Chapter Eight
Grey
“Grey, what’s gotten into you?” Tommy asked as he faced me. When it was just the two of us, he had taken to calling me Grey instead of Dad. Jessica and her parents had just left and now Tommy and I were going to have the conversation I’d been meaning to have with him. “Africa?” He shook his head as he reached for the bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. Yes, he was underage but I didn’t care if he drank as long as he didn’t drive. I figured if kids in France could do it, then so could Tom. “Missionary work, really?” he demanded.
I cocked my head to the side as I chuckled and leaned back into my chair, taking another sip from my glass of wine. “I thought it would do you a world of good to see how blessed you are to live the life you do.”
“I know how lucky I am,” Tommy started to argue as he left the room and returned a minute or so later with a bag of Oreo cookies. “I don’t need to fly all the fucking way to Africa to know that!”
“You’ve been given everything on a silver platter, Tom, and I believe it’s about time you gave something back.” I reached over and demanded a few Oreos to which he begrudgingly handed me a few.
“Okay, I get all that but couldn’t I do that in this country?” Tommy asked, eyeing me suspiciously as he reached for his glass of wine again. Oreos and wine weren’t a great mix but it seemed neither of us cared. “And why do I think there’s more to this little… situation than you’re letting on?” I didn’t say anything as he further studied me. “I know you well enough to know when you’re up to something.”
I chuckled again and then sighed as I swirled the red libation around the crystal glass. “What’s your interest in Jessica?”
“My interest in Jessica?” Tommy repeated, looking and sounding baffled as he munched another Oreo. “How much did you have to drink at dinner, Grey?”
“Ha ha, Tommy. Just answer the damn question.”
“Why?” he asked as he eyed me askance, a smile still riding on his lips. “Was all of this a cover because you’re trying to set me up with her?”
“Hell no,” I answered as I shook my head, thinking it ironic that I was trying to do the exact opposite. “You really think my plan is to set you two up now? Especially when you’re set to leave for college soon and so is Jessica? Not to mention that once you’re in college, you’re going to be swimming in women?”
“Very true,” Tommy continued as he eyed me narrowly, obviously still trying to guess my game. “So what do you have up your sleeve then?”
“Just answer the question!” I demanded, giving him a big grin which he returned. I really did love the fact that Tommy and I could have conversations like this, a conversation which represented our tight relationship as a whole. I’d always made it a point not to be the overly strict parent. Instead, Tommy and I had an almost friendly relationship but we both respected one another and we were very close because of it.
“Do you want the P.C. answer or do you want the real answer?” Tommy asked as he downed another Oreo and finished his glass of wine.
“Really, Tom?” I asked with a frown. “You know I’m never interested in the P.C. form of anything. Come on now—you and I are more like friends than we are father and son,” I said with a shrug. “A good example being the shape this house was in when I came back from my trip.” I frowned at him as he inhaled deeply, trying to hide his smile because he knew I was right. “Did I give you any shit at all about the broken lamp or the stains on the Aubusson?”
“No,” Tommy said as he nodded, his smile breaking into a wide grin. “And, Grey, I really am sorry about that.”
I waved him away with a dismissive hand. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all that before.” Then I yawned, just for the hell of it. “The point is that you don’t have to cover with me. I want the truth, whatever it is.”
“Okay.” Tommy shrugged. “I’ve never really noticed Jessica much before. She was always one of the prudish, smart girls. You know—the ones you try to sit next to in class so you can copy their test answers?”
“Of course,” I responded with a laugh as I shook my head. Tommy was exactly the same as I’d been when I was his age. “That’s my boy.” Then I rolled my eyes as he frowned at me.
“Anyway, I only really started to notice her in the last year or so.”
“Let me guess, was that about the same time that she got that crazy figure?” I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest and eyed him levelly. As soon as I started to think about Jessica’s amazing figure, I started salivating. Yep, I wanted the girl bad. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d lusted after a woman like this.
“Probably about that time,” Tommy answered with a laugh as he shook his head, sighed, and poured himself another glass of wine. “She’s freakin’ smokin’! I’m sure you’ve noticed, even if you are an old bastard.”
“Your old bastard of a father does quite well when it comes to women, I’ll have you know,” I rebutted, as he held up his hands in a play of submission.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I have to hear about how hot you are from all the chicks at school and their fucking mothers.” He took a sip of his wine. “It’s enough to make me want to puke.”
“Back to the point, Tom,” I insisted.
“I forgot what the point was,” he said as he laughed. The kid was handsome—there was no denying that. And he had my dominant personality and charisma. He’d go far in life, just like I had. I was proud of him, even if he had fucked up along the way. But that was what growing up was for—getting into trouble, being irresponsible and enjoying life when you’re young before the real responsibility of adulthood kicked in.
“What are your feelings toward Jessica?” I reminded him.
“Well, I think she’s hot and I would love to bang her, but other than that, I’m headed to college and she’s headed to college and we both are following totally different paths.”
“Hmm,” I said as I studied him, secretly pleased to hear this because it meant he wasn’t thinking about her seriously. I was. And, yes, I knew how completely ludicrous it sounded but I couldn’t help it. I wanted Jessica and I was determined to have her. For a very long time.
“So, you don’t want to date her?” I repeated, just to make sure I’d understood him correctly, just to make sure the coast was clear.
“No!” Tommy reiterated. “I don’t want to date anyone! And, if we are on the topic of other things I really don’t want to do—going to fucking Africa is at the top of the list,” he added and threw me a glare.
“Well, get used to disappointment, Tom,” I responded with a wide grin. “Because Africa is calling and I’ve answered for the both of us.”