Chapter Ten
Joshua was dimly aware of sunlight beyond his closed eyelids. He opened his eyes groggily. “Wha time issit?” The aroma of freshly brewed coffee insinuated its way into his nostrils. “Mm.”
“Good morning and happy birthday.” The soft yet distinctive clunk of a mug being placed on the nightstand.
Joshua peered at Micah. “Wow. Coffee in bed. I need to have birthdays more often.” He sat up and peered at his alarm clock. “Since when do I get up this late?”
“Since you came in last night yawning. We figured you needed the sleep. But if it makes you feel any better, Greg is making your breakfast as we speak. So I’ll let you drink your coffee in peace.
Food will be ready when you are. He’ll leave the eggs till last.” Micah leaned over and kissed his cheek before leaving the room.
Joshua had to admit, a day that started with a kiss from his son was already heading down the right path.
By the time he’d showered, dressed, and emerged from his bedroom, the smell of bacon enticed him along the hallway to the kitchen. Greg was sitting at the table, staring at his phone. He glanced up and smiled. “Good morning. Happy birthday. And how would you like your eggs?”
“Scrambled, please.” Joshua helped himself to more coffee and sat down.
Micah came into the kitchen, carrying a couple of envelopes. “Looks like Naomi remembered your birthday this year,” he joked. He handed them to Joshua, then joined him after pouring himself some coffee. “Got any plans for today?”
“I thought I’d do some work this morning.” Joshua opened the envelope and groaned at Naomi’s card. “Look at this. ‘You’re still young in dog years.’” He set it on the table, shaking his head as he opened the remaining card. When he saw it, he gave Micah a hard stare. “That’s gross.”
Greg chuckled. “Actually, you can blame me for that. I picked it out.”
Joshua stared at the cartoon of low-hanging testicles, beneath which was written ‘With Age comes Wisdom—and saggy balls. Happy Birthday.’
“Hey, it’s better than the first one Micah wanted.”
Micah glared at Greg. “Don’t.”
Greg’s eyes sparkled. “Come on, you have to admit it was really funny.” He turned back to Joshua, grinning. “It had the word Fuck in large colorful letters, and under it in small ones was written ‘You’re old’.” He snickered. “See? Mine isn’t so bad when you think about it.”
Joshua gave them both a sweet smile. “That’s okay, boys. I’ll be sure to give your share of my birthday cheesecake to the cat.”
Micah frowned. “We don’t have a cat.”
“Then I’ll go buy myself one. At least the cat won’t sass me or give me snarky birthday cards.” Then he remembered. “And while we’re on the subject… we’re having a guest this afternoon. Alex Rycliffe is coming over.”
Greg blinked. “Oh. That’s… nice.” He glanced quickly at Micah, who was regarding Joshua with obvious surprise. Greg cleared his throat. “Micah? Don’t you have something you wanna give your dad?”
Micah nodded, got up from the table, and left the kitchen.
Joshua watched him leave. “Is everything okay?”
Greg didn’t answer right away. “I guess it just seems like you’ve been spending a lot of time of time with Alex lately.”
Joshua frowned. “Really?”
Greg shrugged. “Considering you met him for the first time less than three weeks ago…”
Just how many times are we talking about here?
Joshua did the math. A bagel and coffee, pizza and a movie, dinner and a cooking lesson, and now his birthday…
Then he got a little mad. “It really bothers him that I’m spending time with a friend?
Would he like me to go back to the way things were?
When I only left the house to go shopping?
When the only people I talked to were you, him or Naomi?
” His stomach tightened. “So he’d like me to go back to being lonely and—” He clammed up as Micah came back into the room.
Not fast enough, apparently. Micah’s breathing hitched. “When you put it like that? It sounds like I’m being an asshole.” He sighed and put down the canvas he was carrying. “I’m sorry, Dad. I guess I’ve just gotten used to having you around all the time. And this sudden change of routine….”
Joshua got up from his chair and walked over to him.
“But you’re not gonna be here all the time, are ya?
” He kept his voice low and even. “The time is coming when you and Greg will leave here. Naomi won’t be that far behind you.
And when that happens, and you’re away in Jackson, and she’s living near whatever medical school she’s attending for God knows how many years, how would you rather imagine me—alone and miserable, or spending time with a friend who makes me happy? ”
Micah swallowed. “Yeah. I’m a complete asshole.”
Joshua pulled him into a hug. “No, you’re not,” he whispered as he held Micah close.
“You were just seeing things from your perspective, that’s all.
You have so much of your life ahead of you.
You have the good stuff with Greg, right around the corner.
Well, your Dad is just discovering that there’s good stuff left for him too.
Stuff he had no idea was coming.” He released Micah and peered over at Greg. “We okay too?”
Greg nodded. “We always have been. This was—”
“This was my problem,” Micah interjected. “Greg, as usual, was the voice of reason—which I ignored.” He walked over to Greg, bent down and kissed him. “Today’s lesson. Listen to Greg.”
“I won’t argue with that,” Greg said softly. “Now, why don’t you give your dad his birthday present?”
Micah gave him a peck on the lips before coming back to Joshua. He picked up the canvas and held it out to him. “Happy Birthday, Dad. From all of us.”
Joshua gazed at the large portrait. He was sitting in his favorite arm chair by the fire, Naomi was perched on one arm, leaning against him, and Micah and Greg were sitting at his feet, leaning against his legs.
Behind them, on the wall, was the portrait of Rachel that Micah had given him for Christmas.
Tears pricked his eyelids. “This is… beautiful.” He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Now I only have one problem.”
“What’s that?”
He smiled. “Where to hang it. Your mom has pride of place above the fireplace, but this needs to hang there too.”
“I have an idea,” Greg piped up. “Put one over the fireplace, and the other where you spend the most time. In your office. That way, you have the best of both worlds.”
Joshua liked that idea. Just then his stomach let out a loud grumble.
Greg bit his lip. “Oops.” He plucked three eggs from the chicken-shaped basket on the countertop. “Breakfast coming right up.”
“I’ll make some toast,” Micah added.
Joshua laughed. “I’ll make a start on eating the bacon.” His birthday might have taken a wobble there, but it felt like it was back on track. He gazed at the portrait, lost in admiration for Micah’s skill.
I have been blessed with some awesome kids. He was grateful to have everything out in the open before Alex arrived. The last thing Joshua wanted was an awkward atmosphere. Then it dawned on him.
Alex was important to him.
~ 0 ~
“My, but you clean up well,” Manda commented from his bedroom door.
Alex peered at her reflection in the mirror. “Considering I spend most of my days in suits, I’m not sure how to take that.” He frowned. “Why are you still here? I thought you’d left hours ago. Shouldn’t you be in Lame Deer by now?”
“I went back to bed. Not enough sleep, I guess. Anyhow, I called the medical center. They said Asha had a comfortable night, and is asleep most of the time. They say tomorrow might be better to see her.”
“Well, then rest this afternoon. Watch TV, read, listen to music. Take some time to chill.”
“Don’t you worry about me.” Manda came into the room. “Just go spend time with Joshua.”
Slowly, Alex turned to face her. “What are you up to?”
“Me?” Her eyes widened. “Who says I’m up to anything? All I said was go spend time with—”
“Yeah, I heard what you said. This is more about the way you said it.” He folded his arms. “So spill.”
He’d never seen Manda’s eyes so big and round. “Spill what? I don’t understand. What’s wrong with wanting you to spend time with a pleasant, attractive ma—”
“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.” Alex gave her a firm stare. “When did you decide to start setting me up with straight guys? Do I come across as that desperate? Not that I’m not flattered. As guys go, Joshua is very attractive. Unfortunately, I’m not his type.”
“How do you know?” Manda mimicked his stance.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, did he tell you he’s straight? Or did you ask him?”
Alex chuckled. “Believe it or not, I don’t make a habit of questioning handsome guys about their sexual orientation. Ask the wrong type of guy, and you might get a smack in the mouth for your trouble. Or worse. Some things you learn from experience.”
It seemed Manda wasn’t about to back down. “All I’m saying is, there’s something there. He likes you.”
“I hope so. We’re friends.”
She shook her head vehemently. “Sorry, babe, but Joshua is interested in you. Maybe not consciously, but—”
“So his subconscious is telling him he needs to date guys? Christ, Manda, he had to have been married when he was twenty. To a woman, I hasten to add. He has two adult children.”
“And no man has ever come to the decision later in life that he took the wrong road? You more than anyone should know that’s bullshit.”
Cold spread over his skin. “That was low. Especially from you.”
Manda flinched. “I’m sorry. I can’t think why I said that.
But I’m being serious here, Alex. I like Joshua.
I like how he is around you. But these”—she pointed to her eyes—“don’t miss much.
And I’m just telling you to be aware, that’s all.
” She gave him a smug smile. “And when you take off those rose-colored glasses and see that I’m right, I promise not to say ‘I told you so.’”
Alex waved his hand. “And last night you were the one talking about all those girls in college being delusional.”
Manda walked over to him, and kissed his temple. “Alex Rycliffe, I love you dearly, which is the only thing stopping me from giving you the slap you so richly deserve. I’ll just bide my time and wait.”
Alex sighed. “I think you’re seeing things.
You met the guy last night, for an hour or so, and now you think you know what’s going on in his head?
Sorry, but I don’t buy it.” He caught hold of her hand.
“I’ll be honest, okay? I find Joshua very attractive, and I’m not just talking looks here.
He seems like a very genuine guy, someone I can see myself spending a lot of time with.
But one, he’s straight. Two, if it turned out he was curious or only just ‘discovering’ that part of himself? I would run a mile.”
Manda’s eyes glistened. “One of these days, you will have to learn to trust a man again. Not everyone is—”
He covered her mouth with his fingers. “Don’t, okay? Just… don’t. Let me walk out of here to enjoy my afternoon without a sour taste in my mouth.” Slowly he removed his hand.
Manda nodded. “Go have a good time. Say hi to Joshua for me. And let me know how the cheesecake turned out.”
He kissed her cheek. “I will.” Alex went over to the bed and picked up the gift-wrapped package that lay next to his jacket.
As he reached the bedroom door, Manda said quietly, “And if he invites you to stay the night, make sure you’ve got condoms and lube in your pocket.”
Alex was still chuckling when he climbed into his car.
She never gives up, does she? Always has to have the last word.
The hardest part of that conversation had been not admitting that Joshua was the first man in a long time who stirred something in him. Not that it mattered.
I’m too long in the tooth to believe in miracles. Once bitten, twice shy. And seeing as I appear to be spouting proverbs, lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice.
Alex was above all a realist.