Page 80 of A Taste of Whiskey
As Gus exclaimed, “Dad! We got a tree—” and wriggled out of her arms, she panicked and began rambling. “How did it get so late? I’m sorry Gus isn’t in bed and the place is a wreck. We spilled milk on our costumes and went to get a few things at the holiday shop, and we got carried away.”
“Dad! Hey, Dad!” Gus was jumping up and down, tugging on Ezra’s leather vest. “Do you like it? Are you happy?”
Ezra looked around the living room, then down at Gus, and finally at Sasha.
She wrinkled her brow. “I’ll clean everything up, and if you’d rather not have a tree, we can move it to my place. Gus was so excited, and that got me excited, and…I’m sorry time got away from me.”
“I’m not.” He laughed as he scooped up his little boy, settling him in one arm, and drew her against his other side.
“I told you he’d be happy!” Gus exclaimed. “Dad, do you like our hats? We got you one, too, and a reindeer and lights for your bike, and…”
As Gus went on about all the things they’d made, bought, and done, Ezra turned an unstoppable grin on Sasha and said, “Thank you.”
“For messing up your cabin?”
“For making it feel even more like a home.”
Chapter Twenty-One
EZRA HEADED DOWN the hall to Wynnie’s office Wednesday afternoon, hoping she could help him figure out what to do about Tina and trying to ignore the twinge of guilt eating away at him about Sasha. That guilt had become a constant companion, but until he figured out his next step, he had to keep that guilt to himself. Gus’s well-being was at stake, and after what Sasha told him last night about the run-in they’d had with Tina, he was even more concerned.
Wynnie’s door was open. He knocked, and she looked up from whatever she was reading on the computer and smiled. “Hi, Ezra.”
“Is this still a good time?”
“Yes. Close the door and make yourself comfortable.” She stood and pressed the intercom button. “Maya, can you please hold my calls?”
“Will do,” Maya answered as Ezra closed the door, and sat on the couch.
Wynnie came around the desk, looking sharp in a cap-sleeve magenta blouse and jeans. She sat on the other end of the couch. “How’s your day going?”
“Good,” Ezra said. “I had productive sessions with Paul and Mike, and my other clients.”
“That’s always good news.”
“Yes. It is. I wanted to speak with you about Tina. I know you can’t give me any answers, but I value your opinion, and I’d like to hear your thoughts about what’s going on, unless it makes you uncomfortable.”
“Why would I be uncomfortable? I haven’t been your therapist for almost two decades. We’re well past any professional obligations.”
“I know.”But I’m secretly seeing your daughter, and that’s messing with my head and making me uncomfortable. Projecting much?“I just wanted to throw that out there.”
“Well, I appreciate that. But I’m happy to give you my opinion. What’s happening with Tina?”
“She’s still blowing off Gus, but she’s doing it more often, and he’s becoming apathetic about spending time with her.”
“Are you seeing any other behavioral issues? A difference in how he treats you or anyone else?”
“No, but you see him every day. You know how excited he is to see everyone. I was worried that I might be reading too much into his lack of enthusiasm about seeing his mother, or even projecting my own feelings about my mother onto him. But Tina blew him off last night to go shopping with her friends, and when Sasha took Gus into town while I was at church, they ran into Tina coming out of a yoga studio, which pisses me off, but that doesn’t matter. The thing is, Sasha had to prompt Gus to go over and say hello to her.”
“And did he?”
“Yes, and Sasha said he was okay with her, but when they left, Gus and Tina didn’t hug goodbye, or anything. I don’t like how things are progressively getting worse between them. Two weeks ago she asked me to come get him Sunday morning instead of keeping him for the whole weekend, and then she bailed again last Saturday. If it was only once or twice, that would be one thing, but you know the history. She’s consistently putting her boyfriend and his family ahead of Gus, and while that’s nothing new, Gus is getting older, and I’m concerned he might be on the road to developing attachment issues like I did.”
“That’s understandable, given what you went through. It sounds like Tina isn’t making much of an effort toward him, which is a shame. What are you thinking about doing at this point?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I’m wondering if she’s doing him more harm than good, and you know that’s not an easy thing for me to consider.” He pressed his hands into his thighs. “I was hoping you could take a pulse on the situation. Do you think I’m projecting?”
“I can’t say for sure, but if his apathy toward her is noticeable to Sasha or anyone else, then he could be heading in that direction. Thankfully, we’re not seeing it toward others yet.” Her expression softened. “Ezra, you know how big a decision it would be to cut Tina out of Gus’s life, and there are a lot of variables. As your friend, I can’t tell you what to do, or what would be best for Gus. But you’re a smart man, an excellent father, and a skilled therapist. I know how much you love Gus, and I am confident you’ll figure out what’s best for him if and when the time is right.”
