Chapter Seven: Thomas

I walk into my house around ten o’clock feeling the effects from last night. I’d slept in. Mason and I had stopped for breakfast at a little diner avoiding any discussion around Rosa or Sophia. He had some work to do at the office so I came home to face the music. That morning while we ate I saw the shaky phone footage of my fight on my phone. It had been posted to Instagram. About ten damning seconds of footage that was now captured forever, haunting me. Soon after there were alerts going off about Sophia going to get coffee and the girl I’d been defending was with some guy already. New hashtags popped up every few minutes because the trolls had nothing better to do than harass my girl. Whoa. Where had that thought come from? My girl. I still wasn’t used to the idea beyond a hookup.

It is insane how fast they are. I don’t really understand how they can get news out as fast as they do. That’s why I’m always so careful. Now, because I threw that careful nature into the wind to help Sophia out, I was back in the news again. I groan slapping my hand to the wall. The move doesn’t change anything except to send a sting up my arm. I wish I had punched that Price dick. At least then I would have unloaded some of this frustration.

“I just wonder what like the people who get followed every minute and have the paparazzi in their faces while they hold their kids go through,” I tell Mason before he leaves. “I’d be in jail if one of these yahoos put the camera in my kid’s faces.” Mini versions of Sophia with dark hair and impish smiles flood my brain and I pause stopping myself. No. No. No.

“Like-wise, man. That’s why I’m glad you’re the famous one.” We fist bump and then I flip off a cameraman who has come to get a shot. He’s thrilled by this of course. Anytime they get a rise and get us to show some sort of anger and emotion, they see dollar signs. Flashes flicker and I consider busting a camera for show, but I hold back. My PR folks warned me about this and I’m letting them win by giving in.

I’ve seen celebrities freak out before. They smash cameras, chase the paps, and basically rack up assault charges. The headlines always say they’re out of control, but it’s really the paps just push too far.

I’m happy to drive into the gates of my parent’s house and get away from the cameras. I need to clear my head.

As I make my way through the foyer I can smell the remnants of breakfast and realize my parents must have gotten up late as well.

“Thomas is that you. Come here please, your father has lost his mind.”

My mother calls from the dining room. I walk in to find her playing solitaire on the table the old school way. She says it relaxes her. My dad is standing at the counter reading a newspaper. I grab a piece of bacon and sit at the table munching quietly waiting for him to speak. Despite just eating a large amount of breakfast, I just can’t pass up bacon.

Mom is wearing her Sunday outfit of a silk robe and kerchief around her curlers. Dad is dressed for the day already in slacks and a polo shirt. They both seem anxious.

“What’s going on?” I ask taking another piece of bacon off the huge stack in the middle of the table. No one says anything and I wait in the pregnant silence.

My mother is stressed, when she’s stressed she gets her chef to cook a lot of food for each meal. Now that’s added up to more bacon than anyone needs even if I do like it.

“Your father is losing it, Thomas. I don’t even know what to say.” I notice she’s got a mimosa and wonder what number she’s on. She isn’t slurring her words but the carefree way she holding the glass and chugging it down does worry me.

“I’m not losing it, Thomas. I’ve never been clearer in my whole life. What are materialistic things really? They’re not what’s important.” He’s pontificating and I still don’t know how serious to take him. To say my parents can be eccentric is putting it mildly even if I’ve never heard this before.

I’ve not heard my father speak like this before and I wonder where he’s going with this. I go over to the coffee pot and pour a large mug full before joining my mother at the table. I’m careful not to disturb her cards. She’s particular about them staying lined up just so.

“Tell me, what have you come up with dad? What is important?” I watch them as I sip the coffee thinking it’s the perfect temperature of hot. If it wasn’t, I could have escaped to the kitchen to heat it up while dad organizes his thoughts better.

“Ah, but that’s the question, isn’t it. I’ve decided I’m done being rich, I don’t want the money anymore. I’m going to give it away.”

I swallow my coffee and put it down, my finger circling the rim slowly to give my hand something to do.

“You are?” I’m shocked. My father has always taken so much pride in what we had. He’s always been generous and never greedy, but to just give it all away, well this doesn’t sound like him at all.

“I am. There’s the matter of your inheritance. I wanted to talk to you about it.”

“Okay, I’m listening.” I still am not sure where this is going, but I see my mother has downed her mimosa and is clutching the edge of the table with one hand while angrily slamming down cards with the other. She flips over a single card huffing and grabbing another with a snap. She’s clearly not happy about what’s happening but she doesn’t interrupt my dad.

He clears his throat and starts up again, “You need a baby and a woman in the next twelve months to get anything from me. You’re too old to be going out with models and celebrities. It’s time to find a nice girl and settle down.”

While I’m not opposed to a family someday… someday being the operative word here, this is a shock.

“I am not going to orchestrate my life so I can gain an inheritance. I’ll just go get a job and earn my own way.” He’s got to be bluffing. There’s no other explanation.

“That’s fine son. I want to give my money to charity. I want to live off the grid with your mother.”

Mom continues snapping cards but her voice is angry and stilted as she puts the last card down with a slam that jiggles the table. “If you think I’m going to go with you while you live out some mountain man fantasy, you’re insane,” my mother says shoving bacon into her mouth.

“Honey, it will be romantic, just the two of us.” His arms are open wide as if this has been something he’s been discussing for years and the rest of us are being unreasonable about it. I have a good mind to check him for competency but say nothing.

He gets in these moods. There was one time he wanted everyone to take a watercolor class with him. We decided to try and went with him to the class. He gave up after a week because it never looked like the instructor’s painting.

I walk into the living room to get away from their bickering and ridiculous ultimatums. He said a baby first before the girl. He wants a grandkid, but why. Is he dying?

When I walk into the sunken living room and head towards the couch I realize my childhood friend Julia Sugarman is sitting on the couch with Mintzy and Pepper, my mother’s miniature poodles. Mintzy growls at me like she always does.

“Mintzy, it’s me. You know me.” I say reaching out to pet Pepper who loves me. The dogs merely sniff the air looking for food. Well, that’s about to dry up if dad has his way and gives it all away. I wonder if the dogs can sense the tension and I turn to Julia.

“Why are you here?” I ask Julia. She’s watching something about animals and has her legs tucked up under her with a pillow in her lap.

“Your mother wanted a dog sitter while she tried to talk some sense into your father.”

I roll my eyes.

“She’s in the other room, they could just be sitting here on the couch fine. Is she paying you?”

“Yes, in one of her exclusive Chanel purses.” Julia smiles at me. “Have you decided if you’re going through with the whole baby thing? If you need a fake wife I can do it.” Her smile is saccharine and way too eager for my liking. I’m going to be the next steak up for butchering if I’m not careful.

I know Julia has feelings for me. She has now for a while. The thing is, I’m just not attracted to her. I look at her like a sister. It’s not that she isn’t pretty. She’s pleasant to look at. She has a face you’d consider plain but pretty. Her short blond hair hits her shoulders perfectly. I’ve never seen her with her hair up or wearing a pair of sweatpants. She’s always dressed up and ready to be photographed. Sometimes I wonder if that’s to show me she’d make the perfect companion for my crazy life.

I feel bad having to always pretend I don’t know she likes me and shutting her down. She scoots over on the couch and I scoot into the corner. This cannot be seriously happening right now, but it is.

“Yeah right,” I laugh. “That would be when hell froze over.” I stand up because if I scooted any further I’d be sitting on the floor. I need some distance. I need enough space that consists of hundreds of miles.

She smiles tightly and nods. “I know right, but truthfully. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to get a job. I don’t need his money.”

“You don’t need to work so hard for something that you already have,” Julia says.

“That’s the difference between you and me Julia, I don’t think I’m owed anything because my parents are rich.”

“That’s not fair Thomas. I could get a job just as easily as you.”

“Yes, watching my mother’s dogs. I’m telling you, I don’t need his money.”

“You don’t.” My mother enters the room, “But I do. Think of your poor mother, Thomas. He’s giving all the money away. That means I won’t have anything. If you get your inheritance, you can take care of me and the pups. I did carry you for nine months.” She pouts and I wonder what she will do.

“You could get a job mother.” I don’t really have any sympathy for her. She’s had a very privileged life and plenty of opportunities to learn skills that consist of something other than gardening and charity tea functions.

“Fine, if you won’t do it for me, do it for Dinah.” Of course, she uses my baby sister as leverage but I’m all out of caring.

“She’ll be fine too. I don’t think she should grow up with all this wealth anyway.”

“Son, she’s in private school. She’ll be pulled out, away from all her friends. Think about what that will do to a thirteen-year-old girl. She’ll have to quit her lessons and all her extracurriculars. You know how much she loves her horse, she’d have to sell him.”

My little sister is a weak spot for me. My mom knows how to get under my skin. Of course, I don’t want her to suffer because I couldn’t get it together. To have a child though, just for money seems really wrong. I’d be bringing a life into the world no better than the one I’m leading now.

“It’s okay son. I know you’re not able to see anyone but hussies and fame chasers.” My father enters the room, “I think you’ll make a fine businessman.” His encouragement doesn’t make me feel better, it’s more like a slap in the face.

A plan is forming in my head and while it’s definitely not full proof, it’s a plan. Something about my dad saying I see hussies causing a switch to go off. “I have a girlfriend.”

The words just come out before I can stop them. I didn’t know I could bold face lie with such ease but I do. It’s nearly worth an Oscar performance from the reactions on their faces.

“You do,” both my father and Julia say. Him with a huge smile and her with a frown. The reactions are expected and I continue with the charade.

“Yes, her name is Sophia, she’s a bar manager and a gorgeous sophisticated woman. I’ve moved on from Rosa and I could definitely have a baby with her. It could already be happening.” I think about how hot our last sexual encounter was and my dick jumps into action recalling her tight wet sheath and pumping deep inside her while she moaned into the bathroom mirror making the glass fog up. If I’m not careful I’m going to have an awkward moment with my family in about ten seconds.

“Oh yes,” my mother actually jumps into the air. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

She, of course, did not know that. It’s why she pulled out Dina. Now I’ve over exaggerated and painted Sophia as something she’s not. In more ways than one. This won’t end well and I know that.

“Wait, the girl that the tabloids had plastered everywhere? I thought she was just a sleazy bartender looking for attention.” Julia walks over to me planting her hands on my chest suggestively and inching closer than I’m comfortable with. I can’t have her thinking my chubby is for her because it’s definitely not. No way. I grip her hands in mine and remove them from my chest sternly.

My blood heats up when Julia calls her sleazy. “Watch your mouth. You’re talking about my baby.”

She scrunches her face up appearing to fight back tears and runs out of the room. I’m sure that within moments social media outlets with have this information at their fingertips. I try not to think like that, but Julia hasn’t proven to be the most trustworthy friend I have in my life in the past few months.

I wasn’t being nice to her just then so it goes both ways. I’ll have to eventually apologize for the dog comment. I know she does that so she can come over and see me. It gives her an excuse, I’m not dumb.

“Well done, my darling boy.” Mother reaches me and kisses my cheek before summoning her dogs to follow her.

Dad merely nods and heads into his office leaving me to wonder what the hell I’ve put into motion.

I go upstairs to my room leaving everyone awestruck downstairs. I hope Sophia will go along with what I’m planning because if she doesn’t my little sister is screwed. Part of me thought my dad was joking at first. I thought he wanted to test me for some reason, but when I mentioned Sophia the look on his face was pure joy. He’s serious about this.

Later while I’m lying in my bed a thought hits me. “Dad,” I yell down the hall.

“What son?”

“You’re not dying, are you?”

“No son, your mothers already asked.”

Well that’s good news, but now I don’t have any clue why he’s taken this sudden change of direction. I pull out my laptop and search for jobs in my area for the things I studied in school to see what’s out there until I fall asleep.