Almost Easy

by Amelia Oliver

  Wyatt and I look at one another, this kid.

  “Hi, handsome,” mom says as she enters the kitchen, kissing my cheek before moving to the oven and looking inside. My mom, basically untouched by time, looks gorgeous in a simple t-shirt and jeans.

  “How’s Irys?” I ask.

  “Supposed to be coming for dinner, she got discharged this morning,” mom tells me.

  “We eating soon?” I ask.

  “Waiting on Irys, Evan, Smokey and Em,” she tells me.

  I nod and reach into the fridge for a beer, not realizing how tense I was until I begin to feel the alcohol taking effect after a few sips.

  “I heard the school site was shut down,” Wyatt says.

  “Don’t remind me,” I sigh and take another pull from my beer.

  “I thought I heard you,” says Daisy, coming into the kitchen.

  She’s chopped her hair like a pixie cut or whatever they call it and it suits her.

  “Look at you Twiggy,” I smile and run my hand over the top of her short hair.

  I can see my words have her blushing with slight embarrassment, so I wrap an arm around her and pull her into my side. “If I was straight,” I begin and then look at Wyatt.

  “Well thank God you’re not. Daisy’s always had a thing for hard hats,” he winks.

  “Hey, where’s your sister, Abbey, been lately?” I ask.

  “Oh,” she sighs. “You know things with her have been…” she pauses, “ever since my dad had his heart attack a few years ago. My parents have taken her to see doctors, I know they thought she might have a mental disorder, since my uncle had schizophrenia, but they can’t find anything. Wyatt’s talked to her, tried to get her on anti-depressants, but she doesn’t want to. She likes to be alone, she doesn’t really talk to any of us. I’m hoping something changes for her soon,” Daisy tells me, all of this said in a sad tone and the only thing I can do is give her arm a pat in reassurance.

  “Mom, your phone’s blowing up,” Wyatt announces, and I turn to see it lighting up repeatedly on the counter.

  “I’m sure it’s Jo or Ro,” she says in a tone. The tone she uses for my younger twin sisters. Those two are something I don’t even know how to describe. They’ve made a name for themselves in college let’s just say.

  “Wonder if they got arrested again,” Wyatt teases, knowing exactly the reaction he’s going to get from our mom.

  “They weren’t arrested, they were detained. And no, they’re neither. They want to bitch about dad cutting off their credit cards, which were meant for food and they used on God knows what,” mom says.

  “Well, mom,” Wyatt says, putting an arm around her shoulders. “You guys were bound to have a couple of bad apples with six… at least Ruby’s normal,” he tells her with a smile.

  “Mom?” Ruby says, entering the kitchen with perfect timing. “Did you know it's impossible to hum while holding your nose?”

  We all look at Ruby blankly as she pinches her nostrils closed in an attempt to prove her statement, and I hear mom sigh behind me, “No, I didn’t, honey.”

  “Well… at least your three oldest are normal,” Wyatt amends.

  Finishing my beer, I grab another and head into the den. Wyatt and Daisy have disappeared somewhere and I hear Skye and Katie talking to Connor and Madeline in the front room, while my dad, along with Nathan and Joey, are in the den.

  “Yeah, I’ll head over there this week,” Joey says.

  They’re all spread out in front of the T.V., my dad and Joey in leather recliners, while Nathan sits on one of the leather couches. They all turn toward me and give me some silent greeting as I sit down on the same couch as Nathan.

  “How’s it going?” Nathan asks me.

  “Okay, I never knew watching kids was so exhausting.”

  A round of grunts comes from them and I look up at the game on the television.

  “We expecting Rupert for dinner?” dad asks.

  I turn to look at him, his eyes are on the game as I swallow and look down, knowing Rupert’s been talking to my dad about the plans since he couldn’t get a hold of me.

  “No,” I shake my head.

  “He told me you were pissed about the blueprints,” dad tells me, drinking from his own beer.

  “Of course I was.” I state, my brows pulling together.

  “Well, it’s been worked out now.”

  I look at him, his eyes still focused on the game.

  “What’s going on?” Joey asks.

  “Nolan’s not talking to Rupert over the plans and permits being messed up,” dad tells him.

  “No, that’s not why… okay, maybe it is, or really, it was the catalyst,” I sigh, running my hand across my forehead.

  “Isn’t that all sorted out?” Joey asks in regard to the paperwork and Nathan nods. “So, what’s really the problem?” Joey asks.

  I look up at the ceiling, these men are my family and I know they’re trying to help, but at the moment, the reasons for why Rupert and I aren’t speaking just seem silly now.

  “He’s scared,” I state.

  They all look at me, except dad.

  “I know everyone here knows what I am, but he’s still getting used to this place and how sometimes people don’t like us for what we are. It scares me that he’ll leave because of it, that I won’t be enough to make him stay—”

  “Well not talking to him isn’t probably going to help with that,” dad says.

  “He’s right, you pushing him away before he can, just shows him that maybe there isn’t anything to stick around for,” Nathan says.

  I sigh, knowing they’re right.

  “You love him, don’t you?” Joey asks, and I look at him, nodding. “Then stop overthinking. You can’t force him to be comfortable here, that’s for him to do for himself. All you can do is be supportive, try to see things from his perspective and just be there.”

  I know he’s right, that they’re all right. I still just need time, and I give myself a deadline to talk to him at the event on Tuesday night.

  Ch 16

  RUPERT

  Watching Nolan walk out of my office nearly gutted me. I think it was only the residual adrenalin from our argument that kept me standing and not running after him. You want to know you’re alive? Fall in love. Sure, the euphoria of it makes you giddy as fuck, but the pain of it when things go to shit? That’s when you really know you’re human. It also makes things crystal fucking clear as to where your priorities are, and what’s most important to you.

  Letting out a deep breath, I lean down and pick up the papers that had fallen to the floor. Pushing them together in a messy pile, I drop them on the table in front of me. As I go to walk back to my desk, something catches my eye. Separating a sheet from the others, I notice initials at the bottom of it that I don’t recognize. I feel the table vibrate beneath my fingers, and know that it’s the vibrating buzz that comes just prior to my phone ringing. Grabbing it, before the first notes of the ringer even finish, I answer the call.

  “Steve,” the relief in my voice at finally having the building inspector on the phone is obvious, even to my own ears. “Thanks for calling back.”

  I’m trying to remain calm, after all this guy is just doing his job and the sooner I can work with him to sort this mess out, the better it is for everyone.

  “Rupert, sorry I couldn’t take your calls earlier, I’ve been on a site visit over in Bannister. You callin’ about the high school shut down?”

  “Yeah, I am. I’ve had a quick meeting with Nolan, so I’m in the loop on the infringement. I can assure you that the problem must be out of this office and PC are not at fault.”

  “Look, I want to see that project back up just as quickly as you do. My kids go to that school.”

  He sighs and I get the feeling issuing the shutdown was not something he wanted to do, but rather that he didn’t have a choice.

  Steve continues, “If you can get all the contracts, plans and permits square over the next few
days, I’ll make time to do the site inspection again on Tuesday morning. After that, I’m on vacation for two weeks and you’ll get the hard-ass inspector from Beaver Falls instead. So, Tuesday? That work for you?”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding as he was talking. I recognized the hail-Mary pass I had just been thrown; and I am not fucking dropping the ball again.

  “Absolutely. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll confirm with you on Monday that we’re ready to go. Thanks Steve, I appreciate it.”

  Hanging up the phone, I call Nolan to let him know that I’ve started to move things in the right direction. It rings twice and gets sent to voicemail. Fuck. My stomach flips, and I feel stinging in the back of my eyes. I hang up without leaving a message. Running my hand over my face, I pull myself together. Clearly, he needs time, and me dwelling on him being pissed at me is not a good use of mine.

  Getting to the bottom of this shit-storm is.

  ******

  “Beth!” I yell through my open office door out to where she’s sitting at her desk. I’m burning out and I need caffeine. Between not sleeping and not eating, I’m running on empty.

  Missing Nolan is a constant ache in my body, but as painful as it is, I welcome it. It pushes me to focus, to work quickly and accurately. To get everything with the project back on track, so I can then get us back on track. It’s coming up to lunchtime on Friday and since yesterday, I’ve only left the office for an hour to go home for a shower and change my suit. I’ve got everything ready on the blueprints and I’ve triple checked that all the permit applications match the corresponding plans. No longer trusting just myself, I then had Beth check everything too. Doubt is a nagging bitch. Poking at me here and there, whispering to me that this is my fuck up, despite the fact that in my stronger moments, I know it isn’t.

  “Yes?” she asks quietly from my doorway, which only serves to remind me how loud I just called her name. I instantly feel shitty.

  “I’m sorry Beth, I didn’t mean to yell out to you like that, I apologize.”

  She smiles a little and looks down at her feet before meeting my eyes, “It’s okay Rupert, I get that you’re under pressure here. How can I help?”

  “I’ve got all the applications ready to go upstairs for approval and sign off. Can you take them up for me please? I want to start working on the contracts,” I tell her, waving my arm toward the pile on the corner of my desk.

  “No problem. How about I bring you a coffee when I get back. Some lunch too maybe?” she asks.

  “Coffee would be great, but I’ll grab something to eat later. Thanks Beth.” I’m pretty sure if I ate anything right now I’d throw up. She gathers the folders and turns to leave, “Oh, and would you shut my door?”

  Once the door is closed I grab my phone and call Nolan again, you never know fifth time is the charm, right? As soon as the call connects and I hear it ringing, my heart lurches in my chest. Please pick up you beautiful stubborn bastard; just give me a sign that we’re going to be ok, that we can work through this. My prayer is unanswered as the call again goes to voicemail. I don’t leave a message, choosing to text him instead.

  RH: Just wanted to update you on the project. Everything is on track so far. I know how this must look to you, but I swear I didn’t fuck this up.

  Pressing send, I keep my phone in my hand, eyes fixed on the screen. I would give anything to see those three bubbles pop up right now.

  They don’t.

  Giving up, I pick up the landline on my desk to call Dornan, one of the three owners of Plantain Construction. As if things couldn’t be more fucked up, he’s also Nolan’s dad. Oh, and let’s not forget, I’d clumsily deflowered his eldest daughter and used her as a shield for three years. You’d think all of this would put me on at least three of Dornan’s shit lists at a minimum, but he’s been cool to deal with. I’ve called him each time I’d had something completed, making sure to keep PC in the loop and be as transparent as I can. As he picks up and starts to speak, my single thought is; at least there’s one Frederickson man that answers when I call. What I wouldn’t give for his eldest son to do the same.

  ***

  I’ve worked most of the weekend, everything is nearly finished and will be ready to courier to PC first thing Monday morning. Once they have the paperwork, I’ll call Steve and confirm that Tuesday is a go for the site reassessment. I could’ve made that call when I’d spoken with Dornan last night, but I didn’t want to jinx myself.

  Lying on the day bed in my parent’s sunroom, I’m staring at the ceiling fan, contemplating what I’m going to do next. It’s early Sunday morning and Nolan still hasn’t responded to any of my calls or text messages. I’m beginning to think that is a message in itself. I know he’s probably still got Connor with him because Irys is sick, but if he wanted to touch base he would’ve found the time somewhere. I’ve got to start facing fact’s here. Yeah, I grew up in Plantain, but I made a break away from it once. I could do it again. It would kill a part of me to do it, but this place is Nolan’s home. His family, his friends, his business – they’re all here in Plantain. Maybe I should start looking for another job? I’ve only saved the one I have by the skin of my teeth, so I doubt they’d be sad to see me go.

  I hear my phone ping over on the coffee table with an incoming message, but I can’t reach it from where I am, so I don’t move.

  At some point during watching the blades rotate, and thinking about how maybe the best thing I could do for the man I love is to leave; for the first time in three days, I fall asleep.

  Naturally, I dream of Nolan.

  ******

  Monday morning I’m letting myself into the municipal building when I see a dark sedan pull over to the sidewalk and a passenger gets out. It looks like the dark sedan I saw idling at the end of Nolan’s drive a few weeks back. Just as I walk through the door I look back at the man who’s now walking towards the building. William Patrick. No wonder he knew about Nolan and I being together, he’d seen it well before the gala. Well, he doesn’t have to worry about being repulsed by us now, not only are we no longer together; this morning I’m handing in my resignation.

  Reaching my office I head straight to the worktable and start to pack up all the things I’ve been working on over the past few days. As I move a stack of papers, the one I’d found a few days back catches my attention again. I’d completely forgotten about it. So intent on just fixing the mega-fuckup we were all in, I didn’t give another thought to what this might be. Taking it with me, I bring it back over to my desk.

  “Good Morning Rupert,” Beth says as she walks into my office, stopping in front of my desk. “The courier has just picked up everything for PC. They should have it in about twenty minutes.”

  Thank fuck for that. That’s the first item achieved on today’s long list of things to do before resigning.

  “Brilliant, thanks Beth. And thanks again for all your extra work over the last few days, I really couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Even though I’m still a little tired, and a fuck of a lot heartbroken, I muster up a genuine smile, which she returns. She’s been invaluable to me, having worked for the city since she left high school, she really knows her way around this place. Which reminds me, “Before you go, can you take a look at this, there’s a signature at the bottom?” I pass it over, to her, pointing at where I want her to look, “Do you know who’s it is?”

  “Yes,” she says. “That’s Shelia’s. She works for Mr. Patrick.”

  Without realizing the holy-shit bomb she’s just dropped, Beth picks up the pile of paperwork I have in my outbox and leaves the office.

  MOTHERFUCKER! William fucking Patrick.

  All the pieces fall into place for me now, and I know without a shadow of a doubt, that I did nothing wrong. That conniving bastard set me up.

  I pull my phone out from my jacket pocket to call Nolan, finding I have an unopened message from him. This must have been the one that came through yesterday before I fell asleep
.

  My heart galloping in my chest, I’m near frantic as I read it, inhaling every single one of his words. What has me up and out of my chair though are not technically his words at all. Those two XX’s at the end of his message are all the fucking sign I need, and I’ve never loved a letter of the alphabet more in my life. Energized, I stride out of my office; I have only two things left to do now.

  Kill the career of William Patrick and get my fucking man back.

  ******

  Walking right into William’s office, and straight up to the front of the desk he’s sitting behind, I unleash, “You hateful motherfucker! How could you do this? Do you know how much damage you could’ve caused?”

  “I beg your pardon!” He spits indignantly, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. And, you can’t be in here, I have a meeting in a few minutes.”

  “Cut the shit Bill, you were the one who fucked with the paperwork for the PC High School project!” I yell.

  “That’s a lie!” he retorts, pushing back and standing from his chair, “And you can’t prove a thing.”

  I huff out an incredulous laugh, “You’re not all that bright are you Bill? One, if it’s a lie, why would I need to prove anything?” I take a breath, “And two, your admin clerk’s initials were on the bottom of the contract. Right where all admin clerks sign when they’ve altered a document… for their boss!”

  I watch as realization flickers across his toad-like face, and I want to punch his fucking lights out.

  “Did you even consider the consequences of this? I get you wanted me gone, but what about the high school? The reputation of Plantain Construction?” I challenge him, watching as his eyes start to bug out of his head.

  “Plantain Construction is run by a bunch of barely legitimate biker hoodlums and criminals, and the high school gym contract would’ve been given to a much more suitable construction crew after you were all gone!” William near screams at me, the rage in his body evident, as the hands he’s waving around form fists. “But you, you industrious little faggot, had to be the big hero and save the day and get the project back on track for your equally filthy boyfriend!”