by Kyle Baxter
“Your other half called last night and invited us to help decorate.” Kevin’s confused expression indicated he expected Alex to know this.
“Of course, sorry, there’s a lot going on,” he said, covering for David, but he was unsure why. This was a surprise. David was coming. “My other half,” he mumbled, not able to keep the smile from creeping over his face.
Kevin gestured to the doors. “He’s right behind us. Ran to grab hot chocolate at Lacey’s after we parked. He’s a good guy.”
The smile won out and burst over his face. “He is.”
The children’s shining faces turned to him. “Boots on the drop cloth, please, and coats—surprise, surprise—go in the coat check.” He pointed to the area left of the front doors. “Sorry if you have to scoot around in your socks, but the carpet’s brand new.”
While Kevin helped Brandi, Alex helped Eric off with his boots. He gave him a stern eye.
“What’s up?” The boy grinned.
“We discussed you calling me ‘Pop.’”
Eric’s face fell. “Sorry.”
“I mean to say thank you. You calling me that is a massive compliment and I really appreciate it, but it’s still not appropriate. Do you understand?” he asked.
“Okay.” Eric tugged on one of his fingers.
The boy was crestfallen, so Alex rumpled his hair. “Who’s my favorite buddy?”
Brightening, the nugget pointed at himself. “Me.”
“Yes, you are. How’s school going? Is everything okay?” Alex paid close attention to his expression. Eric looked down and shrugged. “We’ll get in some more self-defense lessons over Christmas break, okay? But we have to tell your dad.”
“I know.” Eric took his hand and they joined the others.
“Where is he anyway? He’s taking his sweet time with the refreshing beverages.”
With a swirl of freshly fallen snow, David burst into the theater, looking for all the world like a mountain man with his heavy coat, big boots, and snow topping his wool bomber hat. He clearly hadn’t shaved, because his face had a natural scruffy stubble, the kind Hollywood strove to emulate. In his hands, he held bags loaded with baked goods and a thermos of hot chocolate with cups.
Alex’s breath caught in his chest.
“Hey!” David grinned.
Bonnie came right behind him. She glanced from one to the other. “I’m here too, thank you very much.”
“Boots.” Alex pointed to the corner. Rushing over, he took the bags and thermos from David.
“This okay?” David indicated Kevin and the children with a grin.
“That smile gets you out of more problems than you know.” He gave him a frosty look, but it had no teeth to it and only made David grin wider.
“Mr. Lacey says hello.” He held up a second bag. “And he sent nazouks.”
Alex snatched the bag. “This is most unfair. I’m diligently trying to rein in my carbs.” He patted his stomach. He took the bags and thermos to the candy counter and called over his shoulder, “Come on. Time for second breakfast.”
David put on his best Middle Earth accent. “You know about second breakfast?”
“Boots,” Alex reminded.
Brandi walked up to him and slapped a bracelet on his wrist.
“Thank you?” Alex couldn’t believe slap bracelets were back in. Or did they ever go out?
Eric glowered. “All the kids are into them.”
“But not you. You’re too cool, huh?” Brandi rolled her eyes.
Eric shot her a glare, then held his own arm out. She slapped a bracelet on it. David came over, already wearing his own slap bracelet. Brandi was a determined young lady and clearly good for the nugget.
He waved them all over. “All right, let’s eat. Then we get to work.”
“What’s a nazouk?” Brandi asked.
“It’s an Armenian pastry. My mom used to make them.” Alex held the bag open for anyone to grab one. Eric and Brandi snagged one each.
While Kevin poured everyone cups of hot chocolate from the thermos, David leaned close to Alex.
“How’s Mama today?” he asked. Bonnie overheard and inched closer.
“She threw me out and told me to be sure I got here early,” Alex grumbled between mouthfuls.
The corner of Bonnie’s mouth turned up. “That sounds about right.”
“By any chance did she know you were coming?” Alex finished his pastry and wiped his hands with the napkin.
“‘By any chance?’ You’re so weird.” David popped a donut hole into his wide mouth. “She may have suggested it.”
“She’s impossible,” Bonnie said with a titter.
Nudging Alex with an elbow, David whispered, “Just like you.”
Bonnie walked to the middle of the lobby. “All right, everyone, get together. I’m taking pictures.” She arranged them all in front of the candy counter and held up her phone to take the photo. “Now everyone say, ‘Merry Christmas’!”
#
It was early afternoon when Tandi arrived with more decorations and lunch, much to everyone’s delight. Alex made a show of moaning about his carb intake, again. He was indulging more than usual on this trip home.
“Felix suggested it at the hospital,” Tandi explained as David helped her. She pulled sandwiches out of the bags and arrayed them on the counter. “Claire is so eager to get out of there. She’d be here if she could.”
David gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”
Tandi approved of everything but, like a good grandmother, made a special point of praising Eric and Brandi’s efforts. Watching her with David’s son, Alex remembered her as disapproving of him, and this new version of her appealed to him. It suits her.
He noticed David eyeing his mother warily when a photo album appeared from her briefcase. Pulling the kids aside, she escaped with them to the employee breakroom. They sat on the refurbished upholstered couch Alex found at a junk shop. He followed along, curious to see the album, but hung in the background.
Eric and Brandi regaled her with stories of their day. He was amazed at how quickly they’d become fast friends.
Tandi opened the old photo album to a random page and Eric pointed in excitement. “That’s Bonnie,” he exclaimed. Then, in a whisper, “Back when her name was Ben.”
“She didn’t always have an easy time of it.” Tandi glanced at him over her shoulder. “Neither did Alex, but they and your father were always great friends.”
Eric ran a finger over the edges of the photo.
Brandi picked at the remains of her bag of chips. “They were like a family.”
“We were,” Alex agreed.
“Now this is one of my favorites.” Tandi pointed at a photo of two boys at an ice rink. A man stood in the background, watching.
Eric’s eyes went wide in delight. “Is that Dad and Alex?”
“This is the first photo of them together.” Tandi pulled Eric a little tighter to her.
“They’re on skates,” Brandi pointed out.
“That’s how they met. They were both learning how to skate at the old rink on Main. It’s long gone now.”
“You taught Dad?” Eric asked him.
Alex leaned over the couch. “No, we were keeping each other from falling.”
“Who’s that?” Eric pointed at the man standing behind the boys in the photo.
“My father,” he said stiffly.
Glancing back and forth between the man behind him and the man in the photo, the boy was silent, but Alex could see it in his eyes. I look like him.
“He was such a handsome man.” Tandi turned the page.
Alex left the room, returning to the lobby. David and Bonnie munched on sandwiches, talking animatedly with Kevin. At the front door, he slipped on his boots and stepped out into the cold.
Snow was falling. He’d have to chip ice off the front windshield of the SUV if this kept up. How deep was it supposed to fall? There were no alerts on their phones yet, so he ho
ped it was minimal.
City Christmas decorations were scarce on this block. Too many shuttered businesses, but the area was ripe for revitalization. They needed to add some decor to the outside of the theater as well. Appearance was everything.
I look like him. The thought rattled through his head. He didn’t want to be like his father in any way. That was why he rarely drank. He knew what waited for him. On special occasions, he might have a glass of Champagne or wine, but that was it.
The door of the Orpheum opened, and David came out, holding his jacket. He tried to take it, but instead, David helped him on with it. Good, ol’ reliable David. What did I do to deserve you?
“Your nose is getting red.” David tweaked it.
“I’ll be in shortly.”
“What’s up?” He moved closer to him, to huddle.
“Your mother has a photo album.”
David took in a breath between his teeth and then exhaled a cloud. “I saw.”
“There was a picture. My dad was in it. I look just like him.”
David’s mouth formed a perfect, inaudible O.
“I agree wholeheartedly.” He smirked with a shiver.
Considering for a moment, David held his gaze. “You do look like him, but just in case you need to hear this, you are not your father. You’re not going to become your father. Alexander Capili is a good man.” David pronounced his first name with the Armenian accent like Alex’s mother’s family. He remembered!
Bowing his head, he peered up at his friend. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, I’m going back inside because it’s cold as hell and I’m freezing my fat ass off.”
“God knows we can’t have that.” Alex trotted after him. “Your fat ass is too nice to lose.”
Chapter Forty-Two
This Is Me
“Where are the kids?” David returned to Bonnie. She handed him a strand of lights to hang over the door leading into the auditorium. Alex rejoined Kevin, helping string garland along the ornate handrail leading to the second floor.
“Still with your mother in the breakroom,” Kevin said.
“No good will come of that.” He found himself distracted by the pleasing shape of Alex’s back as he climbed up the ladder. Twirling the staple gun in his hand like a gunslinger, Alex blew on the end and gave him a wink. Don’t do that.
Bonnie caught the path of his eye. “I see some things certainly never change.”
“No, they don’t.” He draped the strand over the frame on small hooks.
She passed him more lights. “I sense a ‘but.’”
David said, “No. No ‘but.’ Just letting this, whatever it is, take us where it wants.” He plugged two strands of lights together and cheered when both strands lit up.
“That attitude is surprisingly mature.” She put a hand on her hip.
“You can’t find magic if you aren’t open to it.” But a fling won’t cut it. He wanted more. Climbing down, he scooted the ladder farther along.
“Sounds familiar . . .” She laughed.
Alex returned to the coat check. David’s eyes followed him, watching his friend slip on his overboots and step outside again. The cold wind stirred the room.
Bonnie put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. “Maybe you should ask him on a date, a real date, and not just you two working together.”
Side-eyeing her, he strung the lights along the garland decorating the door frame. “Pot meet kettle.”
“What does that mean?”
“One word: Justin.”
She pinched him. “You’re a vile, vile man.”
Their teasing was interrupted by Alex walking in the theater with boxes of decorations. Justin entered after him, arms overloaded.
“Look who I found.” Alex smirked.
David walked over and high-fived Justin. “Dude, you have the best timing.” Mustering an innocent face, he turned to Bonnie. “You should help him.”
With a withering glare, she helped the new arrival with his coat. David watched them in smug satisfaction. Grinning, Justin pulled his hat off and shook out his shaggy mane.
Bonnie took every opportunity to snap photos that afternoon. Some were posed, but most were candid. Everyone was happy to let her tag them on the CYA’s social media accounts, provided they got copies.
It was only a few hours before Justin and Bonnie left for Capili’s to gear up for the dinner shift. Though they assured Alex he wasn’t needed, David knew he felt guilty. It would be so like him.
“Let me take the rest of you out to dinner,” Alex volunteered to the crew.
“We’d love to, but we have other plans tonight. Sorry,” Kevin said. “Are y’all going to the tree lighting tomorrow night?”
“That’s the plan.” David put a hand on Alex’s shoulder while they watched Kevin help Brandi with her jacket.
“Y’all?” Alex asked.
Kevin grinned. “I grew up in Dallas.”
“I want to go with them,” Brandi whined.
“We’ll go next time, dear.” Kevin lifted her up so she could slide into her pink snow boots, and he shared a look with David. “Dinner with the in-laws, know what I mean?”
Eric and Brandi shared a whisper together before they left, a sight that pleased David. He had a real friend!
“Looks like it’s just us.” He straightened up the boxes and leftover decorations. Alex collected the tools they used and set them on the candy counter.
“Where’s your mom?” Alex looked around.
David led Eric to the coat check. “She slipped out an hour ago.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye.” Alex followed and helped Eric with his boots.
Watching them, he felt a smile creep over his face. “You were giving Justin a tour of the theater when she left.” Pulling on his own coat, he waited by the front door.
“Bonnie needs to make a move.” Alex put a teal scarf around his neck. “He’s obviously smitten with her.”
“She’s scared. I understand that.” David helped him zip up his jacket. “You know that Kevin’s a great guy.”
“He is—and built like a tank.”
“A fuzzy little tank,” David added.
“I’m glad you invited them. Can’t wait to meet Brandon. Now, where do we want to go to dinner—that’s not Capili’s.” He pointed a finger at Eric, making the boy giggle. He turned the lights off as David opened the door.
They took Alex’s SUV; it was roomier. After a brief but spirited discussion, they settled on the RiverHouse Restaurant on Roundout Boulevard in Midtown. It was a near-fine dining venue that offered New American cuisine.
“What’s New American cuisine?” Eric asked.
“High-falutin’ steaks and smashed taters.” Alex pulled the SUV into the parking lot.
“That’s a terrible Southern accent. And near-fine dining?” David asked.
“TGI Fridays with table cloths,” Alex said, getting a hearty guffaw from him.
Dinner was good, if not remarkable, but it qualified as comfort food and they enjoyed it. Alex pulled the Capili card, using his family name to get Eric a tour of the kitchen’s dessert station before their meal. On his way back from the bathroom, David ran into his boss, Mark Horton, by the bar. Small towns . . .
“Good to see you. Dinner with the family, I see.” Horton nodded to the table where Alex and Eric huddled together, whispering and coloring on the kid’s menu.
“Do you want crayons?” the hostess asked when they were seated.
He laughed when Alex and Eric spoke at the same time with a firm declaration: “Of course we want crayons.”
“You out with the missus?” David asked.
Horton glanced at his watch. “Waiting on her is more like it.”
They stood awkwardly until David finally asked, “Any news on when a decision is coming about the supervisor position?”
“Before Christmas. It’s down to you and one other person.”
“Bryan’s a goo
d worker,” David said.
“Oh, not him. A late entry in the race. It’s no big thing.” Horton waved dismissively. “How are preparations for the CYA party going?”
“Wonderfully. You’ll enjoy it.” David gestured to the table. “That’s Alex Capili. He’s spearheading it.” Another person applied? That was news. Was it someone from another shift? He couldn’t think of any qualified who might want it except . . .
“You’re certainly spending a lot of time on it.” Horton took a sip of his whiskey.
That pulled David’s attention back full force. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve heard you’ve taken a lot of time off lately,” he said meaningfully.
David narrowed his eyes. “I can assure you I’m not neglecting my duties at the hospital.”
“I’m sure, but one must wonder, with your involvement with the charity . . .” Horton’s voice trailed off.
“How so?” He was in no mind to let it go.
Dr. Horton bobbed his head. “It could really be something, a force for good in the community. Maybe your time would be better spent there than as nursing supervisor.”
He felt the world drop out from under him. Where was this coming from? Was someone talking behind his back? He tried to keep the disappointment from showing on his face. “I guess that’s something you’ll have to decide on.”
Horton nodded and they stood there for a protracted moment.
“Capili, is he Claire Capili’s boy?” The man pointed at Alex.
“Yes.” David didn’t correct him. It was a natural assumption and not incorrect.
“I heard she was at EMC. Stopped in to see her the other day.” Turning, he set his glass behind him on the bar. “I really wish there was something we could do . . .”
“I do too, sir. She means a lot to me. How do you know the Capilis?”
He chuckled. “I’ve been eating at their restaurant for . . . well, forever. They’re almost as much a fixture in this town as your family.” Waving to the bartender, he indicated his glass.
“I should get back,” David said. “Good to see you.” They shook hands and David returned to the table. Last week, the job was in the bag. Now someone else was up for it. His stomach churned as he sat down.
