Page 26 of Losing his Daddy

It was a gamble to see if he’d accept. Not only did I have the need to ensure he ate, but I also actually wanted to share this story with him. I was curious about his opinion on the whole situation with Danielle.

She had done as I asked, both with leaving and telling her father. I’d received a text the day after our confrontation in which her father apologized to me for whatever indiscretions his daughter had caused. Apparently, he knew some of the issues she had, and he had hoped our relationship was enough to fix them.

Gerald bit his lip instead of answering my question. I watched as he pulled his phone out, then texted someone. He waited a moment for their reply, then he answered with, “Lunch sounds good.”

Since I knew the area better than him, I called for a cab to take us to an easy sandwich and soup shop close to my old place. Not only was it one of the best in the city, but I knew the owner well enough to always be able to get a spot to eat. Lunch on Sunday could be hit or miss as far as how busy a restaurant was.

As soon as we walked inside, there was a shout of joy before I was engulfed in a hug. Two heavy palms beat against my back almost violently as Lenny Shay shouted about how happy he was to have me come in.

“Been too long, Wes,” he said when we pulled apart.

I nodded solemnly. “Yes, it has, Lenny. I apologize for that. Things have changed a bit. I’m moving soon, but I’ll be around more. You know I can’t resist it here.”

He let out a gut busting laugh. “I do know. It’s why you had me worried.”

“While I have you, let me introduce an associate of mine. Gerald, this is Lenny, our sandwich and soup wizard. Nothing in this city tastes as good as what he makes. Lenny, this is Gerald.”

I didn’t miss the way the old man looked between me and Gerald. It had to be strange that I showed up after weeks away to not only tell him I’m moving, but to also bring someone in with me. There’s no way I’d tell him about the cancelled engagement unless he brought it up. Otherwise, he might think Gerald a homewrecker or something else out of pocket.

Lenny pulled Gerald into a hug. I watched as the other man awkwardly returned the embrace. When they came apart, Lenny was beaming, and Gerald looked closer to tears. Needing to remedy whatever the nosy restauranteur might have said, I grab his attention.

“Can you bring us The Works but double the sides? That should do it,” I directed to Lenny.

He ignored me to focus on Gerald. “You’re not vegan or allergy-ridden, are you? I have other options, but The Works is literally what it’s called. You get it all.”

Gerald shook his head slowly. “Nothing that I know of. And I’m very much a fan of meat.”

Lenny let out another roar of laughter as the man beside me blushed once he realized his wording. “I’ll be sure to remember that. You two get a seat and don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

I turned Gerald away from the counter where others were ordering to find a table. Thankfully, it was one of those slower days. We wouldn’t need to fight for a spot to perch.

“Table or booth?” I asked him.

“Either is fine.”

I motioned for the closest booth since he didn’t mind. We’d been in the same position not too long ago and done fine. Why would this meal be any different?

One of the teenagers Lenny hired to work the floor came out with some waters for us and a dessert menu. “Lenny said you have to pick something.”

She left after shrugging. I grinned down at the plastic covered options.

“He definitely won’t let us leave without trying something. Do you have a sweet tooth?”

Gerald shook his head as his gaze moved across the other patrons. I wasn’t sure if he was uncomfortable looking at me, or if he was just the type to enjoy people watching. My brother Robin was definitely the latter. I couldn’t begin to express the number of times I had to pull him back into a conversation because he got distracted by something around him instead of talking to me.

As if he knew I was thinking of him, a text came through from him. It was one of many I’d left unanswered all day. At first, it was because I didn’t want to tell him about Danielle. Then it became annoying because I was embarrassed by the whole ordeal and felt I couldn’t even tell the only family member I had left.

The day kept on moving and soon I found myself with a cell phone full of red notification dots. One might have said my brother was relentless. I agreed with the description.

“Is something wrong?” Gerald asked, distracting me from the phone in my hand.

I raised my brow. “What makes you think there's anything wrong?”

“Your phone has gone off several times. You’ve ignored it entirely. And just now, when you did finally check it, you didn’t seem pleased by whatever you found.”

There went that focus of his again. This time, I was the center of attention, which honestly gave me mixed feelings. I liked that he was tuned into me and what I was doing. But I really didn’tlike that he’d noticed my emotions so much that he figured out I was avoiding someone.

“Honest answer? My brother is texting me. He and I have always been somewhat close, though our lives are completely different. Where I prefer the city, he’s a country kind of guy. I hate being dirty, while he’s the first to jump in a mud pit to save an animal. Or sometimes just to have a laugh. Even so, we’ve managed to keep our relationship strong through the years.”

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