famous crooner. Too bad my dad didn’t have the head
of hair left to match. Pictures from his younger days at least
showed me where I’d gotten the dark hair. These days he looked more
like Daddy Warbucks. Or Lex Luther – with the attitude to match.
Most people now called him by the more respectable Frank ,
though my use of the childhood namesake was less from affection and
more for barb launching. The riling never got old. At least not for
me.
The sperm donor’s face remained placid, but
the infinitesimal narrowing of the eyelids told me I’d hit the
intended mark. The pinched thinning of Mom’s lips gave me a
moment’s pause.
Just a moment though.
“Your mother and I are leaving,” Frank said,
“as I have some important work-related calls to return.”
Work my ass. Work on one Lisa Padget, no
doubt. The man couldn’t even take one day away from rooting around
for business. Or rooting around in someone’s business.
“Enjoy your work then,” I scoffed.
“Don’t you think it’s time you left as well?”
Frank returned.
“I’ve got my own car.”
All that got me was the look , one
signifying displeasure at whatever transgression I’d committed this
time – real or imaginary. Growing up I’d been subjected to it so
many times I’d lost count, and its effectiveness had diminished.
Now days I could simply ignore it. I was no longer a slave to his
whims. Making my own way in the world brought freedom.
“Don’t worry, Frankie,” I continued, lowering
my voice so the nearby predators couldn’t hear. “I’ve no plans to
embarrass you. Even if I wanted to, your leaving would deny you the
pleasure to appreciate the full effect.”
My mother leaned in and pecked me on the
cheek before whispering in my ear. “Play nice.”
Frank shook his head. “Must you always try to
cause a scene?”
“Hey, don’t I get credit for trying not to?”
A kiss in return for my mom accompanied by a
Cheshire grin for the sperm donor, then my mom steered them toward
the exit. The moment they stepped from the house, I breathed a sigh
of relief. Being in the same building – the same city sometimes –
as my father brought on tension thicker than an Angus beef
steak.
The vultures soon tired of waiting for a
public spectacle involving me and Bobby in close proximity and
thinned from the premises. I was sorry to see Janine go, but she
was marched out the door with the rest of the De’Laruse clan soon
after my parents. I considered offering her another ride, but at
this point I figured she was in enough trouble for riding with me
earlier. Plus with so many leaving at once, Bobby needed my
presence more than Janine needed rescuing.
When the majority of the herd had made their
way to the foyer, Bobby sagged to a blue chintz sofa. The time was
as good as any, so I took a chance, sat down beside him and offered
a hug. I felt rather than heard the collective gasp from
stragglers. Let them think what they wanted at this point. I was
beyond caring anymore.
“Thanks for coming, Vic.” Bobby’s voice
quivered. “It means a lot to me that you’re here.”
My throat constricted to hear him call me by
the pet name. Only a handful of close friends had ever called me
that. Bobby was the first. The first of so many things. All I
squeaked out in response was, “I’m so sorry, Bobby.”
The avalanche shifted. Then it melted all at
once. After holding back all day, Bobby finally broke down in my
arms. I didn’t care about tears and snot on my silk blouse – Janine
had already gotten to it. I didn’t care about the stares and
pictures snapped and uploaded to social media or the tongue wagging
that ensued. All I cared about was comforting my devastated
friend.
“You wanna get away from this for a spell?” I
asked.
Bobby just nodded.
We stood and I grabbed the keys from my
clutch. Then we walked through the crowd that parted before us like
the Red Sea and strode out the front door. The unlocking beep of
the Vette
of hair left to match. Pictures from his younger days at least
showed me where I’d gotten the dark hair. These days he looked more
like Daddy Warbucks. Or Lex Luther – with the attitude to match.
Most people now called him by the more respectable Frank ,
though my use of the childhood namesake was less from affection and
more for barb launching. The riling never got old. At least not for
me.
The sperm donor’s face remained placid, but
the infinitesimal narrowing of the eyelids told me I’d hit the
intended mark. The pinched thinning of Mom’s lips gave me a
moment’s pause.
Just a moment though.
“Your mother and I are leaving,” Frank said,
“as I have some important work-related calls to return.”
Work my ass. Work on one Lisa Padget, no
doubt. The man couldn’t even take one day away from rooting around
for business. Or rooting around in someone’s business.
“Enjoy your work then,” I scoffed.
“Don’t you think it’s time you left as well?”
Frank returned.
“I’ve got my own car.”
All that got me was the look , one
signifying displeasure at whatever transgression I’d committed this
time – real or imaginary. Growing up I’d been subjected to it so
many times I’d lost count, and its effectiveness had diminished.
Now days I could simply ignore it. I was no longer a slave to his
whims. Making my own way in the world brought freedom.
“Don’t worry, Frankie,” I continued, lowering
my voice so the nearby predators couldn’t hear. “I’ve no plans to
embarrass you. Even if I wanted to, your leaving would deny you the
pleasure to appreciate the full effect.”
My mother leaned in and pecked me on the
cheek before whispering in my ear. “Play nice.”
Frank shook his head. “Must you always try to
cause a scene?”
“Hey, don’t I get credit for trying not to?”
A kiss in return for my mom accompanied by a
Cheshire grin for the sperm donor, then my mom steered them toward
the exit. The moment they stepped from the house, I breathed a sigh
of relief. Being in the same building – the same city sometimes –
as my father brought on tension thicker than an Angus beef
steak.
The vultures soon tired of waiting for a
public spectacle involving me and Bobby in close proximity and
thinned from the premises. I was sorry to see Janine go, but she
was marched out the door with the rest of the De’Laruse clan soon
after my parents. I considered offering her another ride, but at
this point I figured she was in enough trouble for riding with me
earlier. Plus with so many leaving at once, Bobby needed my
presence more than Janine needed rescuing.
When the majority of the herd had made their
way to the foyer, Bobby sagged to a blue chintz sofa. The time was
as good as any, so I took a chance, sat down beside him and offered
a hug. I felt rather than heard the collective gasp from
stragglers. Let them think what they wanted at this point. I was
beyond caring anymore.
“Thanks for coming, Vic.” Bobby’s voice
quivered. “It means a lot to me that you’re here.”
My throat constricted to hear him call me by
the pet name. Only a handful of close friends had ever called me
that. Bobby was the first. The first of so many things. All I
squeaked out in response was, “I’m so sorry, Bobby.”
The avalanche shifted. Then it melted all at
once. After holding back all day, Bobby finally broke down in my
arms. I didn’t care about tears and snot on my silk blouse – Janine
had already gotten to it. I didn’t care about the stares and
pictures snapped and uploaded to social media or the tongue wagging
that ensued. All I cared about was comforting my devastated
friend.
“You wanna get away from this for a spell?” I
asked.
Bobby just nodded.
We stood and I grabbed the keys from my
clutch. Then we walked through the crowd that parted before us like
the Red Sea and strode out the front door. The unlocking beep of
the Vette
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