DESPITE THE unexpected Brighton family near-argument at 5 Fusion, the rest of the weekend was free of any incidents between Robert and Kathleen.
It wasn’t so much that the two had made amends as they simply limited their interactions and stuck to work-related discussions. It was as though the two had long ago agreed to disagree and were both doing their best to abide by a feeble truce.
By Monday, my job interview at Aurora Advertising was over. I woke up that morning with Allison and Heide. We packed our suitcases for the trip back to Maryland before we went to breakfast in the hotel dining room. We sat at a table by a window with a view of the outdoor patio. The sun was shining in a bright blue and cloudless sky. I wasn’t surprised when Heide made her move.
“Can we eat our breakfast out there?” she asked our server, pointing toward the patio. “It’s our last day here.”
“Is it?”
Heide nodded.
“I wish I could let you eat out there, but I’m afraid the deck isn’t ready yet.”
“Is there something I can do to help make it ready?” Heide pressed.
I reached across the table and covered my daughter’s hand with my own. “Don’t push, Heide. You’ve heard the answer.”
“Listen to your father,” Allison said.
“I can’t let you sit outside to eat, but if your parents say it’s all right, you can go out there after you finish your meal.”
Heide perked up at once. “Really?” She glanced between her mother and me. “Can I, please?”
“I want you to eat a good breakfast,” Allison replied. “We have a lot of traveling to do today and tomorrow, and I need you to eat and rest when I ask you to.”
“I’ll eat my whole breakfast, Mom!”
“If we say yes, you can’t go out there and run crazy.” Allison glanced at our server’s name tag. “You don’t want Sara to regret doing such a nice thing for you.”
“I promise!” Heide began bouncing in her seat.
I grinned at my daughter’s easy enthusiasm. “I think you owe Mom an extra hug today. And I know you owe Sara a big thank-you.”
“Thank you, Sara,” Heide chimed.
“You’re welcome. Now, what are you having for breakfast?”
True to her word, Heide ate every bit of her scrambled eggs, fruit and whole wheat toast. After paying the bill and leaving Sara a generous tip, I escorted Heide out to the patio while Allison stayed at the table, finishing her second cup of coffee. As Heide explored the spacious deck, I approached the railing and quickly became fascinated by the churning waters of the Deschutes breaking around the rocks jutting just above the river’s surface.
I stood there and stared at the reflective river nearby and began thinking about Kathleen Brighton. I wondered how things were going for her at the office and realized I’d never know the answer. Within a matter of minutes, I would leave Bend for Baltimore. By the following morning, we’d be halfway through our flight home and I didn’t know if I’d ever come back to Oregon. The thought of never returning saddened me. I wanted to dine on this patio one summer night, preferably while Kathleen was present. I wanted to see her enjoy her oasis.
I was distracted and lost in my thoughts. When I registered that Allison was calling my name, I had to admit I wasn’t paying attention to my wife. I was also guilty of losing track of Heide. One swift look around the deck confirmed she was safe from danger.
“Are you all right?” Allison asked.
I nodded toward the river. “Sorry. I was caught up watching the water.”
Allison held up my phone. I’d insisted on bringing it along to breakfast and set it on the table, so I could watch for incoming calls. But I’d forgotten about it once I accessed the outdoor patio. I muttered my thanks and took it from Allison. One glance at the display showed that I’d managed to miss a call from the agency in that small window of time.
I made eye contact with Allison and showed her the displayed number.
“They’re calling you?” She sounded surprised. “First thing on Monday morning?”
“Yeah.”
“This is it, then.”
I nodded and studied Allison. I couldn’t get a read on her emotions, so I offered up a suggestion.
“If it’s the offer, I can ask them for some time.”
Allison shook her head. “You shouldn’t do that. It could lose you the job.”
“What should I say?”
Allison’s response was swift and surprising. “If the job is meant for you, then we should make a go of it.”
I was in awe. I was elated, but the job wasn’t a certainty, so I moved the conversation forward with a bit of caution. I took a few moments to take in the scenery around us.
“This is a good place for Heide to grow up. It can be a wonderful place for us, too.”
My wife folded her arms and her expression hardened. “If I make this commitment, I want something from you in exchange.”
“Name it.”
“I want us to go to marriage counseling. And I don’t just mean a session or two. If I commit to this move, I need you to commit to our marriage. No more excuses. No more distractions.”
I struggled to answer her. The right answer was the obvious one, but I also knew the nature of my job. It required me to be on call at a moment’s notice, to work late nights, weekends, even holidays. In this case, I would be obliged to travel from time to time. I never thought of my work as an excuse or a distraction, and this had always been a fundamental difference in philosophy between Allison and me.
She heaved a sigh when my answer wasn’t forthcoming. “Is it so much to ask?”
I blinked. “Of course not. I’ll go to counseling with you.”
“Then why the hesitation?”
“The work is going to be demanding at first. You have to know that.”
“I do. But if you want us to uproot our lives, you need to invest in this family just as much as you invest in your new job.”
“You’re right.”
Allison’s face relaxed, even though I had yet to commit to her request.
“You should call back. Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
I placed the call, anxious to learn what the future had in store for us. I reached out for Allison’s hand, but she missed the gesture and turned to join Heide, who was eager to run across the covered bridge one final time. I dropped my arm back to my side just as someone answered the call.
“Robert Brighton.”
“Hello, Mr. Brighton. This is Jack Evans. I’m sorry I missed your call a few minutes ago.”
“Good morning, Jack.” The animation of his voice was reassuring. “How would you like to work for us at Aurora?”
I turned my attention back to the Deschutes River. “I’d like that very much.”
“Glad to hear that. Are you still in town?”
“Yes. We fly out tomorrow, so we’re planning to drive back to Portland this afternoon.”
“I always prefer to negotiate in person. Are you in a rush to get on the road?”
“Not really. We just want to be in Portland early enough for our daughter to get a good night’s rest.”
“Why don’t you swing by the office? We’ll talk numbers.”
“Sure. We just finished breakfast, so I can head over now if that works for you.”
“Perfect. I’ll let Tracie know to expect you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Brighton.”
“Damn straight.” Robert ended the call with this unconventional line.
I was ecstatic. Moments ago, I’d been lamenting a missed opportunity. Now, I rushed to catch up with my wife and daughter, secure in the realization that summer nights in Bend would be a certainty.
When I returned to our suite, I smiled and nodded at Allison before grabbing the keys to our rental car.
“Is it time to go?” Heide asked, confused. “I’m not done packing yet.”
“You still have lots of time to pack. I have to go to a quick meeting.”
“You’re still going to take me swimming at the new hotel, right?” Heide crossed her arms in a challenging manner.
“Oh, yes. I promise.”
I turned to Allison. “This shouldn’t take long. Robert wants me to come in and discuss the compensation package.”
“All right.” Her voice held a note of finality, but it didn’t feel like an acceptance. “This is happening.”
With Allison’s condition for moving still fresh on my mind, this was an opportunity to show her I was thinking of her well-being. “I’ll make sure Robert knows we can’t do this in two weeks. I’ll give us as much time as I can.”
She ushered me to the door. “We’ll talk details later. We need to figure out how to break this news to Heide before she guesses what’s going on.”
I was so happy, I couldn’t help but wrap an arm around Allison’s waist. I pulled her in for a kiss, and although I kept it chaste in the presence of Heide, my lips lingered on hers. When I pulled back, I continued to hold her close.
“You won’t regret this.”
Allison didn’t respond even as turbulent emotions churned in her eyes, but I convinced myself it was only because Heide was nearby. We’d talk once we were back in Maryland, and then we’d begin planning for our new life in Oregon.