Chapter Twenty Five

Nathan

I pulled the cotton t-shirt with company logo over my head and slipped on sandals, getting ready for dinner. Ronni had the bright idea that it would be a good experience to have dinner at one of the touristy luaus on the beach. I had never been to something like that, and my comfort level was at about a two. But this was what she wanted, and I was going to smile through it.

Who knew? She had managed to get me out of my stuffed shirt mode and into a more relaxed atmosphere. Maybe I would actually enjoy watching dancing Hawaiians in grass skirts and fire juggling natives, though I really had my reservations. But still, looking back at the man I was when Ronni came back into my life, I felt proud of how far I had come. I still wasn’t at a place where I felt completely comfortable with all of the free time this new life change had brought me, but I was working on it slowly.

Every day I could feel myself taking life a little less seriously, relaxing my shoulders just a tiny bit more, and allowing Ronni to convince me to step out of my comfort zone. It wasn’t like it was that hard, after all. Between Ronni’s amazing personality and her killer smile, I was pretty sure she could talk me into moving into an igloo at the South Pole. Hell, if it meant I could keep myself warm by snuggling up to her naked body, I might be down for it.

I turned and looked at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing the man standing in front of me. I think I had actually worn a t-shirt about ten times in my life, and they were all before the age of six. We had packed a bunch of the new outer wear to strut around town in, hoping to build a little brand awareness far from home. But still, it felt weird not buttoning up my dress shirt, tying my tie, and polishing my shoes. Life at the Landers’s business was anything but relaxed, and I had come to terms long ago that I would probably live the rest of my life in either a suit and tie or a polo. My father still dressed in a suit and tie, and he barely ever left the house anymore. At least in retirement, you would think the old man would loosen up and put on a pullover or something, but unless he was headed to the golf course with his buddies, he was ready to go for meetings that would never come. After waking up every day for so many years and doing the same thing over and over again, he must have gotten used to it and didn’t want to change.

Speaking of change, I was right in the midst of it. It had been a huge change leaving the company and parting ways with my family. But I had new goals and new things to look forward to, and I was more than happy to be taking on those responsibilities. I was building an empire with my wife and planning a future for our own family, one that was less rigid and more loving than how I grew up. I could barely remember Ronni’s parents, but it was always amazing to me as a child how different they were. They really acted like they loved each other, and I found myself slightly jealous of Ronni as a kid. But now, here I was, building this empire, making waves, embracing change, and hoping that I got used to the more quiet hustle and bustle of our business than I experienced with the real estate company.

I was drawn from my thoughts as the phone buzzed on the nightstand. I thought it was strange, since everyone I talked to was here on the island with me. I walked over and looked down at the name, shaking my head in disbelief. It was like the old man could sense I was thinking about him, and I tried to decide whether or not to answer my father’s phone call. I sighed and pressed the button, bringing the phone to my ear.

“Father,” I said without emotion. “How can I help you?”

“Nathan, I’m glad I caught you,” he said in a more than tired voice. “Look, I need to see you as soon as possible. It’s urgent. You know I wouldn’t call if it weren’t.”

“Well,” I said, trying to keep my irritation of his summoning to a minimum. “I’m on my honeymoon. Nick is in control of everything now. Have him get you whatever you need. He is more than capable of following strict and specific instructions.”

My father breathed heavily into the phone, and I couldn’t help but notice that his voice was ragged and tired, moreso than usual. I sat patiently waiting for his response, slightly curious as to why he would call me in the first place. I did understand that he had no idea I was on my honeymoon, but I could have been in his front yard and still wouldn’t have come running when he beckoned. I was no longer under his control, nor did I need to drop everything and come running when he thought it was important. Nick wanted to be the big man in charge so he needed to step up and do his job.

“Nick can’t help,” he said with a deep cough.

“Are you sick?”

“I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Like I said, Nick can’t help. He’ll only hinder this cause. In fact, he is the main reason for this call.”

I sat there silently, waiting patiently for my father to ease up and actually ask me for my help. He seemed to still be under the impression that I was at his beck and call. I was no longer a child, vying for my father’s attention, learning the ropes of the company, and hoping to be part of it one day. I had been part of it. In fact, it was my entire life, but my life had changed, and I didn’t feel as if I needed to ask “how high” whenever my father told me to jump. I had broken those chains months ago, and I was just starting to let drift away into memory.

“You need to return home now,” he said angrily and sick. “There is no time to lose in these matters. You’ll understand when you get here.”

“Will I?” I said with attitude. “Because it has been thirty-three years, and I still don’t understand you. I don’t understand where you develop the kind of audacity that you do. I don’t understand how you think you can call me like this and expect me to drop everything going on, which is my celebration of marriage by the way, and come running to you. I told you Ronni was the most important thing in my life now, not you, not Nick, and definitely not the company.”

“Why are you being so difficult? Can we just skip the games this time? I need you here and it is your responsibility—”

“Responsibility?” I scoffed. “Need I remind you that you not only erased my name from your will and took my job, but you blatantly disrespected a woman who loved you like a father figure. A woman who I am now married to. So, why in the fuck do you think I would drop everything and just run home? I am at no one's back and call anymore.”

With those words, I hung up the phone, trying to control my anger and not bash my phone against the wall. I turned and found Ronni standing in the doorway, looking at me with confusion. I didn’t want her to hear that, but I just got so angry, I couldn’t control the level of my own voice. I hadn’t been this angry since Nick threw Ronni on the floor. Only this time, I had nowhere to go with my anger. Ronni stepped forward and rubbed my shoulder, looking deep into my angry eyes.

“I heard the shouting from the other room,” she said. “What is going on? Who was that on the phone?”

“It was my father,” I said, sighing and sitting down on the bed. “He told me he needs me to come home. I told him to get his boy Nick to do whatever he needed, but he said he couldn’t because it was about Nick. Well, partially at least. He didn’t tell me more than that, but he had the audacity to summon me like one of his servants. He didn’t ask me. He told me, and I don’t owe him a damn thing. Even after telling him twice that I was on my honeymoon, he didn’t offer any congratulations at all. It was like he wasn’t hearing what I was saying. Same old situation.”

Ronni bit her lip and looked down at the floor. I could tell she was thinking about how to say what she wanted to say. From the look on her face, she was being careful because she knew I wouldn’t like whatever advice she was going to give me. But every time she gave me advice, no matter how painful, it always turned out to be the right thing to do. She took a deep breath and sat down beside me, taking my hands in her lap.

“Look, I know you don’t like how he treats you, and neither do I, but you have to admit it’s strange that he would call you,” she said. “You know your father, and you know how long he can hold a grudge. Whatever is going on has to be major enough for him to put aside his pride and dial your number. For that fact alone, it concerns me that he is calling. What if someone is hurt or ill? What if something has happened to Nick? I know what regret feels like, Nathan, and it’s not something I ever want you to feel.”

“What about him?” I said angrily. “Why can’t he step forward and say he’s wrong? Why do I always have to be the responsible one out of the three of them?”

“Because it is who you are,” she said, smiling. “You don’t do it because you feel they deserve it or require it. You show respect and strength because of who you are on the inside. I think we should return home.”

“But it’s our honeymoon,” I protested.

“Yes,” she said, running her hand over my cheek. “And in case you’ve forgotten, you are extremely rich. We can come back here, literally anytime that we want to.”

“Fine,” I grumped.

I changed my clothes back into a polo and slacks and went to work packing up our things. I called the hotel and let them know we would be leaving early but to keep the entire amount I paid them plus add a thirty percent gratuity for all the shifts the workers would miss when we left. They were very thankful, but I couldn’t kick the bitterness I felt on the inside. I had finally gotten the life that I wanted, and I had finally settled into it. Then out of nowhere, my father calls and turns my whole world upside down. Just from the sound of his voice, I could feel the calm and serenity I had been collecting slip right down the drain.

The staff came to help take our bags to the car, and I sighed as I closed the villa behind us. We were on our way to the airport and back to reality. This time, though, it was a reality that I had no interest in being a part of.