The next day, Gerald looked at his very sick wife and shook his head. “I told you so.”
She groaned and flipped over to bury her face in the pillow, then gave a hacking cough. “You’re not supposed to say those words. I need more NyQuil.”
He settled the tray of liquids including chicken soup, water, and juice beside heer. “Hell, no, no with the antibiotics and codeine cough syrup. The doctor warned me. No more nasal spray, either. I read an article about it.”
“I want my mother.”
He laughed and pressed a kiss on her tangled hair. “You have the television and remote. A box of tissues. a romance novel and the phone. Get some rest and I’ll be back soon.”
“I have to get to the bookstore. Maja at customer service.”
“She can handle it for the day. Think of all the men she’ll charm into buying more books. Eat your soup.”
She grumbled something and he gently shut the door behind him.
Gerald jumped into the Volkswagen with an air of satisfaction. With her stuck in bed, he finally had the opportunity to get new tires and an oil change on her rust bucket. He’d personally escorted her to the doctor, gotten the prescription, stopped at the pharmacy for supplies, and then settled her underneath the covers.
A piece of him watched the scene from the above and noted he acted like a husband. A real husband, not a fake one. The worst part was the deep satisfaction the role gave him.
He dropped the car off, grabbled all the papers from the glove compartment, and settled himself to wait. He hoped she kept the hostory of the mechanics on the jumbled mess, and he began sifting through voices.
The formal letter from the bank stopped him cold.
He read through the letter and noted the date. Over a month ago. Way after the wedding. After she had got the money. What the hell was going on?
His Blackberry buzzed. Distracted, he picked it up. “Hello?”
“About time you took my call.”
Memories from his past dragged him back. With long practice, his heart chilled, along with his tone. “Randy. What do you want?”
His father laughed. “Is that the type of greeting I’m warranted from my own son?’
Gerald dropped the letter in his lap and went through the motion. “Fine. Back from the Mexico so soon?”
“Yeah, I got married.”
Wife number four. His mother would pop out of hiding to make trouble – that seemed to be the pattern. Maja and he were only pawns to make the game more interesting. Nausea clawed at his gut. “Congratulations. Listen, I gotta go, no time to chat.”
“I have something to discuss with you, son. Meet me for lunch.’
“Sorry, I’m busy.”
“I just need an hour, tops. Make the time.”
The warning pulsed through the phone; Gerald squeezed his eyes shut as he fought instinct. He better meet him, just in case Randy had some twisted idea to go after Skyscaper and challenge the will. What a mess. “Fine. I’ll meet you at three o’clock. Planet Diner.”
He clicked off the phone and glanced back at the letter.
Why would Kim lie about her use for the hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Was she involved in something he has never suspected? If she requested a loan from the bank for the café and was rejected, where had his money gone?
The questions whirled through his mind and made no sense. For some reason, she didn’t want him to discover the truth. If she really wanted more money, she would’ve asked him to co-sign the loan papers and it’d be a guarantee acceptance. What the hell was going on?
He waited for the car and took a trip to the office to stall for time. His quick call to check on her confirmed she’d be fine until he finished his lunch with Randy. Temptation urged him to ask some serious questions, but another part of him wondered if he wanted to know the truth. He may be in love with her, but the bottom line still hadn’t changed. He couldn’t offer her stability and children. Eventually, if she stayed, she’d end up hating him. Terror washed over him at the thought.
Randy waited in corner booth. Gerald studied the man who shared his blood. Money and laziness seemed to agree with him. The Mexican sun had highlighted his hair, and the deep tan that lined his face gave him a character he didn’t really have. He was a tall man and wore his designer clothes well. Today he was a clad in a Ralph Lauren red sweater, black pants and leather loafers. His dark eyes held a slight sheen of alcohol-induced humor. Probably a cocktail before confronting his long-lost son. As Gerald slid into the booth, he noted the similarities in their faces and bone structure. He shuddered. What he dreaded most in life was sitting right across from him. The possibility of becoming his father.
“Gerald, good to see you.” Randy reached out and shook his hand, then spent a few moments flirting with the waitress.
Gerald ordered a coffee. “So, what brings you to New York, Randy?’
“This is Minda’s hometown. Came for a visit. I’m thinking of settling back in town for a while. Set up house. Maybe can spend a bit more time together.’
Gerald tested the spring on the box for any motions but it held tight. Mercifully, he felt nothing. “Why?”
Randy shrugged. “Thought I’d hang out with my only son. It’s been a while, you know. How’s business?”
“Good.” Gerald sipped his coffee. “What did you want to talk about?”
“Heard you got married. Congrats. Love, money, or ?”
Gerald blinked. “Excuse me?”
His father gave a loud laugh. “Why’d you marry her? I married your mother for love and that ended in a frickin disaster. Wife two and three were for , and that blew up. But Minda is all about the money. Money and some respect. I already sense this one will be permanent.”
“Interesting theory.’
“So, which one is it?”
His jaw tightened. “Love.”
Randy hooted and cut into his pancakes. “You’re screwed. At least you got a nice piece of the pie from Uncle John. I heard all about it.”
“Don’t even think about contesting the will. It’s already done.”
“Arrogant, are you? You know, I think we’re more alike than you want to believe. We both like money and we both like woman. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Randy pointed his fork at him. “I’m not here to make trouble – I get my own fortune and don’t need yours. But, Minda has a bug up her about me getting closer to my children. I thought we could all do lunch together. You know, Maja and you, and Amber’s kids.”
The ridiculousness of the situation caused a moment of speechlessness. Gerald thought of all the times he’d begged Randy to have a lousy conversation with him, let alone a meal. And now because his new wife pressed him, Randy assumed he’d jump to experiment with a father/son relationship. A twinge of bitterness leaked through the ice. Too little. Too late. Even worse, Randy didn’t really even care.
Gerald drained his coffee. “Appreciate the offer, Randy, but I’ll pass. Haven’t needed you before. Don’t need you now.”
His father’s eyes turned mean. ”Always thought you were better than me, huh? The golden boy. Listen up, son, blood is blood, and soon you’ll realize you’re destined to make the same mistakes I did.” He practically snarled his next words. “Wanna know the truth? I married your mother for love, but she only wanted my money. Once I sniffed out the truth, I was going to break it off but it was too late. She got pregnant. And I got stuck. With you.”
Gerald swallowed as trhe nighmare unfolded before him.
`What?”
Randy gave a nasty laugh. “That’s right, you were her desperate attempt to keep me, and it worked. A kid means child support and alimony for life. I decided to stay and make it work, but I never forgive her.”
The knowledge made perfect sense as the pieces snapped into place. Randy never wanted him in the first place, nor Maja. “Why tell me this now?”
His father smiled coldly. “As a warning. Watch this new wife of yours. If she married you for money and feels you slipping away, the “oops” will be coming. Mark my words. And then you’ll be trapped just like me. “He paused. “Because you are just like me, Gerald.”
Gerald looked at his father for a long time. A tiny trickle of fear escaped from the box as he recognized the man who had fathered him garnered no respect from his own family. What if Randy Anderson was right? What if all these years been fighting his genes and his time was up? What if he was destined to become like his father, whether he took the short or the long road?
The past few weeks had tricked him into believing in things that didn’t exist. Love. Truth. Family. Kim had already lied about the money. What else did she lie about? A chill skated down his spine. What if she had been working a bigger plan the whole time he’d been falling in love with her?
The doubts attacked with a vicious punch, but he ignored them and held his head up. “We’re nothing alike. Good luck, Randy.”
He threw some bills on the table and left, but his spoken words mocked him with every step.
Because in his secret heart, he wondered if it were really true. He wondered if he were more like Randy Anderson than he thought.
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