Page 10 of A Family Affair: The Vow
She might not be able to 100% block out the larger-than-life man whose presence she’d never quite been able to forget, but that did not mean she had to let him or anyone know what had happened with her great plans for a solid future. No, she could pretend life was grand, the job, the guy, the future. Why let anyone see the truth when it would only expose her vulnerability and lead to too many questions, ones she couldn’t answer.
6
When Josh called her at work later that day, he didn’t sound like the same surly, argumentative person who’d slammed out of the house last night and tore down the driveway in his truck. He hadn’t returned until well after dinner and his limited communication had included one-word sentences and the occasional nod. He did, however, gather up the empty beer cans, pizza boxes, and takeout containers from the living room and toss them in a trash bag that eventually made its way to the garbage can on the side of the house. Rae almost reminded him about recycling and how it helped if we all did our part, but thought she’d save that topic for another day.
How did parents get through the attitude and the surliness? Hadshebeen that way? Leah said Rae “had her moments” but she didn’t exactly remember it that way. What she did recall was how everyone, including her big sister, tried to lay out her path, tell her what to do, why, when, and how. Had they worried she’d end up pregnant like Leah and wanted to make darn sure she didn’t get near a boy or trouble—ever? The overprotectiveness and desire tonotlet her make any mistakes only made Rae desperate to get away and live life on her own terms. Maybe that’s why she chose a college four hours from Magdalenaandsettled in a different state after graduation.
But now she was back, and the house where she’d grown up had been transformed into a bachelor pad—a really messy one.
“Hey, Rae, how’s it going?”
“Fine.” Yes, the tone was a definite shift from yesterday. Laid-back, kind, bordering on nice. She might not be a mother, but the sudden change said something was up.
“I just wanted to give you a quick call to let you know I cleaned up the rest of the house.”
For a person who decorated the house with takeout containers, pizza boxes, and beer bottles, that could mean anything. “What exactly do you mean?”
“I mean I cleaned it. Dishes are all done and put away, I ran the vacuum, scrubbed the bathroom sink, got the gunk off the mirror. I still have to do my laundry, but at least the clothes are all in the laundry room. I sorted them, too...kind of...”
“Well. You did all of this today? Weren’t you at work?”
“Yeah, but I get off at 3:30 and it’s only 5:50.” His voice dipped, filled with humor. “I work fast when I want to get something done.”
“Good to know.” Maybe he really had listened to her yesterday and understood the importance of working together as a team. Not everybody understood teamwork or partnership. Richard certainly hadn’t, not when she’d needed him to be there for her. Josh’s apology spilled through the line, cut off thoughts of her ex-boyfriend’s inability to be a true partner.
“I wasn’t expecting you for another week; guess I got my dates screwed up.” Pause, a sigh. “I’m sorry you had to see the place like that, and I shouldn’t have lost my cool when you called me on it. I’ll do better, you’ll see.”
Had Josh matured in the span of twenty-four hours? It sure sounded like it, and she liked this version. Maybe the tough-love approach was what he needed. Wait until Leah heard about this one! Maybe Rae could help Josh formulate a plan for his future, one that included life beyond a manufacturing plant and a shop buzzer. If he were exposed to other opportunities like college and white-collar work, who knew where that might lead? He could start at the community college until he got used to studying again, and then who knew what might happen? A person with a goal could achieve anything. She’d sat through classes she dreaded, but she’d stuck to it because they were part of the path that led to the ultimate goal she’d set for herself. The key was finding what interested him, and then homing in on it to show him how he could make a living and—
“Rae? I’ll do better, okay?”
“I believe you.” They could work on a life plan once they’d spent more time together and she could analyze his skillset. What did he like to do other than tinker with car engines and such? Surely, there must be something else? Had anyone ever talked to him about a life plan or were they just grateful he made it out of high school and found a job? Josh’s past choices shouldn’t define him, just as Leah’s should not have defined her. Yet they had because she’d based all of her decisions on her then eighteen-year-old self. No heading back to college, no taking a chance on love, no finding a place of her own. Why? Because that meant risk and Leah Katherine Darlington was not going to risk anything, ever again.
It appeared she’d passed the “play it safe” mindset on to her son. Well, Leah wasn’t here right now and neither were their parents. It was just Rae and Josh and while she hadn’t been involved in his childrearing, shecouldhelp with his future and the choices that would shape the rest of his life. Less than two days in Magdalena and she’d already shown him what it meant to respect another person, and it hadn’t been that difficult. Rae sat up in her chair, anxious to begin another life lesson with her nephew. “Thank you for realizing how important it is to work together. I’m sorry I got so upset with you, but I didn’t expect to walk into that surprise.”
“Surprise?” He laughed. “More like a nightmare.”
“Let’s just call it a bad dream.” She kind of liked this “teaching-moment” stuff, and she was good at it. “If you want to bring Hannah by sometime for dinner or whatever, I’m okay with that.” Pause and a firm “But no sleepovers.”
“Yeah, Vic said I had to obey the rules because it wasn’t my house.”
“Vic? What’s he have to do with any of this?” Vic Tramont had no business making comments about Josh. He wasn’t part of their family; he wasn’t anything to them.
“Well…”
“Josh, if we’re going to live in the same house, you’re going to have to start telling the truth, all of it, not just the parts you think I want to hear. Why would Vic Tramont have anything to say about your girlfriend and whatever happens in this house? How would he even know about it?”
Big sigh. “I was all ticked off when you yelled at me about the house and I told him about it.”
“You told him about it? Why would you do that?”Why would he do that?Vic Tramont had no right to be part of their lives and he certainly was not going to discipline Josh.
“Vic’s my boss, but he’s more than that. He’s a mentor and a friend. Sure, I have Grandpa but there isn’t any guy I really look up to other than Vic and Nate. I know I screw up a lot, but Vic doesn’t give up on me. He tells me what I did wrong and how I might do better and then he lays out those damnable teaching moments. You know, the kind parentsloveto show their kids, but he does it so it’s not like whatever I did was a bad thing, just that there might be a better choice. ‘It’s something to consider,’ he says. It’s always my choice and that’s what makes him different from somebody like—” he caught himself, corrected “—that’s what makes him different from most people. Anyway, I’ll cut the grass tomorrow and Vic said he’d help me figure out the edging, but you had to give the okay.” Pause and a curious “Why wouldn’t you be okay with it? He’s only trying to help.”
* * *
Rae had plannedto avoid a face-to-face meeting, a.k.a. confrontation, with Vic Tramont for as long as possible but after the phone conversation with Josh, a face-to-face was unavoidable. What else had he told Josh about life lessons and choices? Whose choices and who was making those determinations? Based on what exactly? She drove to ND Manufacturing, hopped out of her car and headed into the building.
“I’m here to see Vic Tramont.”
