Page 31 of Fairy Tale Lies
“I know your work life. I want to know you.”
“Ah, my family.” He stared at the Detroit River, picking at the loose concrete along the wall. “I love them, but well, we’re a mess.”
“Families are messy.”
“Sure, life is messy, but we’re a mess. There’s a difference. A big one.” All the humor leaked from him.
Not wanting to upset him further, she said, “I’m not sure I agree. Anyway, if you want to talk about something else, I understand.”
“No, you don’t.” He studied her, his smile returning. It warmed her more than the sun breaking through dreary, gray clouds. “You’ve been raised to be polite and not pry. Though, God knows what’s going through your head. You’ve probably conjured a life where my parents are secretly part of the mob, and my brother’s their hired killer.”
“No, of course not.” She laughed, and after a pause, smirked. “Maybe drug smugglers, running between here and Canada. Oh! Or perhaps a family of gypsy thieves.”
“Hardly.” He chuckled. “We’re a boring working-class family. Like I said before, my mother was a librarian, and my dad was a cop. He was on the force almost twenty years. Will’s my only brother. He’s three years older than me and not a thief or smuggler. In fact, he lives with me and has recently graduated from culinary school.”
Brief and concise. She suspected much was left out, but didn’t want to pick at sore spots. “Wow, you two must be close. I love my sister, Cindy. However, if we still lived together, I’d have strangled her a long time ago.”
“Oh, I get the urge quite often with Will. We’ve always been close, but we live together more out of necessity than anything else.”
Curiosity ate at her. She wanted to know more. However, this was a light, summer fling. His problems weren’t hers, and from his body language, he’d rather not share.
Instead, she asked if his parents were retired. The way he’d mentioned their careers sounded as if they were in the past.
He gazed at the water, slumping as if Atlas had dumped the weight of the world on his shoulders. There went not upsetting him. What had she said?
Again, she didn’t press and let the silence wash over them. She faced the peaceful waves on the Detroit River. She was going to ask if he wanted to leave when Jacob spoke.
“I live with both my brother and father. Like I said, we’re helping each other. My father was laid off, and Will had to move back home to get his life in order. He’d spent too many years partying and made a real mess of his life. Thankfully, he’s straightened himself out, turned his life around. Finished his culinary degree in the spring.”
Jacob’s expression was both defiant and proud as if daring her to speak against his family. He was probably wondering if she was going to criticize them.
In truth, she was touched. She’d love to have a close-knit family that worked together and helped without judging. She loved her parents and they’d always provided for her, but she wasn’t close to them. There were too many expectations and rules, especially from her mother and stepfather.
Forgetting her family problems, she scooted closer and leaned against Jacob. He placed an arm loosely around her waist.
“I’m glad your brother is doing better, for his sake, and your family’s.”
She felt him nod in agreement. Not wanting to pry into his brother’s personal struggles, she changed the subject yet again. “Ever since my local librarian directed me toThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, they became my favorite people. Where did or does your mother work?”
He shifted away, dropping his arm from around her, rubbing both hands over his face. “Damn, Greta. You’re hitting all the sore spots today.”
Her heart hitched. Was there tragedy where his mother was concerned too? Greta hoped she was wrong.
She tried to lighten the mood. “Am I? Seriously, we can change the subject. Tell me, what’s your favorite summer activities? Mine is bike riding, though, after today, I may have to switch to motorcycling.”
He smiled a sad smile. “Glad to hear it. And it’s okay. Your questions are innocuous enough. It’s not your fault my life’s fucked up. Good thing we’re keeping things simple, huh? You wouldn’t want to get snared in my mess. Anyway, my mom used to work at Detroit Public Library, the main branch. She died seven years back. Ovarian cancer.”
His words were blunt, with a deep sadness behind them. Her heart broke for him. She might not be close to her mother, yet even the thought of losing her made Greta want to weep.
“Jacob, I’m sorry.” She took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. “What was she like?”
“Amazing. She was kind, with a killer sense of humor. She was the glue holding our family together.” He sighed deeply and continued in a more pragmatic tone. “Anyway, my childhood was a normal middle-class upbringing. My dad worked a lot, and my mom was part-time. Both parents loved us and we knew it… even if my brother and I were always in trouble.”
“Sounds wonderful.” She meant it. A carefree childhood, one with love given freely, not based on met expectations, would’ve been heaven.
“It ended my senior year in high school. My mom was sick all the time and always tired. The doctors found cancer. Everywhere. Throughout her body. My mom tried to fight it. Watching her suffer and fade fast… It sort of put an end to my old way of life. Much of what I did before her illness had become silly and inconsequential. Her death shifted my priorities.”
Jacob seemed to droop as if his sorrows were sucking him dry. Maybe they were. She kept quiet, hoping he’d continue. She was willing to listen and hopefully lighten his burden.
