Demetrius, page 4
Keep your head down.
Stay the course.
Do the right thing.
Be better than the best.
Doesn’t matter if you’re unhappy and unconsciously letting it leak out in every interaction with your wife and kid. Stay together if only for appearances because a two-parent household is best.
Responsibilities first, and feelings last.
So what happens when those emotions well up and threaten to suffocate you? How do you handle your responsibilities when you can barely keep yourself together?
Dad never taught me that part, but life sure as hell was trying to stress test my response by dumping load after load on my shoulders.
I didn’t know how to handle the sudden feelings surging inside of me. I was tired of feeling this way. So I did what I always did when I felt overwhelmed. I pushed the rebellious urge down, the feeling of wanting to break down, and tried my best to “fix it.”
Which meant carrying my ass back to Miguel’s truck, helping Meechie with his homework tonight while he and Denise video chatted, and getting to bed so I could be up bright and early tomorrow. Rinse and repeat.
I walked out of the shop with my shoulders squared and chin raised up. But as I slipped inside Miguel’s truck, I sucked in a sharp, shaky breath.
I quickly tried to school my expression, but I knew my vulnerability was leaking out. The urge to whine like a child welled up inside of me. And I hated myself for it.
“Is everything all right?” he asked as I put in the directions home and placed my phone on his phone mount.
“It will be. If you don’t mind, could you drive me home?”
I could’ve punched myself, hearing the sound of my voice wobble. Grown baby. A totaled car wasn’t the end of the world, I reminded myself. But even I knew it wasn’t the car being totaled that was making me act this way.
“Of course.”
Simple. Friendly. Open. And, most importantly, not being nosy. All things I desperately needed at that moment. With a deep sigh, I turned my head towards the window, crossing my arms over my chest as my heart thudded against my ribs.
And I allowed myself to let go, if only a little bit, and see where life took us in this odd attempt at being co-workers and friends.
CHAPTER 6
MIGUEL
I glanced at Demetrius as we crossed into Norton Heights. For a second there, Demetrius had seemed different, almost… soft, like someone who needed to be protected.
It was a weird juxtaposition of his personality and my instinct. In one way, he was cold and terse, but suddenly I wondered if that personality was used as a wall.
And of course, now I intrinsically wanted to break through it to see what was on the other side.
But he was sitting stoically, looking out the window as though nothing was wrong, as though he hadn’t looked completely distraught by his car being totaled, as though that meant his whole life was falling apart.
“Take a look at that,” I said. Hoping to pull him out of his thoughts, I pointed out the sky above. “The benefit of an oceanside town is definitely the sky.”
“The sky?” Demetrius repeated, amused.
“Oh yeah,” I said, watching his gaze fix on the pink and orange clouds. “The sunsets are beautiful from anywhere in the city, but the sunrises are even better.”
I felt him watching me and glanced over, catching his gaze for a moment before he looked away.
“When do you find time to watch the sunrise?” he mused after a moment. “Actually, when does anyone?”
“Almost every morning,” I chuckled. “Before work.”
When I looked at him this time, he was gaping, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re joking.”
I shook my head.
“No, the pier is on my way to work, and I take my breakfast and sit there.”
His eyes widened.
“I can’t remember ever taking the time to watch the sun set or rise. Of course, mornings are pretty busy when you have to get ready for school…”
He drifted off.
Curiously, I glanced at him. He was looking out the window, gaze still fixed on the sky above.
“Did you just recently graduate?”
“Huh?”
I wanted to pry, but my directions app rudely interrupted by saying that we had arrived at our destination.
I pulled up to his address with interest. Norton Heights wasn’t as upscale as some of the neighborhoods in Gaynor Beach, but it was still upper middle class. The homes here were nice, clean, and the people were friendly. It was exactly the type of place where you would want to raise a family. Dan had lived around the block and I’d always liked the vibes around here, though I had never seen Demetrius around. Demetrius’ place was one of the smaller homes, but it was beautiful, with solid white siding, black trim, and artfully done millwork. Somehow, it suited him, even though he didn’t seem like he would be the friendliest of neighbors.
Case in point, he didn’t even say goodbye. He wasted no time opening the door and climbing out, almost as though he couldn’t wait to get away from me despite the somewhat friendly conversations we’d had.
At the last moment, he paused and bent down to look at me.
“Thanks,” he muttered, but then, something else caught my eye. Something that had my jaw dropping. The door behind him opened and a small person popped their head out.
“No way! You have a kid!” I exclaimed.
Why that made my heart soar the way it did was no mystery. I was already achingly lonely with Dan’s family now gone.
I didn’t want to replace them or anything, but I was still out of the car and marching up the walkway well before Demetrius could even follow what was happening.
“Hey there!”
I couldn’t help a huge grin as the startled kid took the hand I offered and shook, looking confused.
“I’m Miguel, your dad’s friend from work.”
“Oh.”
He glanced over at his dad for confirmation.
Demetrius had just reached my side and nodded to his son.
“This is my son Demetrius, Meechie for short.”
The similarities were uncanny, right down to that same judgmental eyebrow quirk.
“Meech is better…”
I laughed.
“Man, you two are so alike.”
Meech frowned and I bit my lip.
“Sorry, I know, no kid wants to be compared to their parents, right? But don’t worry, you’re lucky with those genetics.”
Demetrius cleared his throat.
“Alright, well, thanks for the ride.”
“What happened to the car?” Meech asked.
Demetrius shook his head.
“It can’t be fixed.”
Meech’s frown deepened.
“So, I have to keep walking?”
“For now, yeah. Gaynor Elementary’s only around the block.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know anyone...”
Surprised, I cut in.
“Oh, did you guys just move to Gaynor?”
“Yeah,” Meech said, even though I had asked his father. “The middle of nowhere.”
My brows shot up.
“What? No! This place is the best! And you came at the best time of year!”
Suddenly I was on a roll, describing all that the town had to offer.
“It’s the friendliest place on earth,” I said. “There are so many nice small businesses owned by locals, an independent cinema that plays really fun, obscure movies, a drive-in. On the water, there are boat rentals, kayaking, windsurfing, you name it. And we go all out for holidays here. The Fright Night is amazing, and the Autumn Festival is unreal. There’s games, bands, you name it. There’s even a parade.”
Meech actually looked interested and suddenly, I couldn’t leave it at that.
“You have to let me take you.”
Meech looked up at Demetrius. Despite being in the age group where kids liked to pretend that they were too cool to be interested, there was hope in his eyes and suddenly, it hit me how lonely the two of them must be.
Demetrius sighed and nodded.
“Sure, if you don’t mind.”
He glanced at me, looking almost nervous, and a warmth settled over me.
“No worries,” I insisted. Then, as an afterthought, I added, “You can bring anyone you like, maybe your mother?”
Meech swallowed and shook his head.
“No, she stayed in Bethesda.”
I heard the note of bitterness in his voice loud and clear.
“Ah,” I said, offering him a sympathetic smile even as a small, selfish tendril of pleasure filled me.
Demetrius wasn’t married; he was probably single. They’d just moved here after all and—none of that mattered because we worked together, and he was most likely straight.
I hadn’t gotten any interested vibes off of him, at the very least.
Still, I reminded myself, having another friend would be just as worthwhile.
“Just us boys then,” I said. “We can hit the Autumn Festival.”
Demetrius nodded, and Meech seemed to inflate a little, a smile lifting his lips.
“Thanks Miguel,” he said.
I reached out and patted his shoulder.
“No, thank you. I can’t wait!”
He grinned.
When I looked at Demetrius, he was watching me oddly, but he quickly blinked and smiled.
“See you tomorrow,” he said. “Thanks again for the ride.”
“Anytime,” I said, and then just as I was about to leave, I paused and found myself turning back to him. “You’re on my way. I can come to get you in the morning.”
He blinked.
“That’s not necessary.”
I grinned.
“I know it’s not necessary.”
“Oh.”
I raised my brows, still smiling.
“Seven?”
He nodded mutely and I went back to my car, feeling lighter than I had all week.
CHAPTER 7
DEMETRIUS
“Thank you, professor. I promise I won’t let you down.” I peeked out a hole that would become a window soon enough as a delivery crew placed newly ordered flooring on large tarps outside.
The charred wooden planks, a Japanese method called shou sugi ban, would give Winchelsea House a modern feel using a traditional method, one that had caught on all across California.
“Don’t worry,” Professor Furukawa’s voice chided on the other end of the line, “I trust you, Demetrius. I wouldn’t recommend you for a project of this magnitude if I didn’t believe in your talent. Just be sure everything is perfect in the basement. When my grandsons are born, I want to turn part of it into a nursery for them.”
I nodded at that, watching as Miguel, Mike, and Chris hauled the wood inside, turning away quickly as soon as Miguel and I locked eyes.
Somehow he always seemed to know when I was looking his way. And I found myself sneaking glances more than I would’ve liked to admit in those days.
We’d been riding in together all week, and as odd as our arrangement was, it was for the best. Thank God I got gap coverage, despite Denise insisting when I brought it that it was a waste of money.
I was a safe driver, so in her mind, it was a waste of money. And I was, with no accidents on my record since I got my license. Until that mattress went flying through the air, that is.
So I was thankful for Miguel, for being generous with his time while I waited for my insurance to pay me out. Without that pending check, I’d be ass out for months as I scrambled together enough money to get a new car while keeping a roof over our heads.
“Of course, of course,” I finally said, coming back to the conversation. “I know that. It’s just that I want to deliver the very best. For you, your daughter, and your grandchildren. It means the world that you trust me.”
And I really meant it, not just because this project was keeping me afloat post-divorce. No, it was because I respected the professor more than any man I’d known other than my own father.
Hiroshi Furukawa was a world-renowned architect who had somehow ended up teaching at the School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation at the University of Maryland during my sophomore year.
I ditched my would-be career in biomedical engineering after attending one of his lectures and never looked back.
Much to my dad’s dismay, though, he still paid my bills through graduate school, which I would be forever thankful for.
The professor made architecture come alive in a way that moved my soul. If I had it my way, I would have probably gone into history and preservation work proper, but there was no way my dad would allow me to pursue a career outside of STEM on his dime, so architectural preservation and restoration became my life.
And now my favorite professor was saving my life once again, soon-to-be-retired in the same town if Smithson Construction stayed on budget and on time.
“You always deliver your best. I’ve never known you not to,” he reassured me in his soft yet stern voice, coughing slightly, sounding out of breath.
I frowned, worried. I had heard bits and pieces of why he was moving out to California, and effectively retiring in his early fifties. Something about a recent sickness and wanting to be closer to his daughter, Sara, was what got back to me.
Hiroshi’s wife had passed away years ago, and he had become a shell of himself for a while. I hoped he wasn’t terminally ill or something, though I realized that was most definitely not the case. He wouldn’t hide something that serious from me.
I hoped, anyway.
But whatever had made him sick was bad enough he decided to pick up and leave the east coast behind too, back to the state where he grew up.
So I truly doubted he had one foot in the grave or something. Besides, he’d have to stay strong for the babies at least. And I could hear it in his voice, that the imminent birth of his twin grandsons, his first grandchildren, was making him happier, too.
Though, like me, he was a workhorse, so he was going to work part-time to keep himself busy. I had no doubt about that. Which was probably why he wasn’t concerned about how much we sunk into the house. It was for his daughter’s and grandsons’ pleasure, more than his.
I wanted to ask the professor exactly what was going on but stopped myself, saying goodbye and hanging up.
I didn’t want to pry if he didn’t want to tell me. And I’d find out soon enough once he came to town.
“How did it get so late?” Tapping my watch, I plopped down in my chair.
Installing the steps had been trickier than I imagined, and I’d somehow pored over designs all afternoon, even skipping lunch.
I could hear Miguel in my ear saying that I should eat, even imagining his head peeking through my door, thermos in hand, telling me to come to join the guys for a drink later tonight.
They had to be pretty busy, too, for him not to have come in to check on me.
“Hmm… So he decided not to be nosy the same day I needed him to be.”
Tapping my pen against the desk, I wondered how the hell I got so entangled in Miguel’s life.
Our morning rides had turned into constant invites, especially since he found out I had a kid and was single.
And it wasn’t like my insurance check would be in the mail any time soon. That meant anywhere from a few weeks to a whole month before I could even start the process of buying a new car.
There was no way around it.
Which meant we’d be seeing each other practically 24/7.
Though, for some inexplicable reason, that didn’t annoy me as much as it should’ve.
It actually made me think. I didn’t know anyone out here, and arranging for a babysitter was proving harder than I had hoped.
If Miguel was willing—and dear Lord did he make it obvious that he was willing—we could do something after work with Meechie. And later, when I could get someone to watch him, go out with Miguel, Mike, and Chris. Just so he would stop inviting me to everything under the sun.
I could even meet another non-work friend there and expand my horizons in the process.
He’d said something about an Autumn Festival. I sucked my teeth, debating if it was really worth it to attend. Meechie would probably love it, the festival would be kid-friendly, and for what it was worth, my son seemed to like Miguel during their first meeting.
He asked about him from time to time, curious. Which was good.
Miguel had a way of forcing himself on you, and it would get Meechie out of his shell. Maybe some kids from school would also be in attendance, which was a win-win-win for me.
But I was already asking a lot of a co-worker, not a true friend. Yet, anyway. Wouldn’t I be a jackass to make him ferry us around after hours, on top of morning rides, seeing as Miguel never mentioned bringing his kid along?
If he even had a kid. I figured he had to have one at his age. And the fact that he would want to hang out with a single dad.
“Whatever. Doesn’t hurt to ask.”
Packing up quickly, I flung my computer bag over my shoulder and wiped off my glasses. They always seemed to be covered in sawdust or other microscopic junk floating in the air.
Once outside, I waved goodbye to the guys, self-conscious at the way they passed glances at me, slapping each other on the shoulder and laughing loudly.
I knew they were most likely talking about hitting up a bar after work, but I had the distinct impression they were talking about me. Or, more likely, us.
I nodded towards Miguel as he pulled up, all smiles, smelling faintly of oak. A rich smell that suited him. I breathed in deep and sighed.
Before I could stop myself, I found myself smiling back.
“So… about the Autumn Festival,” I said as I slipped into the passenger seat of his truck, which was becoming a routine.
He perked up instantly. “What about it?”
“Do you mind… um…” I fiddled with a misaligned button on the end of my shirt, rebuttoning it in the process before strapping in. “Would you mind taking my son and me tonight? Would be nice to get out of the house for once. Plus, it’s Friday. Maybe you could bring your kid or kids, and they can all play together. Though, I’m not sure if they’d be older than him… Wait…do you even have a child?” I asked absently.
