re done, we’re going to talk, and you will be doing a lot of listening,” Debbie stated. Her tone indicated that Michael should do exactly what she said.
“I don’t have to stay here…”
“I’d advise you to stay,” Carl said as he came down the stairs.
Michael clenched his jaw, but he knew Carl was right. He could almost mouth the words his mother was going to say before she even spoke them. He dropped into a chair at the table and prepared to eat what his mother set in front of him.
“Good,” Debbie said as she placed Michael’s plate of food on the table.
They began to eat in silence. Michael was planning in his head all the rebuttals he could think of for what his mother was going to say. Debbie reviewed what she intended to lay on her son. Carl enjoyed the dinner and waited to see what kind of a mess he was going to have to mop up.
When her plate was mostly clear, Debbie pushed it aside. “Now,” she said, “I’m going to talk and you’re going to listen. Is that clear, Michael?”
“Yes, if you must…”
“I must!” Debbie spat out between clenched teeth. “I didn’t raise my son to be a bully.”
“A bully? I’m not a…”
“I said you were to listen, not talk,” Debbie repeated. Michael crossed his arms on his chest and glared at his mother. “You probably don’t know, since you don’t talk to your daughter at work, that she has been staying here while Jacqueline was in Philadelphia.”
“Wha…?”
“See, you’ve alienated JR so much that she tells you nothing. I believe she is looking for a new job too.”
“Job? But, she loves the comic book store,” Michael protested.
“Not so much anymore, since you make it unpleasant for her every day she goes there.”
“No I don’t.”
“You can protest all you want, but I know it’s true, and I suspect you know it to be true too … deep down inside,” Debbie said, her voice becoming softer. She hoped she was getting through to her son.
“She would never choose that … that woman over the comic book store … and me!” Michael declared.
“She already has.”
Michael shook his head. This couldn’t be true. “I’ll have it out with her tomorrow. She won’t leave me,” he said, not at all sure that was true anymore.
“You need to give Jacqueline a chance,” Debbie said. “JR has chosen her, and JR is an adult. She can do whatever she wants.”
“But she’s so inexperienced…”
“Michael,” Carl said, “remember when we first met, and you hated me because I was a cop? It took me a while to prove myself different than what you thought, but I think we finally got to a better place. You need to give JR and her girlfriend the same chance. You might just be wrong about Jacqueline.”
“Carl’s right,” Debbie jumped in. “JR loves her, and your daughter has very good judgment about people.”
“I don’t know if I can,” Michael whined. He felt like everyone was against him, and he was the only one who saw Jacqueline Archer for what she was. JR was obviously blinded by love. Couldn’t his mother see that? “I have this bad feeling,” he said, “about what’s going to happen to JR when they split up.”
“You don’t know that they will split up, but if they do, isn’t it better that you’re there to support JR, than being nowhere around because she would never even tell you?” Debbie asked.
“I … I just don’t know.”
“Think about it, Michael. This may be one of the most important choices you ever had to make,” Carl said.
“Carl’s absolutely right,” Debbie agreed.
“I have to go now … if I’m allowed,” Michael said petulantly.
Debbie nodded and watched as Michael disappeared through the front door.
“Do you think we got through to him?” Carl asked.
“Fuck if I know!”