Page 4 of Confined Space

My six-foot frame dwarves her five-six height, but she can still take me down with just one look. Her brown hair has red highlights that I know she goes and has done every six weeks. She doesn't look a day over forty when she just turned fifty a few months ago. She still practices yoga and Pilates every day to keep in shape. I lean down and kiss her cheek. Her black-rimmed glasses that she only wears every once in a while make her look like a librarian when she's the VP of loans at the local bank. She never remarried because she said my father was her one, and there is no one else that she would ever love like she did him.

When I step back, Lance stands and kisses her cheek too.

"Mrs. Murphy, my mom said you might stop by."

Now I know I'm being played. This was all planned. I direct my mother to slide into the booth next to me, but she shakes her head.

"Rowdy, just listen to what he says with an open mind. It's because we all care that we are doing this. You need to get over what happened to Calysta and your father. I love you. Dinner at my house on your next day off, okay?" I nod and kiss her cheek again because I can't start the argument I feel building with her right here and now.

She leaves and I sit back down, my arms folded over my chest as I stare Lance down.

"You really had to bring my mother into this. How long have we known each other?"

"A long time. But to be honest, it would be both of our mothers ganging up on us. I didn't want to do this, but they forced my hand. Just listen. I’ve been there. I pushed everyone away too. You can't live like that."

"You don't get it. I know what you went through, but it's nothing compared to what I did. Calysta wasn't just Marco's wife, she was my best friend too. We failed her. If we had been here, she wouldn't have been there. She wouldn't be dead now. Marco would have his wife and child. Instead, he didn't even get to bury them. Her parents took her body before he could say goodbye."

"That sucks, man, but she wasn't your wife. You don't know what will happen if you decide to let someone in. Besides, you need a woman in your life." He waves to my wrinkled T-shirt. He doesn’t know that I grabbed it off the pile and did the sniff test to make sure it was okay to wear.

"I have one. My mom. And I got Blu as a companion when I need it."

"Shit, your dog doesn't count."

The waitress comes with our food.

"Where's my milkshake?"

"It'll be a moment. I wanted to add a cherry to it."

"No need." I almost growl at her. I can't stand the obvious flirting. Honestly, it would be nice to meet someone who wasn't into games and innuendos. Who didn’t know that my family owned the largest vineyard in the area. I’m sick of women throwing themselves at me with dollar signs in their eyes. What they don’t know is I don’t care about that vineyard. It could burn to the ground and it wouldn’t matter to me. My father’s family maintains it, but my cousins don’t care for it either. There has been talk for years now that we should sell it.

"Just a moment." She licks her now red-painted lips.

When she walks away, I look back at Lance.

"A woman like that?" I wave my hand in the direction she went.

"No, dude. Someone that you want to take care of like you do Blu."

“How is my cuz working out as a volunteer,” I change the subject. My cousin Ryker works as a helicopter pilot for the hospitals in the area. He’s also trained in search and rescue, and he decided to volunteer for the fire department. He couldn’t be on my team, so he’s on Lance’s instead.

“He’s doing well. I’m going to send him to do the grade school interactions this year. With his experience, he’ll be good at that.”

We both continue eating and visiting. It’s been a long time since both of us have had a chance to hang out.

When the waitress finally comes back with my shake, I finish eating, and as expected, the check has her phone number on it. I pay, leaving the check on the table.

Lance talks me into helping with the planning of the barbecue. I'll work on setting up games for the kids. But I'll help with the food too.

* * *

As I pull up to my house, I look in the distance and see my mom's place. I built my house on part of the Murphy land. My mom inherited a sizeable piece of land that she built a house on too. Both properties are up above where the vineyards are, giving us a good view of them and the city below. Her home is a large barn style with a small loft office and an attached two-car garage. She has large windows that overlook the view below. My house is styled the same but smaller and doesn’t have a loft. It has more of a cabin feel to it. Both homes have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. My uncle and aunt wanted us to build closer to the vineyard and main houses where all my cousins and they live, but we wanted to be up here.

I step out of my truck and Blu comes running around the house. He isn't fenced in so he can roam between my place and my mom’s. Blu won't leave the property. He's only one but is already filling out to be a huge dog. He's a French Mastiff, or what is technically called a Dogue de Bordeaux. He looks just like the dog from Turner & Hooch, including the drool. He drops his drool covered ball at my feet, and I reach down, pick it up, and chuck it toward the woods. I take a seat in one of the lawn chairs on my front porch and wait for him to return with the ball. He comes running up and drops it again at my feet. Now if only I could teach him to get me a beer like he does his ball. I throw the ball for him a couple more times before he collapses at my feet.

"Time for pizza and beer, bud." I stand and head into the house, opening the unlocked door. We live outside of town, so I don't feel the need to lock up. Plus, Blu scares most people off.

After a frozen pizza, I lounge in my recliner watching reruns of Supernatural. I drift off to sleep, trying not to think about the conversation I had with Lance and my mom today.

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