Senses 03 - Love Comes Home (DA) (MM) (13 page)

“Does the voice have a name? Like Siri for iPhones,” Davey asked.

“Ralph,” Tom answered. “Your Uncle Howard has a real sense of humor. Just follow the instructions. Ralph will guide you.” Tom left the room and Greg followed him into the living room.

“You don’t have to let him use your tablet. Look what he did with the other one.”

“It’s older, and he’s not going to hurt it.” Damage was the last thing on his mind. “Things are going to break. Ask Howard. He’ll tell you about things he’s broken. It goes with the territory, and unless you cleanse his environment of everything, it’ll happen. I wouldn’t keep a Ming vase around Davey, but….” Tom chuckled. “He’s ten. He’d break things whether he could see or not. I did. Take his tablet home. It’s still working. You can probably get the data off it and then transfer it to the next one.”

“How can you be so patient?” Greg asked.

Tom motioned toward the sofa, and Greg sat down. “He’s a great kid, and the truth is I always wanted to have a child, but never had the chance to start a family. I thought about it more than once, but I wasn’t going to do it alone. Raising kids properly is hard enough. My folks wouldn’t agree with that, but they had people who lightened the load and put distance between us. I don’t want to do that.”

“So you hope to have a baby someday?” Greg asked with a smile. “I’ve met a few guys who found out I had a kid and ran for the hills.”

“Yeah, I can imagine that.” Tom thought of Skip in New York, who would rather die than get near a child of any type. “I’d like a child of my own if things are right. If they’re not, I can live with that too. Sometimes life throws you curveballs. It did for Howard when he got Sophia. I know he doesn’t regret it for a second, and I wouldn’t either, but he told me it was a difficult decision for him. Not that he didn’t want Sophia—he did. But it was hard for him to decide because of what he thought was best for her.”

“Because he was blind,” Greg finished. “He told me about that once.”

“So then you know you have nothing to worry about with Davey. He will be just as capable as Howard and just as able to have a full, rich life where he’ll be loved and cared for the way Howard is.”

“How did we get back to that?” Greg asked.

“I’m wily and I’m trying to make a point. You deserve that same thing.” Tom shifted from his chair to the seat next to Greg. “Davey can’t be allowed to let his blindness dictate everything in his life, and you can’t allow it to dictate everything in yours.”

“Okay,” Greg said. “You made your point.”

“Good. Now I get to emphasize it,” Tom retorted and kissed him. Now was not the time to take things further, but Tom made sure Greg understood that he was willing—more than willing,
aching
—to do just that. But he couldn’t. Tom stifled a groan and leaned against Greg. Davey came out of the office, feeling his way. “Take six steps and you’ll be across the hall. Just follow my voice and you’ll enter the living room.” Tom kept talking until Davey approached the sofa. Then he directed him to the chair. “You’re doing really well. Are you hungry? I can get something to eat and drink.” He should have thought of that earlier. Having Greg close had scrambled his brain. He got up and hurried to the kitchen.

There was snack food in the refrigerator, but he wished he’d planned ahead better. He found some small tacos in the freezer, placed some on a cookie sheet, and put them in the oven. Then he got some plates and drinks together before starting to carrying things into the dining room. He figured it would be easier to sit and eat at the table.

“She’ll be here on Tuesday,” he heard Greg say to Davey.

“Why is she coming? Is it because I can’t see?” Davey asked.

“I think so,” Greg said.

“Then she can stay away. I don’t want her to come.” He folded his arms over his chest.

“Davey,” Greg said quietly. “She’s coming all this way.”

“Over two years, Dad. She hasn’t seen me in over two years,” he said dramatically. “Now she’s only coming because I’m blind. Well, she can leave me alone for all I care. I don’t want her here and I’m not going anywhere with her.”

“We don’t talk that way,” Greg scolded, but Tom caught his expression and saw that Greg was doing his best to keep from laughing. “And I’m not any happier than you are, but we need to be nice. She is your mother. I expect she won’t stay long, and then things will get back to normal. I did tell her that we aren’t changing our routine, so you’ll still go to therapy and your classes for the blind.” Greg smiled at him.

Tom nodded as he finished unloading the tray and went back into the kitchen. He waited until the tacos were done, then transferred them to a plate and brought the last of a light lunch to the dining room.

Greg brought Davey to the table and spent a few minutes making up his plate and explaining where everything was. Then they all began to eat.

“I don’t know why she has to come,” Davey said.

“You don’t want to spend time with your mother?” Tom asked.

“Why? The last time all she did was tell me what to do and act bossy. She didn’t want to do anything fun and then she left, no phone call or nothing. She lives in Florida, less than a couple hours from Disney World, but does she invite me down? No. I asked and she said she was too busy. So I’m too busy for her.”

“Wow,” Tom mouthed, and Greg rolled his eyes.

“Joyce has been very driven since the divorce,” Greg explained.

Tom wondered why he was making excuses for her. Greg was probably trying to be nice, but it still made Tom curious. He was becoming more and more interested in meeting this woman. She couldn’t be all bad; she’d given birth to Davey. But Greg had been the one to raise him, so maybe she didn’t deserve any credit after all.

“Eat your lunch and worry about your mother later.”

Davey scowled but slowly began to eat. He was indeed much neater than he’d been the first time Tom had come to dinner. “I don’t like her.”

“Okay. You don’t have to like her,” Greg agreed.

They ate in near silence for a while.

“When can we play beep ball again?” Davey asked. “Do you think you can get more players?”

“How about Wednesday evening after your dad gets home from work?” Tom suggested, speaking to Davey, but looking at Greg, who nodded. “As long as the weather is nice. I’ll see if Uncle Howard and Uncle Gordy can bring Sophia so she can play too.” That seemed to make Davey forget the business about his mother, at least for a while, and he talked about the game through the rest of lunch.

In the midafternoon, Greg and Davey got ready to leave. Tom said good-bye to Davey, who hugged him and thanked him for letting him play beep ball.

“Call me, okay?” Tom asked, and Greg nodded.

“Maybe next Friday. I can see if Gordy or Ken will watch Davey,” Greg said excitedly. “Hopefully Joyce won’t stay too long and things can get back to normal.”

Tom pulled Greg into a hug, holding him tightly. “Don’t let her get to you. I’ll be here if you need me or just want to talk, and if nothing else, I’ll meet you at the park at seven on Wednesday.” He kissed Greg and then let him go. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

Greg guided Davey toward the door. “Thank you for letting me use the tablet,” Davey said as they left the house.

“No problem,” Tom called. He waved to Greg and watched as he and Davey got into the car and then drove off. Tom closed the door and wandered through the living and dining rooms, taking care of the dishes and carrying them to the kitchen. He loaded the dishwasher and got it running, then turned out the lights and wandered through the house. He loved the place, but up till now, he hadn’t realized how large the house was, or how empty. Having Greg and Davey there had filled the house with life for a few hours, but now it just seemed big and quiet.

Needing someone to talk with, Tom decided to catch up on all the New York gossip and picked up his phone. He looked up Skip in his contacts and pressed send. It was well after noon, so he should be up. Tom smiled when his call was answered, and grinned when Skip squealed in delight on hearing his voice.

He loved his life here and had no real interest in going back to New York, but sometimes hearing about the familiar calmed him, and after two years of invitations, he finally convinced Skip to come for a visit. Tom wasn’t sure what Skip would think of this town “in the middle of nowhere,” as Skip put it.

“So do I get to meet this boyfriend with a kid?” Skip asked with a giggle. “I can’t believe you’re dating a guy who has a ten-year-old.”

“What’s so hard to believe?” Tom asked. “I’ve always liked kids.”

“Club kids, but not kid kids so much,” Skip countered.

“I’m not the same as I was then,” Tom explained. “Things aren’t the same here. It’s hard for me to describe, but I feel like a grown-up here. Living in New York was like living at Disneyland. Here I feel like an adult and I can make a difference. New York is huge, and everything happens so fast and happens to you. Here, I get to make a difference. You’ll see when you come.”

“Yeah, okay, I will, but I still can’t see you dating a guy with a kid. A blind kid, no less.”

“Skip,” Tom said warningly.

“I’m not being rude. I’m just surprised, that’s all. This must be some kid,” Skip said.

“Think about it: he and his dad found out he was losing his sight about three months ago, and then a few weeks ago, he went nearly blind. Now Davey says he rarely sees anything at all. All this within a short period of time. And he’s adjusting and learning how to cope and adapt. He’s startlingly amazing, and so is his dad. Greg guides Davey without trying to overpower him. He’s a wonderful dad and has an incredible heart.”

“Aw, crap,” Skip said. “You’re falling in love with the guy, aren’t you? Don’t answer, because you’ll want to say you aren’t, and I can hear the truth in your voice. At least tell me he’s good in bed.”

Tom didn’t answer right away.

“Shit,” Skip went on. “Is he that bad?”

“Skip, we haven’t….” Tom began, and he heard complete silence on the other end of the line.

“Double crap. You’re falling for a guy you haven’t even had sex with?” The phone clinked, and Tom looked at the display, thinking they’d been disconnected, but the call still showed as active. “I’m pulling up flights right now.”

“This isn’t the end of the world,” Tom said, but he knew it was useless. Once Skip got his drama up, there was no stopping him. “We’re exploring things.”

“Please. One of my best friends is falling head over heels for a guy, and he hasn’t even found out if he’s good in bed. What if he isn’t? You’ll start saying things like it isn’t that important or it’s how we feel about each other, or some other rot like that.”

“Skip, this isn’t necessary.”

“Oh, yes it is,” Skip said. “Yes, there’s a flight on Tuesday morning. I have to change planes in Detroit. Yuck, I hate that airport! But I’ll be there before noon. Do I need a car, or can I use one of yours? I’ll text you the details in a few minutes. Is there anything you want me to bring? I’ll stop at Zabar’s and pick up some provisions. There we are—I’m all set. I get in at eleven Tuesday morning.” Skip finally stopped talking.

“Are you winded? That was quite a stretch, even for you.” Tom grinned. Skip always figured if the other person couldn’t get a word in, then they couldn’t argue and he would get his way. Tom had always figured Skip could talk his way to Middle East peace. Both sides would give up and give him what he wanted simply to get him to stop talking. “What if I had plans?”

Skip scoffed. “You would have told me already. Come on, Tom, I know you, and it’s been too long.” He paused. “I’m looking forward to seeing you. Okay?”

“You’re impossible,” Tom teased. “I’m looking forward to seeing you too.” Tom hung up the phone, feeling better and wondering what the hell he’d just let himself in for. It was going to be a very interesting week. He hoped all the plans didn’t blow up in his face.

T
UESDAY
MORNING
,
near eleven, Tom drove to the airport and parked in the lot. He walked into the small terminal and looked at the board. Six flights were displayed, and Skip’s puddle jumper from Detroit showed as on time. Someone had had the forethought to put rocking chairs in the waiting area, and Tom settled in one, watching the arrival area. It wasn’t long before he heard Skip’s animated voice echoing through the terminal. Then he saw him, striding next to a tall woman. The two were talking back and forth as another man followed quietly, glancing at them every few seconds and then returning his attention to his phone. Skip said good-bye and broke away, rushed over, hugged him tight, and then kissed him on the cheek.

“I made it in one piece. They had us on this dinky plane. It was so small there wasn’t even first class.” Tom expected Skip to laugh, but he was serious. “I did meet an interesting woman. She’s here from Florida to visit her son, and since there was nothing else to do, she and I talked for most of the flight. She’s traveling with some doctor. I offered to switch seats, but it didn’t seem to matter. He spent his time either with his head buried in his laptop or shuffling through papers. I asked if he was her husband, but she shook her head and winked at me.” Skip giggled. “A doctor who makes house calls, or maybe booty calls.”

They walked to the baggage claim.

“I’m glad you had a good trip,” Tom said.

“It wasn’t bad. The flights were on time, and I stopped for a drink in Detroit, which made things bearable,” Skip said. “The airport’s a little small.”

“So is the town, Skip,” Tom said. “There’s a university, but mostly this is a small town.” The belt started moving, and bags began to appear. It was easy to spot Skip’s. His set of Louis Vuitton luggage stood out like a sore thumb. “How long are you planning to stay?” Tom asked as he hauled the second bag off the belt.

“Just a few days, but I brought goodies that filled this bag, and I didn’t know what we would be doing, so I brought clothes for every occasion.”

“Have a nice stay,” the women told Skip as she passed.

“You too, Joyce,” Skip said. Tom nearly dropped the bag he was carrying. “What?”