2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Andre
I t’s all right. I’m here for you. I’ll take care of you, pup.
As the airplane backed out of the gate, and then headed toward…whatever we were embarking upon…the gentle man’s words resonated. I cleared my throat. “I can’t remember your name.” Which felt like a huge oversight on my part.
He smiled and those crow’s feet appeared by his eyes.
“My name is Zahir Parnal. I told you my mutt Daphne is a rescue. Would you like to see a picture, or would you like to gaze out the window as we take off? Toronto from the air is so impressive. You get a real sense of the size of this town. I’m from little Mission City—”
“I’m going there.”
“Okay. That’s great. You haven’t been there before?”
“I’ve never left Toronto. Well, I went to Kingston for a field trip and camping in Algonquin Park as a kid. My dad—” I winced. My father was the entire reason for this trip.
“Yeah? Your dad? ”
Oh God, am I just going to word vomit my life?
Except Zahir was a safe stranger—if ever such a thing existed.
Better to have this conversation now than to screw it up later.
Or was this practice? I took a deep breath.
“My father—” I cleared my throat. “He was a traveling salesman. Would be gone for long stretches of time.”
Zahir nodded. “That must’ve been hard.”
I shrugged. “I was close to Mom. We did okay. Not a lot of money…but we did okay. She was protective, like. Always kept me close. Hence, never traveling. So, when Dad wanted to take me camping to Algonquin, I was so damn excited. What I didn’t realize at the time—because you rarely do—was that was to be the last time I’d see him. ”
“Oh dear.” Zahir’s dark-brown eyes softened. “That must’ve been tough.”
The airline attendant stood before us, wearing a life vest. With rapt attention, I followed as she demonstrated various things that were obviously important. She showed us a pamphlet, and I made a note to study it. Probably should’ve done that first.
When the message repeated in French, I grabbed the paper and started reading it.
Zahir sat patiently, clearly not bothered that our conversation had come to a premature end.
Then the flight attendant removed the life vest, stowed all her gear away, and sat in a little seat and put her seat belt on.
The airplane stopped moving, and the engines roared.
Zahir offered his hand.
I gripped it.
As much as I wanted to continue with the story, that was impossible. I needed to focus on…whatever came next. Well, takeoff. I was going to have to survive the takeoff .
Airplane travel is the safest way to get anywhere.
Takeoff and landing are the most dangerous.
Ten minutes from now, it’ll all be over — one way or the other.
The plane gained speed as it barreled down the runway. As much as I wanted to look outside—to see whatever could be seen—I was too terrified.
Then we lifted off the ground.
I didn’t entirely understand the physics pushing me against the seat, but I felt relieved. Somehow grounded at a moment when that also felt impossible. I continued to grip Zahir’s hand as the engine continued to roar.
Conversation was impossible—without shouting. And I didn’t intend to shout. The details he asked for were far too personal. No, asked was too strong of a word. He offered. I accepted. No obligation on my part. Nor on his.
As we leveled off, the seat belt sign went off.
“I keep mine on the entire time.” Still, Zahir held my hand. “Turbulence can be a sneaky bastard, and it’s better to just be belted in unless you’re going to the washroom.”
“May I get you gentlemen a drink? Champagne? Wine? Beer?” Liliana offered a lovely smile.
Just breathe.
“I think we’re going to stick to non-alcoholic,” Zahir eyed me.
I nodded frantically. If I were going to die, I wanted to do it with a clear head.
“I’ll have a tomato juice.” Zahir squeezed my hand.
“Oh, that sounds great. Thank you.” I didn’t have the drink often, but I always really enjoyed it. And healthy too—which was a huge bonus for me. Despite all the chaos and upheaval in my personal life, I always made time for healthy food .
Liliana poured two drinks into plastic cups and handed them to us.
Zahir let go of my hand.
I tried to quash my feeling of disappointment.
As we sipped our drinks, I acclimated myself to the hum of the engines. My nerves hadn’t settled yet, but I was hopeful.
“Do you think you might be able to look outside?” Zahir gestured to the window. “It’s all houses and industrial for now, but soon we’ll hit fields. Then lakes and eventually prairies.”
Slowly, I nodded. “Yeah, okay.” I glanced out the window. As he suggested, civilization was everywhere. So many houses and cars, and roads. I’d always known Toronto was big—largest city in Canada and all that—but I hadn’t had a sense of the urban sprawl of all. “It’s…so many people.”
“Millions and millions. Yeah, it’s a lot. I’m a small-town guy myself. I travel on business, but only when I really have to. Now, you were saying about your dad…? Only if you want—”
“He took me on the camping trip and then he took off.” I took another sip of the tomato juice as if that could somehow quell my nerves. “And we went on much as we always had. Just…he never came back. Then my mom got sick. That…sucked. When she died a few months ago, I thought I was all alone.”
“That’s rough.”
“Yeah. Maybe? Sort of? Dad took off when I was eight, so it’s been eighteen years since I last saw him.”
“Okay. So you’re twenty-six?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s still pretty young.”
I stared. I’d lived a freaking lifetime in the past twenty-six years. I felt like I was sixty-six. Or eighty-six. Ready to be at the end of my life—not at the beginning. “Whatever. ”
“Sorry I interrupted you.”
“It’s okay. So I was going through my mom’s papers and I found out my dad had been married previously. It’s…complicated.”
The crow’s feet around Zahir’s eyes crinkled when he smiled. “I have all the time in the world, or we can just sit in silence.”
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“Nope. It’s Friday and I’m done for the week. I had my very successful meeting, and the chaos will come Monday morning. I might open my laptop before then, but I’m not planning on it. I’m in rest and relaxation mode.”
“I’m jealous.”
“Have you had a break since you lost your mother?”
Lost sounded like such an odd way to put it.
I hadn’t lost her. I knew precisely where she was.
Her ashes were in an urn in my suitcase.
Leaving it in my checked baggage the hardest thing I’d ever done.
“Break? I’ve been busy—work and all that.
But—" I drew in a deep breath. “So, like, my father was married to a woman in Vancouver, and she had three children. He abandoned them. He then married another woman—apparently without even obtaining a divorce. They didn’t have any kids, but he met my mom in Toronto and married her.” I used air quotes.
“But then he left us, was still married to the second woman back in Vancouver, and he went down to Texas and married another woman. So, like, she was the fourth?”
“A polygamist.”
“Yep. A word I wasn’t even familiar with until I found the report from the private investigator my mom hired last year.
The invoice was there—she paid him a small fortune.
I don’t know why—she never told me. About any of it.
Maybe she knew she was dying, and she wanted to know if I had family who might… support me? Take me in? I don’t know. ”
“Is your father still alive?”
I shook my head. “He died two years ago of a massive heart attack. Left behind that fourth woman and three young children. I sort of worried for the kids, but that wife remarried immediately to some super-wealthy guy.”
“So you have six siblings?”
I scratched my nose. “Yeah. Only I don’t know what to do about it. Well, I suppose I’ve made a decision. I’m going to see my big brother who lives in Mission City with his two adopted kids and his husband.”
“So your brother’s gay?”
“Well, he was married to the kids’ mom, and she died. So…bisexual? I guess? I have no idea. Labels confound me.”
“Would you gentlemen like beef, salmon, or tofu?” Liliana leaned toward us.
“I adore salmon.” Zahir gave her a matching smile.
“Beef would be nice.” I liked fish as well, and was a huge tofu fan, but neither appealed at the moment. The beef would be heavy, but I could likely manage.
She gave us each trays and then turned to the people on the other side of us.
Zahir lifted the tin-foil lid.
The heavenly scent of fish wafted over me.
He eyed me. “Regrets? I can ask Liliana if it’s not too late to switch. Or we can just trade. I’m a huge lover of beef as well. I just don’t eat it very often. Today would be a treat.”
“Would you mind?”
“Nope.” Deftly, he switched trays. “All good with me. How about we try to eat it while it’s still warm?”
“Oh yeah. ”
“But I’m open to hearing the rest of your story. What made you decide to head west? You’re in contact with your brother? He knows you’re coming? I should probably ask his name—”
“Demetrius. He’s, uh, older than I am. By a lot.”
“Well, I’m older than you as well.”
I tilted my head. Although he had crow’s feet around his eyes and a bit of gray in his temples, I hadn’t really thought much about this man’s age. “He’s thirty-nine.”
Zahir laughed. “I’m forty-one. Would this be Demetrius Fulton?”
“Yeah.”
“Lovely man. His husband, Jai, is the sweetest guy. Their kids…” Zahir furrowed his brow.
“Alaina and Keegan.”
“Yes, that’s right. And they have two rescue dogs.
Schnauzers. Gus and Gizmo. Terrible that I’m better at remembering the dogs’ names.
I met the family at a huge barbecue my friend Quinton was holding.
I swear he invited half the town. Demetrius spent a good deal of time with me.
I think…he sensed my discomfort. Parties were my never my thing. Even before my husband died.”
“Oh,” I frowned. “This is where I’m supposed to say that I’m sorry for your loss—which I am. But loss doesn’t feel like the right word.” I cut a bit of salmon and put it in my mouth. The flavor exploded on my tongue.
Zahir forked a bit of beef with the wooden utensils the airline had provided. “I was devastated. We’d been together for almost twenty years. He was my heart and soul. We married very soon after gay marriage became legal in Canada. And were happily together until he the day he died.”
“That’s really sad. ”
“Well, he was also my pup.” Zahir smiled. Sadly. “So I lost a husband and my pup all in one go.”
I swallowed. “How did you know? About me?”
“Educated guess? The pin was my first clue.”
My hand flew to my collar. I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. “I hadn’t taken if off.”
“You can now, if that would make you feel better. I dare say no one else on the plane would even know what it means. Pups like yourself are rare—and very special.”
I blinked. He has no way of knowing that. I’m just some random guy who was having a near panic attack at the thought of getting on a plane. Dumb luck .
Except it didn’t feel like that. It sort of felt a bit like some force greater than myself was looking after me. Mom? She’d maintained she would always watch out for me. Then she died, and I called bullshit on the entire thing.
Yeah…but here I sat next to a guy who knew what a pup was. “I haven’t…that is to say—” I swallowed again. And took a bite of salmon.
“I’ve only ever been Daddy to one pup. Marty was my entire world.
Like I said—for almost my entire adult life.
I’ve been a little lost without him. But I’ve kept going.
” He blinked. “Except our dog, PJ, died the week after Marty. Yeah, my dog was older. Had some health challenges. But I swear he died of a broken heart.”
“You got another dog?” His pain was palpable, and I couldn’t believe he was opening up to me like this.
He nodded. “Daphne. I went down to the animal shelter—just to take a look around. I discovered this little overlooked mutt. Sort of how I felt without Marty. Lost. Abandoned. Essentially, we were a matched pair. I brought her home, and we slowly got to know each other. She trusts me now—but that took time. And I suppose I needed time to open my heart to her. Getting a pet always means heartbreak ahead. Well—” He cleared his throat.
“Unless you’re Marty and you die before your beloved dog.
I’m glad it worked out that way. Then the heartbreak was all mine. ”
“I’ve never had a dog.” I shrugged.
“Well, you’ve been missing out. I’ll have to introduce you to Daphne. She’s shy—but when she warms up to people, she’s dedicated. She’ll follow you around like a shadow.”
“That…sounds nice.” I’d always wanted a dog, but they were so damn expensive.
I didn’t ask how I was going to meet Daphne.
That felt too improbable. Mission City had almost forty thousand people.
Teetering on the verge of moving from a small town to something larger.
Obviously nothing like Toronto. Maybe more like a small neighborhood within the mammoth city.
“Eat up and then, if you’re up to it, we can talk about your plans. You have plans, right? I mean, you don’t have to share.”
My stomach bottomed out.
You have plans, right…
Yeah. No.