Wayward Son (Jensen Family #3)

by Michelle Day

  Paul wrapped an arm around her and squeezed her tight. “Be a sweetie and get me some more coffee, oh and a bunch of painkillers,” he said as he released her and returned to the garden.

  “You’ll have to swim at work.” Angel was telling Gavin as Paul approached.

  “How’s it going?” he asked.

  “Slowly,” Novak replied.

  “I need to make some calls.” Paul murmured.

  “I should go home.” Angel told Gavin.

  “I’ll give you a hand Mr. J” Novak offered.

  “Dad, I’ll help out when I get back ok?” Gavin asked.

  “Yeah sure,” Paul answered. “Julian did mention that he wanted Angel home early. Good luck by the way,” he grinned at his son.

  “I’m not going in.” Gavin replied.

  “That’s what you think.” Angel retorted.

  “Don’t go just yet.” Suzanne appeared, heavily laden with a tray full of bacon sandwiches, followed by Monica who carried a tray bearing coffee cups and coffee pots, closely followed by Paula, Jackson, Michael and Matt. “Have something to eat, Gavin can take you home afterwards.”

  The family gathered around the table, helping themselves to sandwiches and coffee. Suzanne sat by her husband, leafing through his phone book, marking the pages he would require, Gavin took the seat next to Paul with Angel next to him and Novak on her other side with Marissa next to him. Paula and Jackson were to Novak’s left next to Matt with Monica and Michael completing the group.

  “What’s wrong with the pool?” Michael asked.

  “It’s leaking,” Paul answered, not looking up from his phone book.

  “It’s bloody stupid having an outside pool in this country anyway. I hope you have realised that and will fill it in.” Michael commented.

  “Michael,” Monica warned.

  Gavin felt Paul stiffen next to him and Suzanne grasped Paul’s hand. “Don’t rise to it,” she told him.

  Paul appeared to be considering what she had said before answering, “too late,” as he looked at his father. “It may have escaped your notice Dad, but you are in my house, the house that I own outright by the way, with the pool that is kept because my children love it which, to be perfectly honest, is the sole reason I keep it as unlike you, the happiness and wellbeing of my family are the things that matter the most to me. I’d appreciate it in future, if you kept your comments to yourself.”

  “Well said,” Matt spoke. “You were a little out of line Dad.”

  Michael scowled at his youngest son across the table before turning to his wife. “We should make a move, we are obviously in the way here.”

  “You aren’t in the way,” Paul told him. “I do expect you to show some respect to my family and my position while you are here though.”

  “Oh shit,” Gavin whispered, he leaned closer to Angel. “Time to go, this is going to get nasty,” he grasped her hand and hastily left the table.

  “How dare you speak to me that way,” Michael fumed. “Especially when you precious family is falling apart all around you.”

  “You don’t know what you are talking about.” Paul replied.

  “Your son is a mess, your daughter is a first class brat, and you have hangers on crawling out of the woodwork, your relationship with your wife is based on purely physical needs and the honesty of your business practices are highly questionable,” Michael spat, the entire population around the table turned their gazes upon Paul as Michael finished his tirade.

  Inside, Paul was fuming, he sorely wanted to walk away but knew he couldn’t, he wouldn’t let Michael think he was weak, he addressed each point in turn. “My son isn’t as much of a mess as he used to be, he’s behaving himself and working hard, we do have a few communication problems that’s true but it’s something we are working on. My daughter is spoiled and I am addressing that issue. I expect you will see a vast improvement in her behaviour the next time I allow you see her.

  “But regardless of my children’s problems, you should be grateful that out of your three children, I’m the only one who has given you any Grandchildren. And Novak is by no means a hanger on, he is considered a welcome member of my family, I consider him my son. My relationship with my wife goes so much deeper than what she provides for me physically, my emotional attachment to her will extend to far beyond the grave and as for my business practises, everything I do is above board and legal, why do you think I have a team of full time lawyers? They make sure I do everything by the book, you just can’t get your head around the fact I’m successful, I haven’t made a wrong move in any of the businesses I own or of any of those I have taken over.

  “I don’t owe anyone anything. It galls you to know that your runt of a son is more successful and infinitely wealthier than you will ever be, people in the business world fear me and have a healthy respect for me, it’s about time you followed suit.” Paul rose from his seat, picked up his phone book and left the table, not one person said a word.

  “What was all that about?” Angel asked as they were in the car, heading to her house.

  “Dad and Gramps don’t get on, they generally don’t bother to speak to each other but Gramps will find any excuse to have a dig. In the past Dad would just ignore him and walk away but over the last couple of years he’s began to wade in and have a go back, it gets nasty very quickly, that’s why I thought it would be a good idea to leave,” Gavin answered.

  “How do you feel about it?”

  “I get on well with Gramps but I hate it when he starts on Dad, I know Dad and I don’t have the perfect relationship but whatever we have is better than the one he has with Gramps. I can remember as a kid, Gramps digging at Dad every time we were there and I could see Dad getting mad, but because I was there, he bit his tongue and we usually left, I guess now he’s a successful man in his own right he feels it’s time to answer back and I think he’s right. Gramps has a habit of trying to drag me into it which is why I tend to get out of the way when they start.”

  “I guess I can see why Paul finds it difficult to talk to you now though, it isn’t as if he’s had a close father son relationship of his own,” Angel mused.

  “I know, just as I know he really wants us to sit down and talk but there are things he’s done that I don’t want to talk about, things that make me so angry and that’s not the person I want to be anymore, I’m happier the way I am right now and I don’t see the point of dredging up the past.”

  “You will have a better relationship with your Dad if you do, make all those issues water under the bridge so to speak and move on. I don’t know what I would do without my Dad and the relationship I have with him.”

  “I don’t know what I would do without my Dad if I’m honest and I really don’t know how he’s remained so calm even when I was being a first class brat, we’ve had one flair up since I’ve lived here and that actually helped, so in that respect, I guess I should sit down and have a heart to heart with him. But right now I’m at the point where I don’t think it will make any difference.”

  “You should try and at least meet him half way,” Angel said as they pulled into her driveway. “You may as well come in and face the music while you are here.”

  “Oh let me see,” he smiled. “I could go home and get caught in the middle of the row between Gramps and Dad or I could stay here and have “’the talk’” from your Dad? Actually, “’the talk’” seems to be the better option.”

  Linda told them that Julian was working on his car when they entered the house and, biting the bullet, Gavin went to find the older man.

  “It’s coming along Julian,” he greeted him.

  Julian beckoned to the polytunnel that had been set up and unzipped an opaque panel over a clear Perspex window so that Gavin could see inside.

  “The paint is curing, but that’s the bulk of the spraying done, I might enlist your help putting the car back together,” he told him.

  “Yeah, I’d like to help,” Gavin nodded. “Any news on Angel’s engin
e?” he asked.

  “Should be arriving Friday, it’ll be fitted early next week,” Julian confirmed. “I’m glad you mentioned Angel, saves me doing it,” he gestured for Gavin to sit on one of the large toolboxes. “You know the obvious thing I’m going to say is don’t you hurt her.”

  “Yes, I know and I won’t. She’s perfectly safe with me.”

  “I’m not so sure. You are a predator,” Julian paused when Gavin raised his eyebrows at the term, he continued as the boy inclined his head, agreeing. “I told you that I would be happy if you dated my daughter, and in some respects I am pleased that you won out over Quinn but I’ve encountered guys like you throughout my life, boys like you rarely stay with one girl for long.”

  “There’s more to me than what you see on the outside,” Gavin replied. “I realise I’ve only known Angel for a short time but I can honestly say that so far, I like everything about her, I know it’s early days and that there may be things we clash on but that’s just the thing, she tells me when I step out of line or say something she doesn’t agree with. She’s not so love struck that she blindly agrees to everything I say and do, she kicks up and puts me back in my place and that’s refreshing. I’ve had to grow up a lot in this last year and to accept that the things I do have consequences and can hurt other people, I know it will be easy for me to hurt her, I know she’s getting in deep with me, I’m already so attached to her it’s painful, so the last thing I’m going to do is hurt her, even if that is an act of self preservation and just so you know, I have never been more embarrassed in my life than I am right now.”

  Julian laughed, he was taken aback by this young man’s honesty but a little more reassured that he would indeed, be very careful of his daughter’s feelings. “I appreciate everything you have said and I’m pleased that you feel you can be that open and honest with me but at the end of the day, she is my daughter and I will come down on you like a ton of bricks if you hurt her.”

  “Then I guess it will be my aim will be not to hurt her and stay on your good side?” Gavin grinned, he glanced at his watch. “I’d better make a move, let me know if you want me to help with the car.”

  Angel walked with Gavin to his car. “Was that so bad?” she asked.

  “Yes, it was horrible,” he faked a sulk and stuck out his bottom lip, making her laugh. “I’m going to swing by home then go to work. I’ll pick you up in the morning for college ok?”

  “Actually, I’m going for a work out later, I may see you at the pool, but if not, I’ll see you in the morning.” She stepped into the circle of his arms and waited for him to kiss her, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer when their lips met.

  “You are making it very difficult for me to leave,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Then my evil plan is working,” she replied.

  Gavin returned home, he found Novak on the rowing machine in the gym, his father working out on the resistance weights. Paul let go of the handle he was holding and wiped the sweat from his body as Gavin walked over to him.

  “How’d it go?” Paul asked, unable to keep the smile from his face.

  “Not as bad as I thought it would be,” Gavin replied. “What was up with Gramps?”

  “The usual,” Paul replied. “Me,” he shrugged. “Novak and I got the pumps and pool sorted, thanks for your help,” he quipped.

  “Sorry about that.” Gavin replied. “I had to leave Dad; I didn’t want Gramps dragging me into it.”

  “It’s ok, I know why you left, and it’s not a problem.”

  “Dude,” Novak joined in. “Your old man was awesome, got his point across in a calm collected manner and I am now officially, unofficially your brother, hey Mr. J, does that mean I’m in your will?”

  “Now why would you need to be in my will? You turn twenty-one in what? Four, Five months?” Paul asked.

  “Yeah,” Novak replied, confused.

  “At which time, your trust fund will mature and you will be a wealthy young man in your own right.”

  “I guess.”

  “Who do you think paid for that trust fund?” he enquired.

  Gavin and Novak exchanged a glance. “What?” they asked simultaneously.

  “You want me to go into this now?” Paul asked.

  “You can’t just throw, ‘“I paid for your trust fund’” out there and expect either of us to just understand Dad.” Gavin spoke.

  “Ok, Carmen wanted to go back to work after you were born, I was still living at home and as good as useless in the childcare stakes so we discussed having someone available to take care of you and that’s where Helen came in. When I came to visit and picked you up from Novak’s house, I realised that the house wasn’t suitable for anyone to live in let alone my child being there for the majority of the day so I bought another house for the three of you and as your Dad didn’t show any signs of coming back, I set up a trust fund for you and supported your Mum so that you wouldn’t grow up feeling second best and envying the fact that Gavin had everything he wanted. Helen cared for Gavin like he was her son even though she gave him back at the end of each day and her friendship was invaluable to Carmen, I just wanted her to know that she was appreciated and that you would be taken care of.”

  “So every time we moved or got a new car; that was you?” Novak asked.

  “Yes.” Paul replied.

  “How did you afford to buy a house at sixteen?” Gavin asked.

  “I borrowed some money from my Grandparents, Carmen and Helen both sold their houses for the deposit on the larger house and I increased the hours of my gardening business to make up the difference.”

  “Wow,” was all Novak had to say.

  “Perhaps I should have told both of you sooner. I jeopardised my relationship with you by supporting two families,” he addressed Gavin. “It meant I had to put in more hours at work and wasn’t able to visit as much, but we did have a pretty good relationship when you were little. I came to see you as often as I could and when I couldn’t get to Gloucester, my Mum would drive up and bring you down, you must remember that?”

  “I do, we had some good times and you used to take me to work with you. I learnt to swim in Aunt Kay’s pool,” there was a ghost of a smile on Gavin’s lips.

  “Yes you did, of course, it all changed again when I got married and Marissa came along, I then had three families to support and was running the gardening business, the club and doing a bit of insolvency business on the side. There wasn’t enough hours in the day and I came up as often as I could but Eve would give me a hard time about leaving her to come and see you and Carmen would give me a hard time about going home, it was difficult and I did what I could but looking back, I know I should have dropped one of the businesses and spent more time with you, maybe if I had, you wouldn’t resent me the way you do.”

  “I don’t resent you for not being there, I know you had to work and that you were the reason I had the best of everything, there are other things you did that pissed me off,” Gavin replied.

  “Go on,” Paul encouraged.

  Gavin shook his head. “Not now. You were right when you said we need to talk and to be honest, I was going to do everything I could to avoid that, but now I think we both need to make some time to sit down and have this out.”

  “Ok, when?” Paul asked.

  “After my game, we need to be somewhere neutral Dad, just us two, the things I have to say to you are not pleasant and I’m fully expecting that you’ll blow up at me but we do need to do this.”

  “Fine, I’ll find somewhere,” Paul told him. “Gavin, I thought I was doing the right thing by you.”

  “I know that Dad, just as I know you think I hate you. I don’t but I do need to understand a little more about you and Mum.”

  “I’ve never hidden anything about my relationship with Carmen from you. You can ask me anything, anytime.”

  “I’m going to, you find us somewhere and we’ll talk. I’d really like us to be a proper father and so
n instead of skirting around each other all the time,” Gavin looked at his watch. “I have to go to work,” he turned and walked out of the gym without another word leaving a stunned Novak and a worried Paul looking at each other.

  “I don’t suppose you would consider giving me a heads up on what to expect from him?” Paul asked the young man next to him.

  “What makes you think I know?” Novak asked. “There are certain things he’s kept to himself, his feelings towards you are one of them but I wouldn’t have told you if I knew, that’s up to him. If it helps, I haven’t seen him this relaxed and happy for a long time, even before Carmen died, so you are doing something right.”

  “I think that has more to do with Angel than me.”

  “She’s a large part of it,” Novak agreed. “But he likes living here Mr. J and although you probably won’t believe it, he loves you, I know him well enough to know that.”

  “Don’t you think it’s about time you called me Paul?”

  “Nah, it doesn’t feel right.” Novak grinned. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “You and my Mum? You never did the dirty did you?

  “No, your Mum detested my relationship with Carmen and what she perceived as the way I treated her, even if I had made a move on her, she would have shot me down in flames. She’s an attractive woman though and I have to say, the thought crossed my mind several times, but after weighing it all up, I realised her friendship and continued support were far more valuable to me than a quick roll between the sheets and she had far too much decorum to get involved with me on that level.” Paul explained.

  “Oh cool, because I would feel really uncomfortable calling you Dad,” he laughed. “Thank you for everything you did for us,” he became serious then.

  “It was and is my pleasure Novak. I meant what I said about considering you to be my son, you know you can come to me if you or your Mum ever needs anything?”

  “Yeah I do, thanks. Everything will work out with you and Gavin.”

  “I hope so. I’m going to try and put things right between us.”