Chapter 23
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
Ker
Ker really didn’t want to be at work. He wanted to be wrapped in Ash’s arms in a warm, cozy bed just like he had been a couple of hours ago. Yeah, he’d ended up staying at Ash’s the night before, not wanting their perfect weekend to end.
But now it was time to face reality. Job site today, office tomorrow morning, then drive home to spend a few days. He could do this.
His phone buzzed, and he saw a text from Ash.
Thx for a great weekend. Call me if you need me. XOXO
That certainly put a smile on his face. He answered back with a few XOs of his own and got back to work.
He spent a quiet evening at home, eating some of the beef stew he had in the freezer, then he packed a couple of changes of clothes along with the Christmas gifts he’d bought for his folks, sister, and nephew.
He had to work on Tuesday morning, but the plan was to drive to Fitchburg in the afternoon, leaving Plymouth so that he got there just before dinner. He was going to try and make it an early evening, feigning tiredness if he needed to, in order to avoid any conflict with his dad. Wednesday he was slated to spend some time with Sharon and Colt, then Thursday was Christmas Day, and Friday he’d head home since he was working at A Helping Hand again on Saturday. He kept telling himself he could get through this. It was just three days, but the pit in his stomach wouldn’t go away.
His mom greeted him with a warm hug as soon as he walked in the back door.
“It’s so good to see you, Ker!” She effused. “It’s been too long.”
“Hi, Ma. It’s good to see you too. How are you feeling?”
“Oh, you know, a few aches and pains, but then I’m not as young as I used to be,” she said with a smile. “I can’t complain.”
His dad shook his hand and said, “Welcome home, son. You’re looking well.”
“Thanks, Dad. Yeah, things are going well with work. I’m pretty happy,” he said, trying to sound as positive as he could. “You look good. Feeling okay?”
“Yeah, but I’m slowing down a bit. Not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep running things with the stores.” Well, it didn’t take him long to get his first jab in.
Ker ignored the comment and instead said to his mom, “Gee, something smells good.”
“I remember how much you like my cottage pie, so I made one for dinner. It should be ready in about fifteen minutes,” she said cheerfully. “Why don’t you take your things up to your room and then wash up for dinner?”
Dinner remained civil. They talked about family friends that Ker had lost track of, and while it was nice to get news about some of them, Ker realized that he really didn’t care about a lot of the people his mom spoke about. His life wasn’t here anymore, and that was okay with him.
They also chatted about his sister and her son, Colt. Sharon had divorced the past year, and while that was still a sore subject for his parents, at least Sharon had remained in Fitchburg, and his mom enjoyed watching Colt a few days a week so that Sharon could save a few dollars on day care. He also mentioned Ash, but his folks didn’t seem too eager to discuss that part of his life, so he didn’t say too much.
After dinner, he helped his mom clean up, and the three of them watched television for a while. Before too long, Ker felt his eyes drooping, and he excused himself. He really was tired, after all.
He laid in his old bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about his life. He didn’t pray very often, though he supposed he did believe in some sort of higher power. But tonight, he prayed that he could get through the next couple of days without cracking.
Wednesday had been a fun day with Sharon and Colt. There was a small Christmas Market in nearby Leominster, so the three of them went there to walk around and admire the decorations.
“Unker!” Colt said excitedly. He hadn’t quite gotten the hang of ‘Uncle Ker’ just yet but instead mashed the words together. Ker thought it sounded just fine. “Lookee, Santa!” He pointed to a large statue outside one of the many shops.
“I see that,” Ker said, trying to match Colt’s enthusiasm. “Have you been good this year? Santa will only visit if you’ve been a good boy.”
Colt furiously nodded his head in agreement.
“So listen, sis,” Ker said to Sharon. “I’m trying to steer Dad’s conversations away from telling me I need to move back here to take over the family business, but I’m not sure how much pressure I can take. You know how he gets to me.”
“I know, Ker,” Sharon agreed somberly. “I wish I knew what to say to him to make him understand, but you know how stubborn he is. Plus, I really can’t afford to get on his bad side. Mom’s been good enough to watch the little guy for me three days a week. I can’t afford to pay for full-time day care if she were to change her mind.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Ker said. “But if it gets bad, I may need you to talk me off the ledge. I don’t need Dad pushing me to do something I shouldn’t.”
“Don’t worry, Ker, I’ve got your back.”
Christmas morning started with light snow falling gently across the area. The forecast didn’t call for much in the way of accumulation, but it was nice to see everything coated in a glistening white layer.
As Ker dressed, he caught a whiff of cinnamon in the air and knew that his mom had made her traditional cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. Just as he hit the stairs, he heard Colt’s laughter and knew that he and Sharon had arrived for the day.
Colt insisted on sitting on Unker’s lap while he ate breakfast. Ker happily shared part of his first roll with Colt, knowing he’d go in for a second one at some point along with more coffee.
Next it was time for presents. The family didn’t do much in the way of gifts for the grown-ups; rather the energy (and money) went to stuff for Colt. Still, Ker got a couple of flannel shirts, some warm woolen socks, and a new thermal Henley, all of which would come in handy during New England winters.
Once all the gifts had been exchanged and opened, Sharon put Colt down for a nap before their Christmas meal, and she and their mom retreated to the kitchen to finish the food preparations. That meant Ker and his dad were left alone in the living room. Neither of them was a big sports fan, so the TV was off, and Christmas music was playing softly in the background.
“So,” his dad began, “have you given any more thought to giving up this foolishness in Plymouth and coming back here to live? You can start back at the main store immediately, and I’ll begin showing you all you need to know to take over so that in a few years, I can retire.”
“Dad,” Ker said slowly and evenly, “we’ve had this conversation before, and frankly, nothing’s changed. I have a life in Plymouth. I love my job there. And I just met a guy who’s really special. I think we have a real chance of being together for a long time.”
“But, son,” his dad said. “Have you really thought this through? If this person you’ve met is really special, maybe he’d consider moving back here with you. Why can’t you see that it’s your duty to be here for your family?”
“What do you mean, my duty?” Ker asked. “How do you figure that?” He tried to stay calm but could feel the heat rising in his tone.
“Dammit, boy. You have an obligation to me. To your mother. It’s your job to come back and take over so that your mother and I are cared for as we get older. Didn’t we teach you anything when you were growing up?”
Ker felt himself still completely. His mouth went slack, and he couldn’t believe his ears. His obligation? Oh, fuck no! “Dad,” he said sternly, voice rising in pitch, “I’ve tried so many times to make you understand, but apparently I haven’t been clear enough. I’m not moving back to Fitchburg. I’m not taking over the business. And that’s final!”
He stormed out of the room, grabbed his coat off the peg by the kitchen door, and went outside to cool off.