5. Seth
FIVE
Seth
A knock sounds on the door frame, and I look up from my computer. Deka perks her head up as well, and before I know it, she’s off and running with Bisbee.
Mom watches the dogs go with a smile. “Deka likes it here.”
“She does. The only time I see her this happy is when my friends and I all get together, and she plays with the other dogs.”
Mom settles into the chair Mae usually sits in and taps her fingers on the desk. “How about you? It’s been a long time since you’ve been home. How are you feeling?”
“It’s not as claustrophobic as it used to be. Though it hasn’t even been two weeks yet.” I’m actually surprised I don’t feel like fleeing. I’m not ready to settle in, but I’m more comfortable than I thought I’d be.
Mom gives a small smile. I can tell her this stuff. Dad doesn’t understand why I left or why I won’t commit to more than six months. He has fond memories of our destitute days. I don’t.
“That doesn’t have anything to do with a pretty young thing named Mae, does it?” Mom winks at me.
I swallow. I’m not ready to tell her the truth, but she’s not blind. “Mae’s too young for me.”
“That’s nonsense. She’s the same age as Abi but years more mature. She had a rough time with her mom leaving, and Keith isn’t exactly the nurturing type. She’s spent more time over here than she has at home.” Mom pauses for a second, and her brows furrow. Mae told me all about what happened to her when her mom left. At one point I hired a private investigator to try to find her. I followed the trail to New York City where she bought a plane ticket to Vietnam, and from there, she disappeared. She certainly doesn’t want to be found.
“One thing I don’t understand,” she continues. “How did you two get so comfortable with one another? I mean, I see the way you look at each other, but I see your closeness too.”
“She was always around when Abi and I would Facetime. She needed some help one night when she was around sixteen, and she texted me herself. She continued to call me when she needed advice, which was at least once a week.” I chuckled because I knew nothing about sixteen-year-old girls, but whatever I said obviously helped her. “We became friends pretty fast once she hit college. I could tell her things I couldn’t tell Abi, and I think she felt the same. In the last three years, I don’t think there’s been a day we haven’t talked in some way.”
Mom nods and smiles like she’s in on some secret. I wish I could tell her about my fears of ruining our friendship, but I’m not ready to talk about that yet. It’s still too new.
“Well, I didn’t come here to discuss Mae, even though this has been an enlightening conversation. I came because we need to discuss you and your brothers.”
I bring my eyes back to my computer and let out a long sigh. Levi and Mark have destroyed at least three of my suits. Yesterday, I had to drive to Staunton to take them to the dry cleaners, and I’m not sure they’ll be able to salvage them.
“I’m saving their jobs, so I don’t see why I have to suck up to them.”
She didn’t say that, but I know that’s what she wants. For us all to love each other and sing kumbaya. And since I’m the one who left, it’s going to be me who has to give way, not them.
Mom lays a hand on my arm. “Seth, they love you. Dad wasn’t the only one who was hurt when you left. You’ve barely kept in touch with them.”
I swallow. She’s not wrong, but they didn’t exactly make an effort either.
“I called every week.”
“You called me. Not your dad. Not your brothers. Me. And you never came home.”
“I invited you all out to visit. I even offered to pay for it. You and Abi were the only ones who came. I can’t help that no one else wanted to see me.”
It sounds petty, but maybe my feelings were hurt too. No one understands why I didn’t want to come home, and they never made an effort to see me or talk to me either because they were angry I left. None of the rest of them had the same worry about getting stuck in poverty out here. And I realize they don’t remember the effects of it growing up like I did. It was a real concern. I probably should’ve worked through this with a therapist years ago, but I didn’t. So I still have the baggage.
Mom shakes her head. “I know you don’t see the depths of their pain, but if you’re going to make all these changes to this place, you need to heal those relationships. You talk about those boys you went to college with like they’re your brothers. Every time you bring them up, I see Noah’s jaw tick and Levi’s hands clench.”
If I let her, Mom will stay here all day and make me talk about my feelings, but I’m more of an action guy. “Mom, what do you want me to do?”
“Maybe not hide in your office all day. Those glamping tents arrived today. Levi, Dad, Noah, and Ethan are out there setting them up. Maybe you could go help.”
“I can do that.” I don’t want Mom to be disappointed in me, and part of me knows she’s right. I should be an adult and mend those relationships.
She places a hand on my shoulder. “And maybe you can dress a little more casual.”
I level her a look. “Nope. I’m proud of my success, and certain habits have gotten me here. I can never lose sight of who I want to be. So I wear suits.”
I don’t expect her to understand. Hell, half the time, I don’t even understand it, but as long as I keep wearing the suits and driving the fancy cars, I feel like I have control of my future, which is something I never felt here.
“Fair enough. But you should probably change before you go set up those tents, or you’ll ruin another one.”
“I don’t own a pair of jeans.”
“I’ve got you covered.” Mom winks as she stands. She then disappears and comes back a few minutes later with a t-shirt, jeans, and work boots. She gives me a kiss on the cheek and leaves again. I shut the door and change into the clothes she brought me. I stare at the Bass Pro Shop t-shirt and decide that my undershirt will work okay instead.
It’s not a long walk. We’re putting the glamping tents in front of the cabins, so they’ll only have a short walk to the lodge. The resort is busy today, and I have to avoid a volleyball game on the lawn. I toss a ball back to a pretty woman who winks at me before she goes back to the game. Normally, I’d be all over that, but she’s not Mae.
Levi’s face lights up as he spots me, and he raises a hand to greet me before playfully slapping Ethan on the chest.
Ethan snorts. “Look who deigned to join us mere mortals. Wearing the uniform of our people and everything.” He’s dressed in jeans and a tank top so the girls can ogle his muscles and tattoos. He’s got tons of them.
I roll my eyes. “How can I help?”
Dad pokes his head out of a tent. “Can you set the pegs?”
I head over to the pile of tools and dig out a mallet. I glance at the gazebo and spot Mae and Abi, and my heart stops. Mae’s wearing a tiny bright-blue bikini top and short shorts. I can only see her from behind, her long hair flowing down her back. I wonder what her skin would feel like if I helped her with her sunscreen.
“You know if Keith were here, he’d punch you in the nose for looking at his daughter that way.” Noah crosses his arms and smirks at me.
* * *
The tents go up quickly, and working with my brothers is far more entertaining than I thought it would be. A funny feeling settles in my gut. I missed out on a lot by being away, more than I probably realized. Noah curses every time something goes wrong and then apologizes to Dad. I’ve heard him say I’m sorry at least fifteen times, but Dad just chuckles.
My eyes flicker to the gazebo far more often than they should, and every time, someone catches me. It becomes a game to them, and Levi sprays me with the hose whenever my eyes wander.
Dad heads home first, and then I invite them all to my place for drinks after dinner. I don’t want to miss out on this anymore.
By the time I get out of the shower, I hear noise down in my kitchen and living room.
As much as I want to put a button-up shirt on, I resist. I put on my watch though and then throw on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt and head downstairs.
The living room is full of laughter. Abi, Mae, Mark, and Noah have squished onto the couch. Levi stands against the wall, looking grumpy. Ethan and Jacob have taken the chairs, and Isaac is on the floor with a lemur on his chest. Deka is pressed up against his other side, her eyes on the lemur. She cocks her head like she has no idea what to do with that thing.
“I don’t remember inviting the monkey,” I say.
“Sissy is always invited,” Isaac mutters. Deka raises her nose to sniff, and Sissy grabs it. Deka yelps and scootches away. “And she’s a primate but not a monkey.”
Mark jumps up. “You can sit next to Mae.”
The couch isn’t made for four people, and I’m fully aware of Mae’s thigh pressed against mine. The jasmine scent of her hair makes me want to bury my face in it, but I rest my arm along the back of the couch. She snuggles into me.
It’s a good thing we’re in a roomful of people.
“How are things going?” Isaac asks. “Is your plan really going to work? Because if it’s not, I need to start finding new homes for the animals ASAP.”
“Well, in two days, Mae has already booked five of the twenty spots, so I’d say we’re off to a good start. I haven’t even reached out to my contacts yet.”
Levi runs a hand along his thick beard. “I still can’t believe people are willing to pay so much.”
“To be fair, they’re paying half price for the first weekend. We’ll even be giving away a few spots. We want the publicity.”
“That’s still an obscene amount of money.” He frowns.
“It’s not really. You’ll have to get used to some entitled people though. Some aren’t that way, but some are, and we’ll need to be nice to them all.” My friends and I have stayed at some pretty swanky resorts. Most of the other vacationers are nice and friendly, but there’s always one jerk who thinks the whole place is there to wait on him and him alone.
“I’m glad I’m just the handyman. I don’t have to deal with them.”
I snort. “You’ll see more of them than you think. The place will be perfect, and they’ll find something wrong, and you’ll have to fix an imaginary problem. And smile about it.” I give him a big, exaggerated grin.
He gives me a skeptical look back. They have no idea what’s in store for them.
“They’ll probably want to see the animals, huh?” Isaac asks.
“That’s a good idea actually. We can offer up close and personal wild animal encounters. I don’t think we’ll use that in any marketing yet. But it will be a nice surprise for the guests.”
Sissy turns around on Isaac’s stomach and then launches herself onto Deka’s back. Deka stands straight up, snapping and growling at Sissy. Both Isaac and I leap up and rush for the animals. Sissy lands on the floor and screeches like a scared cat. Deka’s hackles rise, and she growls at Sissy.
I grab her collar and shove her outside while Isaac gets a hold of Sissy.
I shut the door, and everyone starts laughing.
“No more monkeys in my house,” I say.