What They Left Behind
Page 71
Though Gennie talked on the phone with Ben about a week before to tell him she was flying to San Francisco, she didn’t mention she was married to Peter. She was going to, but when Ben asked, “Are you still with that kid?” she decided against it.
They took a flight out of LAX at seven o’clock. Michele was chatting about how she was looking forward to visiting everybody, having gifts showered on her and of course, seeing the youngest member of their family. As much as Ben insisted she stay at his house, Gennie told them they were going to get a hotel. She said it was because she didn’t want to inconvenience him, but the actual reason was she didn’t want to deal with the awkwardness of sleeping in the same house if he didn’t take the announcement very well.
They arrived in San Francisco about two hours later. Gennie had to use her identification to rent a car, since Peter was still too young. The first thing they did was drive fifteen miles north to the hotel to drop their bags off.
The hotel was across the street from Ben’s condo and Gennie’s heart was pounding as she walked toward it. It was in a beautiful seventy-year-old building in the heart of the Financial District, only about an eight-minute walk from his restaurant. They bought two condos on the same floor and turned them into one large one. He and Annie renovated the entire thing themselves and it looked beautiful. Gennie was envious of their new home.
Peter opened the heavy copper covered door to the building and they took the elevator to the eleventh floor. Michele rang the doorbell.
Gennie was expecting Annie to answer but instead it was Ben.
“Hey you!” he said to Michele. “What are you doing so far from home?”
“I ran away,” Michele replied, giggling. “Now you have to take care of me.”
“Ben,” Gennie said, giving him a hug. “It’s been so long.”
“Yeah, I know. It feels like I’ve haven’t seen you in ages.”
She suddenly felt Ben stiffen. Obviously, he noticed Peter standing there.
“I didn’t know you were bringing your friend,” Ben said.
Gennie didn’t think that remark was a good sign. She laughed nervously in response. “Well, uh…I’d thought I’d surprise you. Ben, this is Peter Davidson. He wanted to join me and see San Francisco.”
Ben cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you.”
“Hey, you too,” Peter replied.
Ben nodded. For probably the first time in his life, Peter looked to Gennie for guidance. If it hadn’t been for the fact that she hadn’t seen him in over six months, she would have smacked Ben right across the head for his rude behavior.
“Is it all right if we come in?” Gennie said, the irritation evident in her voice.
“Oh, sure,” Ben replied, opening both oak doors. They walked inside the main hallway of the house.
“Where’s the baby?” Michele piped up, breaking the awkward silence.
“Kristopher’s playing with his toys in the living room. Come on in, hon, and make yourself at home.”
Gennie noticed he only said that to Michele. She knew it was probably best to brush it off, however much it annoyed her.
They entered the spacious living room and lying on a blue blanket in the middle of a brown Persian rug was the cutest toddler Gennie had ever seen. Michele’s face lit up with delight as she ran over and sat next to the baby.
“Is it okay if I pick him up?” Michele asked.
“Why don’t you put him on your lap?” Ben said.
“Okay,” Michele replied. She placed him on her lap and made funny faces at him. He giggled in response.
Gennie heard someone walking down the bedroom hallway toward the living room. Annie appeared in a blue terry cloth bathrobe with matching towel wrapped around her head.
“Oh,” she said in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you here this early. I would have made more of an attempt to get ready.”
Then she spotted Peter and put her hand over her chest. “Oh…uh…are you a movie star?”
“No,” Peter replied, “I’m only related to them. Otherwise I’m just your average everyday Joe.”
“I didn’t know your boyfriend was coming!” Annie said to Gennie and then she turned toward Peter again. “You snagged a really cute guy. You’re such a lucky girl, Gen.”
Ben obviously didn’t like his wife fawning over an uninvited guest. He looked like he just bit into an unripe lemon.
“Excuse me while I finish getting ready,” Annie said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Peter replied. “I’ve seen tons of girls in their bathrobes…and out of them.”
Ben sighed in disgust.
“Do you want something to drink, Peter?” Gennie asked him, since her brother was making no effort to be cordial.
“If there’s a Coke in the fridge, that’d be great,” Peter said.
“I want a Coke too!” Michele said.
“You want something, Ben?” Gennie asked her brother.
“No,” he said emphatically. “I want to talk to you…alone.”
“Fine,” Gennie replied.
“Why is Lover Boy here?” Ben asked once they were in the kitchen.
“I invited him,” Gennie said simply. She opened the fridge and searched for soda.
“I thought you broke it off.”
“You thought wrong.” Gennie took three cans of Coke out.
“Are you engaged to him?”
“Sort of.”
“What do you mean by sort of?”
“I mean sort of. Why don’t we finish this conversation in the other room?” She gave Ben a can to carry out. “Give this one to Michele. “
Ben sighed again.
“You sound like a snake today,” Gennie said. “I’ve never heard so much hissing in my life. You must be driving Annie crazy.”
“Annie’s fine.”
When they went back into the living room, Peter was down on the floor with Michele tickling Kristopher. The baby was laughing hysterically.
“Hey, thanks babe,” Peter said, when Gennie gave him his drink. Ben frowned deeply.
“No problem,” Gennie replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“So…you said you would tell me what’s going on,” Ben said.
“Uh…well, let’s wait until Annie’s ready.”
“Mom and Peter have a special announcement to make,” Michele said.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Ben replied.
“No, of course not,” Gennie said.
“It’s not because we’re not trying, though,” Peter added jokingly. Ben failed to laugh.
Annie came into the room wearing Calvin Klein jeans and a pink silk blouse with a jeweled belt. Her hair was blown out and styled.
“You going to a disco or something?” Peter asked.
Annie chuckled. “Oh I wish. It’s hard to do that with a baby and this one here.” She poked Ben.
“I used to go out a lot,” Peter said, “but I never danced. I usually hung out by the bar so I could pick up girls. Since I met Gennie, I don’t have to do that anymore.”
“If you both want to go out tonight, you can,” Annie said. “Michele can stay here and play with Kristopher.”
“We’ll think about it,” Gennie said. “Actually, we were waiting for you to come out because Peter and I have a special announcement to make.”
“Oh, really?” Annie replied. “What is it?”
Gennie clasped her hands together. “Uh, about three weeks ago, Peter invited me to spend a few days in Las Vegas with him and while we were there…we got married.”
Annie covered her mouth with her hands. Ben looked stunned, as if a brick hit him in the face.
“Oh my god…that’s wonderful!” Annie gave her a hug. “I can’t believe it!” She turned toward Peter and hugged him too. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks,” Peter said, grinning.
Ben didn’t say anything to them. He simply growled and left the room.
“Don’t mind him,” Annie said to Peter. “He’s had a rough week.”
“Well, I’m sure this topped it off,” Gennie said. “I had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to him,” Annie replied. “Just ignore him and enjoy yourself while you’re here.”
“We’ll try,” Gennie replied.
They spent about two hours at the condo. It was very uncomfortable knowing Ben was pissed.
“I think we’re going to go back to the hotel and relax,” Gennie said to Annie. “Tell Ben he’s free to roam the rest of the house now.”
Annie smiled wryly. “Well, it was nice to see you again.” She gave Gennie a hug. “And you…it’s nice to finally meet you in person.”
“No problem,” Peter replied, giving Annie a hug. “I’m glad I got to meet you guys.”
They didn’t talk about the incident until that night when Michele was asleep. Gennie didn’t want her to worry about it, though she was probably very aware of what was going on.
“Oh, Peter,” she said, wrapping her arms around him in the queen sized hotel bed. “I’m so sorry my brother was being a jerk today.”
“Don’t worry about it, hon,” he replied, kissing her cheek. “Trust me; I’ve had people treat me a lot worse. Like my own family, for example.”
“Yeah, but he was being a first class prick today. Which was exactly what I was afraid of.”
“Are you still glad we got married, though?”
“Yes, definitely.”
“Well, your sister-in-law there, she seemed like an okay girl and she was happy for us. Maybe she can beat some sense into your brother.”
“I hope so.”
Chapter 72: May 31, 1988