The Proverbial Mr. Universe (34 page)

“Mrs. Montgomery, the last thing I would want to do is hurt him more than he already has been. He holds a very special place in my life, and I’m grateful to have him there.”

A smile graced Mrs. Montgomery, and she raises her glass to her lips. Olivia’s eyes caught a tiny tattoo on the corner of her hand.

Mrs. Montgomery looked down at her hand. “I got this long ago, when only criminals got tattoos.” She laughed.

Olivia found it intriguing that someone who seemed so put together could have such a colorful past. Nick had once told her that his grandmother was carefree in her youth, which Olivia could appreciate. Very few people do things in their life that they want to; the rest do what others expect them to. Olivia knew this all too well.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.”

“No, it’s okay, I get asked about it a lot. Shocking, isn’t it, for an old lady such as myself?” She laughed. “It’s hard to believe I was once young and foolish, and oh what I put my parents through!” She shook her head. “That’s what it means to be human. Our emotions drive us in all sorts of directions, and we are prone to make mistakes, just some are permanent.” She lifted her hand to show her tattoo. Now, she sounded more like her Mr. Universe. Olivia was still finding his notes.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not something I regret because experience should never be looked down upon, but appreciated. It’s with experience you grow and, my dear, how I’ve grown.” She patted Olivia’s hand.

“Is it the infinity symbol?” Olivia asked.

“Yes, at the time it appealed to me because it represented something without bound, countless, never-ending possibilities of life.” Mrs. Montgomery got up and placed her empty glass in the sink.

Olivia looked across at the fireplace. Old pictures adorned the mantel. She walked over to get a better look.

“This was Nick when he was eight.” Mrs. Montgomery handed Olivia the picture frame.

In the photograph Nick and his brother were playing by the lake.

“Is this Nick’s parents?”

In the photograph was a young couple in their late teens, posing in front of an old mustang.

“Yes.”

“They look so happy. It makes you wonder what happened.”

“Well, at the beginning of every love story, we think it’s going to last forever, but when things get difficult, it’s hard to distinguish where the arrow is going to land.”

Olivia thought about her parents, on how her mother spent years growing their family while her father worked long hours. It just seemed so unfair now. Her father was close to retirement. They should be spending time together, not just for her mother to become her father’s caretaker and watch the man she loves slowly disappear.

There were no guarantees in life, none what so ever.

“Olivia, if you saw them together you would say they loved each other deeply. Somehow they just couldn’t keep it together.” She frowned, playing with her string of pearls. “I don’t know how much Nick told you about his parents.”

Olivia shook her head. “Not much. All I know is he hasn’t spoken to his dad in years.”

She nodded. “Yes, Nick never forgave his father for walking out on them.”

Olivia didn’t blame Nick for not wanting anything to do with his father. What kind of a man would walk away from his family, leaving a sick wife and two small children to support them on her own? It was one thing for any marriage to be over, but the manner in which it was done … no longer wanting to be a part of his children lives … was heartbreaking.

“It was hard for everyone. My son stepped out and I stepped in. His decisions put me at such disadvantage. I love my son, and I love my grandsons.”

“Yes, I imagine it would be. Why do you think he left?”

She exhaled a long breath. “When Beth, Nick’s mother, was first diagnosed with cancer, it seemed to put a more of a strain on their already stressful relationship. At the beginning of her treatment, he had been supportive, but then something changed.”

Olivia handed her back the frame, and Mrs. Montgomery placed it back on the mantel.

“I read somewhere that some men can’t cope with the fear someone they love might not survive. So they just get up and leave rather than face the pain. Greg didn’t leave because he didn’t love his family; he left because he couldn’t cope with the fear that she wouldn’t survive.”

“But she did survive the first time?” Olivia asked.

“After a brief period he wanted to come back, but Beth wouldn’t have it, not allowing him to even see the boys.” She paused. “After a while Greg just couldn’t live in the same city, knowing he couldn’t see them. It tore him apart, so he moved away.”

“Does Nick or Dan know about this?” Olivia asked.

“No, Beth didn’t want them to know, and I had to respect her wishes. You understand, I didn’t want her to shut me out as well, so I closed my mouth.”

“But now she’s gone so why not tell them? Don’t they deserve to know the truth?”

“I cannot be the one to betray her memory. How do you think they will feel knowing their mother was the reason for keeping them apart from their father?”

“But I don’t understand. Doesn’t Dan still keeps contact with him?”

“Yes, he does but at a minimum. Ever since Nick was hospitalized, Greg flew back and forth from Calgary to Montreal until Nick got his new heart. Dan and Beth had reconciled to some degree, but Nick refused to see him.”

She paused and looked out the door, making sure Nick was still outside, before continuing.

“But there’s more. Over the years, Beth not only refused Greg any relationship with his sons, she also refused any financial help from him. Over the years Greg made good money and put some aside for the boys. Even though Beth never accepted it, the money was there for them. That’s how Dan has the bar and Nick has his condo.”

“But I don’t understand, you said …”

“The boys think they’re borrowing the money from me and paying me back slowly, but it’s their own money their using.”

Olivia shook her head. “Why wouldn’t you tell the truth?”

“Nick wouldn’t take the money if I did.”

“So why are you telling me this?”

“I feel you can help me straighten this mess. See, my dear, if there is one thing you need to know about my grandson it’s that he is quite proud. When he decides to close that door, you can be sure he won’t ever open it.”

Olivia looked away, trying to process this whole secret that been shared, and now there were two things she was keeping from Nick.

“I’m an old woman with a shortage of time. There is nothing more I would love than to see my son and his boys together.”

“So what is it that you want me to do?”

“I think Nick would listen to you.”

“Me?” Olivia shook her head “No, Nick won’t listen, not to me and not to anyone.”

“What won’t I listen to?” Nick said as he appeared in the doorway.

“Moving to Knowlton.” She smiled with ease.

“Nana, as much as I love it here, you know I need to be in the city.”

“I know, but it would be nice for my grandsons to be close by,” she winked at Olivia.

“I’m going to get my bag from the car,” Olivia said.

“Wait, I’ll go and get it,” Nick said.

“No, stay. You have a lot of catching up to do with your grandmother.” She gave Nick a quick kiss on the cheek before heading down the hall. From the distance she could still hear them talking.

“She’s wonderful, Nick.”

“She is, isn’t she? Someday I’m going to marry that girl. It would be nice knowing that every time she leaves the room, she’ll come right back to me.”

N
ick could hear the music of a live band flowing from Olivia’s parents’ backyard. What did he know about Italian music, except for Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin?

“Wait, was Dean Martin even Italian?”

“Yes, his parents were.” Olivia frowned. “But they’re not Italian singers, they’re American.” She smiled.

He shrugged. “I like this tune. Who sings this song?” Nick pulled her into his arms and began swaying from side to side, but the song didn’t sound like music that you could slow dance to. He didn’t care. It was just an excuse for his hands to caress her curves. It was a good thing they were alone on the side of the house, hidden by the trees, far from anyone’s eyes.

“‘Canzone,’ by Lucio Dalla.” She smiled as she sang a few words to him. Nick had no idea what they meant, but it sounded quite sexy.

“That’s pretty good.” He smiled at her.

She laughed. “Yeah? Should I quit my day job?” She looked stunning in a white cotton dress. He liked it when she wore her hair in a ponytail. All the small hairs stood up as though she was charged with current.

“Are you ready to meet the rest of the gang?”

“You sure this is what you want?” he said, holding onto Olivia’s hands.

She searched his eyes. If she looked carefully enough, she’d see how scared he was of losing her. If Olivia’s father didn’t accept him, that would be a definite possibility.

“More than anything else. We’re together and my family is a big part of my life, but so are you. If you guys love me, then you’ll find a way to get along.”

“One big happy family, huh?” Nick’s hands naturally went around her waist.

She kissed him before they walked into full view of everyone. He knew by the amount of cars parked in front of the house and street there was going to be several people, but this was insane. He could barely get around without bumping into anyone or stopping to be introduced to some cousin of a cousin.

“An artist? That’s interesting.”

“Yes, I mostly paint abstract art.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-six.”

“Oh, you’re a little younger than Dario.”

It was going to be a long night. Where was the alcohol? Ha! Nick gave up alcohol long before he went into heart failure. Besides, it wasn’t recommended and on page six of the “Life After a Transplant” pamphlet, under the heading: COMMIT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, it said: no alcohol. He was even the proud owner of a medical alert bracelet that he refused to wear because he hated when people kept asking him questions about it. The night wouldn’t be half-bad if he wasn’t constantly being compared to Dario by people with high social standings.

“Where’s the birthday boy?” Nick asked when he was reunited with Olivia.

At some point they got separated in the crowd.

“My dad? That’s a good question. He was just here a minute ago.” She glanced around.

Nick never told her about the time her father came to his studio. There was no point. It was one time only and he never saw him again. He didn’t want to cause any friction between Olivia and her father. Whatever issues they had were between Nick and James.

“Here, let me take them off your hands,” Nick said as he reached for the gift boxes piled up in her arms.

“Where do you want me to bring them?”

“You can place them anywhere inside.”

I
nside the house Nick unexpectedly found James standing half in the shadows, watching the party from the kitchen window.

“Mr. Montiano, is everything okay?”

“Nick?” He paused. “It’s just this confusion … the noise … the music … it’s bothering me.”