34. Thursday, November 1, 2012 – Monday, November 12, 2012
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2012 – MON DAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012
J ulia could not have anticipated just how prophetic her late-night gratitude for Clio would become.
There were tense sessions between Julia, Kevin, and William, explaining how the incident between Paige and Xavier came about, then settling on the consequences for Paige. Not to mention breaking the news to Kevin of Julia and William’s engagement.
There were tearful, angry sessions between Julia, Kevin, and Paige in Clio’s office, setting new boundaries or reimplementing old ones with Paige, and managing the predictable pushback.
But one of the things Clio, Julia, and Kevin discussed, when it was just the three of them, was that maybe the previous rules had been too restrictive, sowing the seeds for Paige’s clandestine maneuverings.
So, they decided Paige would have to be chauffeured to and from school again – no more taking the bus. But as a consolation, Pilar, who was still on maternity leave, agreed to shuttle both her and Xavier to and from school, at the same time.
Paige would lose her job as Julia’s social media manager – but in exchange, Julia granted her a lateral transfer to a new job as graphic designer, which wouldn’t require as much internet access.
Paige still wouldn’t be allowed a smart phone, but Julia and Kevin decided to give her a ba sic flip phone with no internet access and no way to exchange photos and videos. That way, Paige could at least make emergency calls, and maybe text certain approved contacts.
Finally, Julia and William installed a new security system at home – one that would alert them to any future sneaking around. At the same time, Julia and Kelly allowed Paige and Xavier to spend pre-arranged time at each other’s houses – with doors open, of course, and adults present.
It made for a stressful two weeks, but Paige begrudgingly accepted that the new boundaries weren't going away, and that all of her various parental units stood in solidarity with each other.
Meanwhile, Julia and William started planning their wedding, with the enthusiastic assistance of their mothers. Ann, whose family had deep historical connections to the Fisherman’s Chapel, pulled strings and scored the second Sunday of December for the wedding date. The chapel sat across from Cardone’s and the former Dunphy’s – soon to be Zeneize at Fisherman’s Wharf. In an ironic twist, Marisa Zunino insisted on hosting Julia and William’s reception there.
“It should serve as a great trial-run before opening night,” Marisa argued when Julia initially balked. Marisa had proposed it during one of Julia’s aquarium servicing visits to the restaurant. “Besides, in all honesty, it was Stephen’s idea. He wants to give this to you guys as a wedding gift.”
So after talking it over with William, then discussing it together with both Marisa and Stephen, Julia and William finally acquiesced.
“But only under one condition,” William stipulated to Marisa over speakerphone. “No filming for the TV show.”
“Aw, why not? It would make an epic wedding souvenir. Not to mention great advertising for Julia’s business.”
Julia pinned William with a resolute look and shook her head firmly. Leaning closer to his phone’s mouthpiece, she said, “Thanks to you, Marisa, I don't need any more business. And we want to keep our reception very low-key and intimate.”
So, with the date and venues settled, Julia and William turned to honeymoon planning. With their work schedules, and on such short notice, it wasn’t like they could escape for long. But they were both eager to return to their “Eden.”
The weekend after the wedding was technically Julia’s weekend with the kids, so she called Kevin to ask if he would take them that Sunday and Monday. The pause that followed lasted so long that Julia finally said, “Hello?”
“I’m here,” Kevin answered. “Just... I’m sorry, but I’ll be in Hawaii those days.”
“Hawaii,” Julia echoed, unable to conceal either her disappointment or her surprise. “I thought you didn’t like Hawaii that much.”
He gave a noncommittal hum. “Well, if nothing else, it’s paradise for marine biologists.”
Julia’s stomach bottomed out as a new thought occurred to her. “Kevin. Are you going there for a job interview?”
After a moment’s hesitation, he admitted, “It’s just an interview for an adjunct position at the University of Hawaii.”
“Kevin, I thought the whole point of you moving back to San Francisco was to be closer to the kids.”
“It was.” Quickly, he corrected himself, “It is . I almost certainly won’t take it. If nothing else, it’s good interview practice.”
“Okay,” Julia said slowly, “so when do you get back from Hawaii?”
Another two beat rest. “Not until after Christmas.”
Julia huffed in frustration. “You were supposed to take the kids on Christmas Eve.”
Kevin stammered, “I – I was going to tell you.”
And then, a second bombshell struck her. “Kevin... are you going to Hawaii with someone else?”
Once again, he heaved a sigh of resignation. “I was going to tell you about that, too. Very soon.”
Finally, the last puzzle piece snapped in place. A petite, twenty-three-year-old puzzle piece with delicate features and lustrous black hair.
“I have a degree in marine biology from the University of Hawaii.”
“Izumi,” Julia said simply.
Breathless, Kevin demanded, “How did you know?”
Julia wasn’t about to admit that William had gossiped about Kevin and Izumi leaving work together. “Paige and Robert told me she’s a friend of yours who come s over sometimes. A friend whose apartment they visited with you.”
Chastened, Kevin said, “I swear, I was getting ready to tell you in our next session with Clio.”
“How long have you been seeing her?”
After a beat or two, Kevin admitted, “Pretty much since the day we met, four months ago. But I haven’t told the kids she’s my girlfriend.”
“And yet you’re going on a job interview in her home state.” Bombshell Number Two Thousand struck at that moment. “Wait – are you meeting her family, too?”
Kevin's sigh was exasperated. “Look, I’m not taking the job in Hawaii; but even if I did, I could easily fly the kids back and forth.”
“Not every other week, you couldn’t,” Julia balked. “They have school.”
“That’s why I won’t take the job, okay?” he practically shouted.
Julia closed her eyes and slowed the pace of her breathing. From his silence on the other end of the line, Julia hoped he was doing the same.
Finally, after a minute, Kevin continued calmly. “I’m sorry. I know I should have told you and the kids by now, and I was going to, after our appointment with Clio this Thursday. It’s just... been a whirlwind.”
“So it’s serious, then?”
“It is now,” he confirmed quietly. “The kids like her, and she’s very good with them. I just don’t know how to explain to my daughter that I’m marrying a woman who’s only ten years older than she is.”
“ Marrying? ” echoed Julia, louder than intended.
Quietly, he admitted, “I’m going to propose in Hawaii.”
“Jesus.” But Julia supposed she was in no position to judge Kevin and Izumi’s whirlwind courtship. “Have your parents met her?”
“Fuck no.” Kevin's vehemence triggered a guffaw from Julia; and he followed that up with, “They’ll shit a golden brick when I tell them I'm marrying a twenty-three-year-old who’s not a member of their social set.”
“Why do you still care what your parents think, though?”
“I don’t, really,” Kevin replied after a moment. “I just don’t want to deal with their drama.”
Julia hummed. “May I offer some unsolicited advice, while fully acknowledging that you can either take it or leave it, and that I'm probably the last person you want advice from?”
His answering chuckle lacked genuine humor, but he gamely agreed.
“For the sake of our kids and their future stepmom... if you value those relationships, you need to decide whose feelings to prioritize – theirs, or your parents’.”
For a long time, Kevin said nothing, and Julia feared she had overstepped. She was about to check her phone to make sure the call hadn’t dropped when he finally said, in a tone of resignation, “I’ll tell everyone this weekend. That should give them enough time to process the news before Thanksgiving.”
Julia nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. It was an oddly poignant feeling, knowing they were both moving on with their lives. She certainly wasn’t sad or jealous, and she definitely harbored no regrets. Still, it was somehow poignant.
Her voice nearly a whisper, she offered with complete sincerity, “Good luck.”