by Nate Allen
basement. It’s carpeted and well lit. A huge pull down screen is on the wall to my left. The shelves are full of dvds, adult entertainment and miscellaneous. D suggested it would be a good place for parties, with a sly wink. He’s already trying to help with my image.
The second floor opens up after eight steps, a sharp turn, and eight more. The kitchen leads into the living room. The dining room is kitty corner to the living room. All small details. The tour is more a series of glances. I don’t care about the rooms as much as the view. Luckily, big windows overlook the sky from many different places in the house. It is definitely a big selling point.
The master bedroom is next. D makes sure to focus on this aspect. We walk past the front double door, and by the living room into a wide hallway. A small room is on the left. The master is on the right. Before I even get to the doorway, I can already see the sky from the bay window. The bed is king sized, but bare.
“No bedding?” I ask in passing.
“We had to throw the bedding out. Don’t worry we cleaned this room very thoroughly. There should be no stains anywhere.”
“What exactly happened to Mr. Ericson?”
“If I tell you is it going to change your mind about living here?”
“No.”
“The brothers broke in. One held Mr. Ericson down. One cut his throat.”
I can feel that my eyes are wide. “And he was… sleeping?”
“He was in bed, watching the sky, as he liked to do quite often.” he pauses. “I’ll throw in an expensive bedding set, no charge.” D seems to be testing my waters. “You won’t find a view like this anywhere else, Andrew. And we aren’t superstitious men…”
“That’s true,” I give D a knowing looking. “Is there more upstairs?”
D smiles with relief. “Yeah. There are three more bedrooms. If you ever want kids someday, this house is old but has strong bones.”
“Kids? I never thought that was a possibility here.”
“Of course it is. Procreation isn’t common, but it does happen, especially with people who didn’t get to have children when they were alive.” it’s as if he knows. “Just something to keep in mind.”
“Yeah.” I follow him out of the hallway and toward the kitchen.
“The stairs to the other bedrooms are just right of the kitchen, behind a secret door.”
“What’s the point of a secret door?”
“Mr. Ericson was a careful man, which makes his death even more ironic.” he snickers slightly before noticing the inappropriate nature of his comment. “That was in bad taste. I apologize.”
“It’s okay, D. It’s definitely not funny what happened to the poor guy but I understand your light heart about a terrible situation. I found myself laughing one time at my dad’s funeral, not because I didn’t love him, it was just how I responded to the situation.”
“What’s your father’s name?”
“Andrew Jeffery Stephenson, the first. I’m Junior.”
“That name sounds familiar. The one I’m thinking of brought with him a frozen lake with a small but cozy fishing house on it.”
My heart is beating quickly. That was dad’s favorite thing to do. He loved living in Minnesota, mostly for the winters. He said it had the best ice fishing around. He took me every year. It is still one of my most treasured memories with him.
“Can you take me to him, D?”
Why does D suddenly look full of regret? “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Andrew. He’s an unhinged man. He doesn’t like visitors. He’s one of those types who doesn’t like to share.”
“My dad died when I was a small boy. I haven’t seen him in decades. And you’re telling me he is here, but you won’t bring me to him?!” For a moment, I imagine strangling D. I’m not as tall as him but I weigh more.
“It’s not a good idea, Andrew. You want to be a titan of industry. He is a recluse. A loser. You have high aspirations. Don’t expose yourself to that kind of influence. It will pull you down.”
“I appreciate your concern, D. But, getting to sit with my dad again is a paradise I never thought possible. Everything I’ve told you doesn’t matter right now. Take me to him or the deal is off. I don’t need the car, this house, or even the beach. I was warmest when my dad and I were fishing out in the cold.”
D’s dark skin is covered in bulging veins. What is he trying to stop from happening? This man is no friend of mine. What does it matter to him what I do with my after life?
“New deal, D. With the credit I have leftover from passing on the commodities, I am not buying another piece of land. I am buying information. This is non-negotiable. If this isn’t included in the deal, it’s off.”
D looks beyond frustrated. He runs his thin fingers through his thick dreads with a heavy sigh. “I don’t need this deal, Andrew. I am well off.”
“I don’t understand what you’re doing!” I want to kill him. I really do. “You are keeping me from what I really need to be happy!”
“What a confused little man you are!” he says mockingly. “You don’t know what you want! Is your crazy daddy going to fill that hole?”
Before I even decide it, my hands jump up to his throat and begin to squeeze. He is struggling, pulling at my thick forearms with his thin hands.
“I-I’m so-sorry, An-ndrew.”
I start to loosen my grip. D’s thin hands pry under mine until he is just rubbing his own throat.
“This is what I need, D.” I have calmed down. “You are my friend, aren’t you? Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“I want what’s best for you, Andrew.” his voice is raspy. “That’s all.”
12
Tempers have cooled. Both of us are sitting at the dining room table. D is nursing his sore throat with a cold glass of water.
“You aren’t going to have a hard time earning respect.” D says with a strained laugh. “I’m even more convinced now that you are the perfect successor to Mr. Ericson. I was always kind of weary of him, afraid, actually. He was an unstable man, sometimes incredibly kind and other times one step away from homicidal. Were you going to kill me, Andrew?” his eyes are kinder now, like a dog after being beat into submission.
“I was just frustrated, D.” I say with a deep sigh. “I never thought I would get to see my dad again. And then out of nowhere the reality of seeing him again was so close I could almost grab it. And you were in my way. You were holding it from me, like a cruel man who brings out food only to eat it in front of you. I’m sorry for choking you, D. I couldn’t control myself. But, we’ve come to an understanding, haven’t we?”
“I’ll show you where he lives, Andrew. Of course I want you to be happy. I also understand now that you need to see him for yourself. He is nothing like you, Andrew. You may be in name but you are a much better man to me. Just be prepared to be disappointed.”
“As I said before, D, I appreciate your concern. A true friend wants what’s best for me. And you are a true friend.”
D smiles as he finishes the water in his glass.
“I wonder where the girl is with your car.” he looks at his watch, as he clears his throat. “The office isn’t even that far away from here.” He pulls his flip phone back out, dialing the number as he rolls his eyes. “It shouldn’t be hard to find good help.”
Suddenly, the door bell rings.
D looks at the front door and then at his phone, “I must be psychic.”
I acknowledge his comment with a small laugh and walk toward the front door.
“Tell her to come in and see me while you go out and look at your brand new car.”
“Will do.”
I open the door. A woman in a little black dress and bright red heels is standing before me. Her hair is black, her eyes are copper, her lips are red. Her skin is the color of cream. I immediately imagine what I want to do with her in my bedroom, with the sky as my backdrop.
“Hi,” she says as she brushes her wind blown hair with her finger tips. “I’m Delilah.” she fl
ashes a smile at me.
“I’m Andrew.” I think a big goofy grin is on my face.
“Your car is beautiful. Maybe we can go for a ride sometime?”
“Definitely.”
She smiles again, “Here’s the keys.” she drops them in my hands. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” I remember what D said. “Oh. D wants to see you.”
She nods her head as I walk past. Her eyes follow me out the door. What a gorgeous woman she is.
My feet carry me quickly to my new car. It’s beautiful. Fireball orange. And it’s all mine. I look at the passenger seat and imagine Delilah owning it. And sometime down the line, the children I never got to have will be sitting in the back of it. When I’m a family man I may move us somewhere sunnier…
Trying to Go Home
1
I signed the necessary papers last night. The property is now mine. D said he would be by early this morning to bring me to see my dad. And being the gracious man that he is, he decided that I could keep my credits after all, to lease a third piece of land. He said that the visit to my dad is no charge. I know he hopes I find the whole reunion disappointing. Every time he talks about it, he continues to try to prepare me for something horrible.
Maybe D is just a man who didn’t have a good relationship with his father. And maybe he is projecting his experiences onto me. But, I had a good relationship with my dad. Spending nights out in that warm ice house, drinking Pepsi and eating lukewarm hotdogs are some of the best memories I have with him. I remember my dad was a kind man. Tall. Robust. Wise. When he died, it wasn’t expected. His heart gave out one day
