The only problem was that I was a workaholic, just like my dad. And also, just like my dad, I couldn't seem to have a committed relationship, so I gave up trying. I would never put anyone through what my dad put us through. No marriage, no husband and most of all no kids for me. Which meant that my dream of playing catch with my own kids was dead and over before it even began.
My chest hurt thinking of that father and son at the park. I wanted it so fucking bad. Not everyone thought my decision was the right one. My mom told me I was an idiot. Eric Starck, also a partner at the law firm and my best friend since college, told me I was an idiot. My other close friend Stephan Mills, an FBI agent, also told me I was an idiot. But, statistics showed that kids grew up to model the behavior they learned. I wasn't destroying anyone's happiness by being the same asshole my dad was.
* * *
"I can't waitto see your mom again. You know she's a fox, right?"
I rolled my eyes. Eric was next to me in the backseat of my car. We were being driven to my mom's country club for Sunday brunch. She asked me to bring Eric because she hadn't seen him in a while. I'm pretty sure she just wanted someone to flirt with and to make her feel attractive. Eric figured that out when he came home with me years ago when we were in college. He didn't mind, he was all for making my mom feel better about herself. I had wondered back then if they were having an affair, but I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer.
We pulled up to the entrance to the country club. We were dressed in our work suits, as my mom loved a well-dressed man. Eric and I were both very well dressed men. We walked through the club out to the patio where my mom liked to brunch.
"There you are. Come give me a hug and a kiss." I smiled, leaned down and kissed my mom on the cheek.
"It's nice to see you, too. You're looking good."
She flipped her hand out and glared."I'mlooking good? That's something you say to someone in a nursing home when they're about to kick the bucket. You tell your mom she's beautiful or you don't say a word."
I chuckled. I moved out of the way so Eric could say hello to my mom. I also didn't want to see the gleam in my mom's eye when she saw him.
I sat down, pulling a napkin over my lap. "So mom, how are things going?"
"I'm just waiting for some grand babies from you, Marcus. You need to get settled down. I'm not getting any younger you know." This was a running theme with my mom. When she was feeling feisty she'd bring it up knowing she'd have a fight on her hands.
"Mom, I've told you before that's just not in the cards for me. Just let it go." I drank my coffee while waiting for the mimosas to be delivered. If she was already starting in on me I needed a drink fast.
"Don't worry Helen, he has plenty of dates. Just not the long term or the relationship kind." I caught his wink to my mom. What a way to sell me out, jerk.
"Marcus, why are you still telling yourself that bullshit. You're not like your dad. You actually care about people. You care about your clients, you care about their kids, you care about everybody- except your own self. Eric, why can't you smack any sense into him?"
Wow. Mom in rare form today. The mimosas arrived and not a moment too soon. I grabbed mine out of the waiter's hand and took a healthy drink.
"I try, Helen. But you know he's hard to beat in racquetball. And the club frowns on me smacking him with my racket." I bet he winked at my mom again. I shuddered. Why did I ever think it would be good idea to bring Eric to see my mom?