Blasts From the Past

Chapter 14

“We’ll meet you right here after your orientation, Sonny Boy,” Brian informed his son.

“Okay, Pop. They’re feeding us lunch at the reception.”

“Chicken wraps and wilted salad, just peachy,” Brian groused.

“Brian, as I recall, they have the reception catered by a local hotel. I’m sure the food will be up to your standards,” Bobby reassured his brother-in-law.

“Humph,” Brian snuffed as he touched fists with his son then watched Gus go into the main building of the business college.

“Dada,” a sweet little voice cut through Brian’s brooding. Bree was given the task by her Daddy to help get Brian out his funk. The family all knew that under Brian’s cool exterior was a father who was watching his child grow up, taking his first steps toward manhood. This wasn’t about a man worrying he was growing old; this was about a man worrying that his little boy was growing up. “Dada, can we see your trophies now?”

“Sweetheart,” Brian began as he squatted down in front of his daughter. “My team won those trophies a long time ago. I’m not sure if they’re still here,” Brian said reasonably.

“Bri, if I’m not mistaken, your team won the state championship, I’m sure the trophies are here,” Bobby said knowingly. Unbeknownst to the family, Bobby still had a lot of ties to his alma mater and kept in touch with the sports center. Bobby knew for a fact that there were trophies with Brian’s name on them. Brian nodded, kissed his daughter then stood up.

“All right, let’s get this show on the road,” he groused as they slowly strolled to the sports complex.

 

*****
 

“Kinney,” Brian barked softly into his phone. They were just about to enter the main building of the university’s sports complex.

“Brian, Ted and I have just had an interesting meeting with Brandon Tierney,” Cynthia informed her boss and friend.

“And?”

“And, his team made an interesting proposal.”

“You’re shitting me.”

“Not in the least. I’ll email the prospectus to you so you can look it over.”

“What does Ted think?”

“He’ll be sending along his opinion with the email.”

“And your opinion?”

“My opinion is that we seriously consider his company. It can’t hurt to upgrade our system.”

“What about our own IT people? I don’t want to put anyone out of a job. I trust them.”

“I trust them too. We leave them in place as liaison. They’re always complaining about having too much to do. Having Brandon’s company take over the grunt work will leave our guys more time for the fine tuning. The graphic artists seem to be always crashing the system at the most inconvenient times.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll look over the prospectus later tonight.”

“How’s Penn?”

“Hasn’t changed much. The students look so young though,” Brian said wistfully as a group of cheerleaders ran past him.

“You were that young once,” Cynthia remarked.

“I was never that young,” Brian retorted as he shut his phone. He took Bree’s hand as they walked up the stairs and into the building.

“Poppa! Look at all the trophies!” Patrick exclaimed as they came across the “Hall of Fame.” The hall was lined with case after case each holding dozens of trophies, awards and photographs of winning teams. Patrick came across the baseball cases first.

“Poppa!” Patrick said loudly and with awe. In the case was a huge MVP trophy; Bobby’s name was engraved upon it. Next to it was a photograph with Bobby in full uniform. “Wow,” Patrick said with reverence. The family stopped in front of the trophy case to look at the photos of Bobby’s team.

Bree looked into the case then slowly strolled down the hall. Towards the end she found the soccer trophies. “Dada! It’s my Dada!” Briana’s shriek echoed off the glass. In an effort to quiet his very excited daughter before she screamed down the hallowed halls, Brian quickly strode toward her.

“Bree, no shouting,” Brian said sternly. Bree quieted but could not stop her excited bouncing.

“But Dada, it’s you,” Bree said as she pointed to a large photo that captured Brian scoring a goal, a winning goal. “Oh Dada,” Bree said proudly. “You are the bestest soccer player!” she boasted, as she raised her arms up for Brian to pick her up. Brian did so automatically, realizing Bree was growing up all too quickly and these moments he shared with her might never come again.

“Dada, tell me about your team.” Brian nodded then quietly pointed out each member of his team and the position he played.

“And that’s our coach,” Brian explained. “Coach Rodney Hawthorn.”

“Yes? May I help you?” a man said as he walked by, turning to address Brian and Bree.

“Brian? Brian Kinney?” the man asked.

“Coach Hawthorn?” Brian asked with a tilt of his head. The man standing before him was about Brian’s age. He couldn’t possibly be the same man who coached Brian’s team.

“I’m Rodney Jr. My father was the coach back then.” Brian shifted Bree in his arms so that he could shake the present coach’s hand. “And who is this lovely lady?” Coach Hawthorn enquired.

“This is my daughter,” Brian said proudly.

“My name is Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor,” Bree said clearly and with authority as she held out her hand to shake. “You knew my Dada when he played soccer?”

“Yes, I did. He was a great player.”

“Did you play too?”

Coach Hawthorn laughed. “No, I was nowhere as good as your father. I was good at warming the bench and passing out water bottles. But I did learn the game and got my degree in athletics. When I graduated, I stayed on as coach.”

“And your father?” Brian asked carefully.

“Retired. He and my mom live in a retirement village in Scottsdale.” Brian smiled with relief. “And, little lady, are you planning to attend Penn and follow in your father’s footsteps?” the coach said to Bree.

“Gus is here.”

“Gus?”

“My son, Gus. He’s in orientation at the business school right now.”

“Ah, and will he be taking up soccer?”

Brian laughed. “No, Gus is not the athletic type. He’s more into computers. However, Bree is a very good player,” Brian boasted.

“Then maybe I’ll be Miss Briana’s coach when she attends Penn.”

Brian and the coach shook hands as he continued on his way.

“Dada, can I go to school here?”

“Maybe, Squirt, one day. If you really want to,” Brian said as he kissed his daughter’s cheek. “Let’s go find Daddy.”

Bree took one last good look at her father’s trophies before they left the hall.

 

*****
 

Once everyone reassembled, the Kinney-Taylor, Morrison-Anderson contingent headed back towards the business building where they would meet Gus for the reception.

Bree was holding her Dada’s hand and looking around the campus. There were people moving around in all directions, heading to orientations and receptions and dorms and all kinds of things. Bree studied them all as she walked along. There were shade trees with benches to sit under. She thought that would be nice to do. She saw lots of young men and girls carrying armloads of books. She liked books.

“Dada, is there a liberry?” she asked her father.

“Library,” Brian corrected, “and yes, if I remember correctly, it’s that building right over there.”

“I love books,” Bree stated definitively staring at the big building.

“I know, Squirt,” Brian replied.

Bree continued to watch all the goings-on as they neared the building where the reception was to be held and where they would meet Gus. An attractive woman approached with a young girl accompanying her. She was openly staring at Brian. Bree glared at the stranger wondering who she was.

“Brian Kinney?” the woman asked as she drew up to them.

“Yes?” Brian said with a frown. “That would be me.”

“You’ve hardly changed at all,” the woman said with a gentle laugh.

Brian stared at her not knowing what was going on. Justin, who had been walking with Bobby just behind Brian, slid a little closer to his husband.

“You don’t recognize me, do you?” the woman asked. Brian shook his head. “I guess I should be insulted, but then we only had one date.”

“Date?” Justin asked looking at Brian who didn’t know what to say or who he was talking to.

“I’ll put you out of your misery,” the woman laughed. “I’m Evelyn Goddard. We met at the orientation night when we first came to Penn. You took me to a movie the next weekend.”

“I did?”

“I guess I wasn’t very memorable,” the woman said with a sad look. “But you were to me, and you look better than ever.”

“Thank you, Evelyn,” Brian said carefully, although he had no idea who the woman was. “Is this your daughter?”

“Yes, she’s starting school here this year.”

“So’s my son,” Brian said quickly.

“Oh, then you’re married.”

“Yes.”

“Too bad! I’m divorced,” Evelyn added. “Anyway, we better be going. Nice to see you again.”

“You too!” Brian replied as the woman and her daughter went on down the walkway.

“You might have introduced me,” Justin said, “or did you forget my name too?”

“I have no idea who that woman is. She may remember me, but I sure as shit don’t remember her.”

“Did you date many other women while you were here?” Justin felt compelled to ask.

“University is supposed to be a learning experience,” Brian said.

“And what did you learn?”

“That I needed to wait for you,” Brian said smugly.

“Asshole,” Justin laughed, but he squeezed Brian’s arm affectionately as they went up the steps of the business building. Bree was now walking with John and Patrick.

Just as they got to the door Brian’s cell phone rang again.

“Go inside and find Gus while I answer this,” Brian said to Justin.

Justin nodded and he and the rest of their group entered the building. Brian stayed on the steps and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Yeah?” he said into the phone.

“Brian, it’s Michael. How’s your visit to Penn going?”

“Peachy.”

“Everything’s okay, isn’t it?”

“Yes, and what can I do for you?”

“I’m having dinner with Hank tonight.”

“So…?”

“I … I’m not sure what to advise him.”

“How do you know he wants your advice?” Brian asked.

“He wanted this dinner,” Michael replied quickly.

“He may want to talk. That’s different than wanting advice,” Brian explained.

“But…”

“Mikey, just listen to him and let him figure it out for himself.”

“You think that’s what I should do?”

“Didn’t I just say that?”

“Yeah.”

“Bye, Mikey.”

Brian closed his phone and put it in his pocket. He entered the building shaking his head. He spotted Justin and Gus across the reception area. They were talking to a distinguished looking man that Brian thought looked very familiar.

He started across the room only to have a small body run up and grab his hand.

“Dada, we found Gus and he got registered and he likes his courses and I like this place too,” Bree informed him.

“That’s good, Squirt,” Brian said as they approached Justin and Gus. They seemed to be deep in conversation with the distinguished looking man. “What do you like about this place?” Brian asked Bree, while he waited for a break in the conversation.

“I like all your trophies, Dada,” Bree said.

“There weren’t that many,” Brian chuckled.

“Two,” Bree stated.

“Okay, two,” Brian agreed.

“And I like the people walking around carrying books. I love books, especially The Wind in the Willows.”

“I know, Squirt.”

“I like the biiiggg library we saw,” Bree added, stressing the big part. “I bet they have all the books I love. I could get a different book every day, couldn’t I, Dada?”

“Probably.”

“And I like that you went here for university and now Gus is too. That’s a tradition.”

“I guess it is.”

“I want to be part of that tradition too.”

The distinguished looking man had stopped talking to Gus and Justin and was listening to the bright little girl who was touting the praises of Penn State. He had turned to see who she was. “Brian Kinney, I declare!” the man said to Brian.

“Professor Jackson,” Brian said extending his hand to shake.

“It’s Dean Jackson now. And this must be your son,” he added. “I should have recognized the resemblance, but the name is different.”

“Not for long,” Gus jumped in.

“Yes, this is my son Gus,” Brian said quickly, not wanting to get into the whole name thing with his old professor.

“And who is this clever young lady?” Dean Jackson asked looking down at Bree.

“I’m Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor,” Bree said confidently and she extended her hand to shake with the dean.

The dean smiled at the introduction given by the petite child. He shook the tiny hand. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Miss Briana. Is this your daddy?” he asked looking at Brian.

“No, that’s my Daddy,” Bree said pointing at Justin. “This is my Dada.”

“Thank you for clarifying that for me,” the dean chuckled. “She’s a little pistol,” he said to Brian.

“I’m not a pistol,” Bree corrected, not sure what that meant. “I’m smart.”

“That you are, and we’ll be happy to have you come to Penn State and carry on the family tradition.”

“I want to,” Bree said sincerely.

“Nice meeting you all,” the dean said. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time at Penn, Gus. Good to see you again, Brian. I best continue my mingling.” The dean headed off to talk to another family.

“Hobnobbing with the big brass already,” Brian said to Gus, tongue in cheek. “That’s my boy!”

“Pop!” Gus groaned. “The dean’s a nice man. Made me feel welcome.”

“I know, Sonny Boy,” Brian chuckled squeezing Gus’ shoulder.

“Brian Kinney?” a blond woman with very long legs asked.

“Yes?” Brian replied. He turned to look at the person attached to the voice. “Katy Lablonski! How the hell are you?”

The woman practically threw herself into Brian’s arms, and Brian hugged her back with a big smile on his face.

“Another girlfriend?” Justin muttered to himself but loud enough for Brian to hear. This was not the way he had envisioned their trip to Penn. He wondered how many other attractive women from Brian’s past were waiting to throw themselves at him. Justin was not amused.

When the hug ended, Brian turned them around to face Justin and Gus. “Katy, this is my husband, Justin, and my son Gus. This is Katy Lablonski, my study partner for a shitload of the courses I took here. I’m not sure I would have got through all them without her help.”

“Sure you would, you old smarty pants,” Katy chided. “You helped me more than I helped you.”

“Not true,” Brian corrected.

“Nice to meet you all, and you look great, Brian. And who’s this lovely young lady?” Katy asked looking down at Bree.

“I’m Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor,” Bree stated in her inimitable fashion.

“You have a daughter?” Katy smiled. “And a beautiful one at that.”

“Thank you,” Bree said with a smile.

“Yes, Justin and I are very lucky,” Brian said.

“Oh, Gus, would you like to meet my son? He’s over there. He’s starting at Penn too,” Katy explained.

“Sure,” Gus said and followed Katy over to her son.

“Any more old girlfriends around?” Justin asked scanning the room.

“Probably,” Brian said just to bait his husband. Justin glared at Brian. “She wasn’t my girlfriend. Katy and I just studied together.”

“Sure,” Justin said.

“Daddy, Dada, be good,” Bree said noting the tension between her two fathers.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Justin sighed.

“You got it, Squirt.”

“Good,” Bree declared. “I’m hungry.”

And that meant it was time for food for them all.
 

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