CHAPTER TWENTY
Billy's parents were kind and accommodating, but still had a bit of New York about them – always being in a hurry to get somewhere, very direct and often impatient – they weren't from here originally though.
When I got talking to his parents about their own personal histories, I found that Billy didn't get his wandering habit from nowhere. Both his parents had criss-crossed the United States before they were here. They also owned property in a few states, something they both liked to play down saying they bought when property was cheap. I had a difficult time believing that but still nodded and smiled as they told me anyway.
It wasn't clear at first where they got their incomes from, but then one night on the phone Billy chuckled and told me they were 'retired' and living off their investments. Apparently they owned a few places in the Burroughs and one place in Manhattan that bought in steady income from rent.
This meant they both had plenty of time to get to know me, and they were both very interested in the exotic flower that had landed on their doorstep, eyes wide whenever she got to talking about their son.
I hadn't told them about all the drama of my leaving, only that Billy had said it was a good idea I left and that I was mostly finished my work anyway.
Billy's mother had been more interested in my last job and my future career prospects than his father had. Even though he had been the first one to ask about it when we met. When I told her over dinner one night that I wasn't sure I really had any prospects, that I was a little lost right now unsure what to do with my life she tried to take that in her stride but I could tell was having difficulty.
I wondered if it was because of this pressure that Billy chose such a radically different life. I know my own parents had been concerned about what I was doing with mine and had wanted me to get an education first and foremost, but Billy's parents were something else entirely. His mother seemed to want him to have come out of the womb with every idea of what he wanted from life.
When I spoke to Billy on the phone, he had seemed so concerned about me and how I was doing, then had asked me how I was getting on with his mother.
He knew she was difficult, at least he had the decency to make sure I was doing okay with her.
"When are you coming?" I asked one night at the end of our nightly phone call, the same way I always asked this question at the end of a phone call.
"Soon." He assured me, "We're down a few men at the ranch now, so there are less of us to do the work. I have to make sure there's someone in there to do some work while I'm away. I can't just leave."
I understood that, but didn't want to have to wait.
Apparently they had been interviewing boys for the job but since those guys were so well known and liked in town and they'd wasted no time telling everyone they shouldn't work on the ranch, it was tough finding someone local. When Billy and the ranch owner went looking for new staff they had to interview men further afield which took time.
I wondered if the boys were going to get into any trouble for stealing, but Billy never mentioned anyone going to the police, so I was quiet about it too.
As my days wore on, Billy's parents would show me around New York, mostly focusing on museums because Billy didn't like those.
They seemed very aware that Billy was coming soon and they wanted him to be able to show me around all of his favourite spots.
When I had first arrived, I had wanted to see the empire state building and the statue of liberty up close. Billy's mother smiled and told me in that way that parents who want to encourage their children to do sweet things with their partner say, "oh, but I am sure Billy would like to show you those things, it would be very romantic to go together!"
Hearing those words, my face flushed hot with embarrassment. The idea of his mother encouraging romance was embarrassing to me, as nice as it was to hear that she didn't totally hate me, even though I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life.
Billy's mother was strict but gracious. She was kind and funny and made me smile.
William, Billy's father was also kind, but spent less time with me as he always seemed to be keeping himself busy doing other things. His wife didn't seem to mind that he was heading down to the bar, or off to dinner with some friends, or anywhere else.
They lived reasonably separate lives, it made me wonder if Billy and I would be like this when we were their age, but then I didn't want to think too far ahead, and get concerned about things that may or may not happen in the future.
I wasn't sure what was going to happen, and besides, I had a visa that would run out soon.
I wondered about looking for work in New York. Billy's parents were letting me stay with them without cost. They would feed me and often would pay for me to get into attractions when I went with them.
When I did offer to pay for things, they would wave my money away and tell me that I wasn't working right now, and they would look after me.
The money in the envelope – that was more than a month's wage – had sat untouched since I had arrived and paid the cab driver with some of it. I had thought about what to do with the remainder, but had come up short.
Should I ask Billy why I had more money in there than I earned? Was the money extra from the ranch owner as a thank you? Was it some sort of severance pay? Was it Billy's money that he had put in there to make sure I would be okay?
It seemed the perfect way for your daddy dom to make sure you were alright, to give you a little extra cash and send you off to live somewhere rent free so you don't have to work for a while. Billy was kind and sweet, the perfect daddy.
I missed my perfect daddy though, and no amount of free rent and sightseeing would make up for that.