“Gerry hasn't touched those toys in years,”
said Sadie. “I have the cutest pictures of Chris and Gerry running
around the house pretending to fight evil villains together.”
“Dork and dork junior,” said Louise.
Sadie smiled knowingly at her daughter. “And
you had the cutest little Wonder Woman outfit that you used to
wear. You would beg daddy to pick you up and fly you around the
house. I'm sure I can find those pictures too.”
Louise rolled her eyes. “At least I was
young, like four or something.”
“Try seven.”
“Whatever.”
“You were cute then,” said Gail. “But now
you're becoming so beautiful. Texting a boyfriend?”
“It's my friend Tiffany. She wanted to know
what happened to Dad. Everyone wants to know what happened.”
Chris overheard his daughter and saw her
eyes look over to him with the same worry that Sadie had shown when
he told her about the mall. He turned back to the barbecue trying
not to remember the conversation.
Frank helped the best way he could by
shouting from the sliding door, “Flip my steak. I'm gonna kick your
ass if it burns.”
“I'm going to kick your ass if you keep
yelling at my husband,” said Sadie.
“Too much ass kicking for me,” said Gail,
and tried to talk to Louise more about any boys she knew.
With the food nearly ready, Frank helped
Chris carry the dining room table to the backyard.
“You really need a table set out here.
Because I have to tell you that I hate fucking picking this thing
up to eat outside,” said Frank.
“Maybe,” said Chris.
As soon as they set the table down Sadie
said, “We should go tomorrow and get some lawn furniture, Chris.
It's ridiculous having you two carry that thing out here every
time. Actually we should get a new table for the dining room while
we're at it. The legs are wobbly and about to fall off.”
“That’s what I said,” said Frank.
“You can totally reuse it. Upcycle you know.
I have this great tutorial I just pinned. I'll have to show it to
you after dinner,” said Gail.
“Not more Pinterest gossip,” said Frank.
“Stop calling it gossip. That's for
Facebook. Besides, I saw you scrolling through my pins the other
day Mr. Manly Man,” said Gail.
“I can look where I want to look,” said
Frank, before grabbing Gail’s hands to pull her up from the chair
and into his arms. He brushed her hair back and kissed her on the
lips this time.
“My Manly Man,” said Gail again, and then
pretended to swoon.
Chris dashed over to the grill to pull
everything off. Sadie called for Gerry and Simone who had moved on
to a superhero video game after their imaginations wore off, but
quickly made their way to the backyard again. The two families
bustled for condiments and napkins in a routine bred from
innumerable weekends together. Stories started and stopped easily.
The food acted as the catalyst first for past get-togethers, but
soon the talking bled into each other. One conversation would spark
an idea for a second until there was a jumble of characters,
conflicts, and maybe a resolution or two.
Chris looked over to Simone and Gerry who
were spitting images of their respective fathers in looks and
personalities, which generated a friendship on par. Once stuck
together because of their husbands, Sadie and Gail now shared a
strong give and take. Gail's relaxed outlook on most everything
infuriated Sadie at times while at other times put perspective on
her own hard, matter-of-fact philosophies. Louise was the only one
without a pair. Chris felt guilty at times that he should have
chosen a different friend that had a daughter Louise's age. Louise
had two close friends and a well-rounded circle of acquaintances
from school, but they never came to the barbecues. It was never
stated that it couldn't happen. Louise didn't ask and her parents
assumed she would if she wanted to. Gail and Sadie tried to weave
Louise into their talks, but it would coalesce only so far. They
were adults and she was learning to become one. But, God, Chris
felt wonderful staring out over the scene. He could feel his eyes
opening to their fullest to take in every movement and his ears
pricked for every bite of conversation.
Eventually, to little surprise, the group
talk veered into Chris and Frank's work.
“You never told me how much of a raise you
were getting,” said Sadie.
Chris shrugged playfully. He had been toying
with Sadie over the actual numbers the whole week. A part of him
wanted to keep it secret so as to spring some surprise trip or gift
for her, but he struggled to think of anything good.
“You haven't told her?” said Frank. “We're
making the same. You know that, right?”
“Uh-huh,” said Chris, having not known
that.
“Are you planning a surprise gift?” asked
Gail. After she spoke she realized there would be absolutely no
surprise to it now.
Chris laughed. He still felt a little swim-y
from his beers even on a full stomach now. “Planning, yes. Actually
doing it now, noooo.”
“Mom hates surprises, Dad. When are you
going to remember?” said Louise.
“What kind of gifts? Are we going to
Disneyland?” asked Gerry.
“We should go with them,” said Simone.
“No, we’re not going to Disneyland,” said
Sadie. “First my husband is going to tell me exactly how much money
we’re getting before I throw a corn on the comb at him or put it
somewhere worse.”
“Well, the yearly will jump a bit and the
bonus is going to be quite substantial. And I figure if I’m going
to build a time machine, why not do it with some style,” said
Chris. He then leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind
his back to take in everyone's anticipating faces.
“That didn’t even make any sense,” said
Frank, and chucked a hamburger bun at Chris that ricocheted limply
off his face. “Next month we'll start at a hundred thousand a year.
I got a twenty-five thousand dollar bonus while Doc Brown I figure
got double.”
Chris smiled and nodded.
“Disneyland!” said Gerry and Simone
together.
“Oh my God, Dad. Please tell me we can
finally get me a new phone,” said Louise.
Sadie slapped her husband in the stomach,
which sent him on his back and everyone into fits of laughter.
“Such a jerk” was all Chris could hear before he cracked up and
muttered from the ground “Whoa. This is heavy.”
After Chris's act, Sadie stuck him with
dishes duty. Luckily or unluckily, Gail convinced Frank to lend a
hand. Frank probably only agreed to the chore because he had
another six pack hidden in his truck. He glanced around for any
spies and then handed Chris one.
“It's not cold, but fuck it,” said
Frank.
Chris looked around the kitchen too and
would have shunned the beer if anyone, really just Sadie, were
around. His luck was as high as his mood. “Gracias señor.”
“I'll dry. If I can find a towel.”
“Bottom drawer to your left. First time for
everything, huh?”
“Shut up. Enjoy your warm beer because I
have to tell you something.”
Chris pulled his bottom lip up and frowned
to form his funny thoughtful face. Frank looked at him without
making any kind of emotion. Chris thought about it for a moment,
which was a little tough with the fifth beer beginning a resurgence
of buzzing in his head.
“You're such a lightweight,” said Frank.
Chris's thinking continued to slop around
his brain, but finally stuck on an awkward fact.
“What the hell’s going on? You don't ever
say ‘I have to tell you something.’ You just say it. What’s so
important?” Chris scrubbed the dishes furiously after being so bold
and tried not to look at Frank.
“When we get back to work, you and Johnykin
will work together.”
“Okay?”
“Klaus and I are going to work
together.”
“I’m not seeing what’s going on here. Just
tell me.” Chris’s voice grew louder.
“Relax Chris. Shit. It sounds like you
already get it, man. Erik is sending Klaus and me to work on
different things while you and Johnykin work on different
things.”
“What… Why?” Chris stopped with the dishes.
He didn't intend to be dramatic, but the moment pushed him
there.
“To minimize risk. The publicity would have
been horrible if you died. The program would have been shut down in
a second.”
“I'm so sorry I almost died and took the
program with me.”
“Dude. I'm losing my patience with your
bitchy attitude. Just accept that this is what's happening. It's
not gonna be permanent. Johnykin will have your back and you did do
a good job out there. You kept up with me didn't you?”
“Because you're slow.” Chris wanted to joke
around. Now a headache formed in the front of his skull. Partly
from the beer, but mostly from the news.
Normally Frank hated the quick turnaround in
his friend. He felt Chris should have fought him more, but it
wasn't a fair fight to begin with so he went along. “Doesn't say
much about you if you can merely keep up with a slow man.”
“I only put the necessary energy forward.
Waste not, want not. As I always say.”
“You never say that. Finish your beer and
I'll hide the bottles from Sadie.”
“Aren't you going to finish drying?”
“Fuck no. I told you what I needed to. I'm
done.”
“Jerk!” Chris waited for Frank to turn away
and sprayed him in the back of the head with the extendable faucet.
Frank sprang back at him ready to pound him in the arm and chest
when Sadie stepped in.
“Why is there water all over my floor?”
asked Sadie.
“Frank did it,” said Chris, and turned his
back to work on the dishes.
Frank punched Chris hard in the shoulder
blade. “Thanks for the barbecue, buddy.” He then gave Sadie a hug
that she took while staring at the back of her husband. Gail and
Simone were right behind her and Frank ushered them out of the
kitchen while they shouted goodbyes.
Sadie kept staring at her husband's back
until he peeked to check if she was still there. “I'm still here
and so is the water all over the ground.”
Chris grabbed the towel Frank was using to
dry the dishes and still in a playful mood tossed it at his wife.
“Thanks, honey.”
Sadie let the towel hit her chest and fall
to the floor. She then raced over to Chris and punched him hard in
his other shoulder blade. “You little shit.”
Chris whirled around and grabbed her by the
waist. He sunk his teeth lightly into her neck and began kissing
her collarbone while keeping a tight grip so as not to give her any
leverage to hit him again. “Did you like my barbecue?”
“Hated it.” Sadie smiled at the tender lips
moving back to her neck. After a few more she turned his head to
face her own and kissed him, but then quickly pulled him away.
“Bah, beer breath. Did you have another one?”
Chris shrugged and went in for another kiss.
He was riding high at the sight of her again and just maybe she
would give in.
“I don't think so,” said Sadie. “You need a
shower and to brush those teeth before you get any more of this.”
She walked out of the kitchen leaving Chris to finish the dishes
before yelling back. “Don't forget to clean up the floor,
either.”
Chapter Eleven
The Byrne family did not go to Disneyland, but did
save more than half of Chris's bonus for a possible trip in the
future. The rest of the money went to a new phone for Louise (after
two days of begging), a couple of new toys for the rest of the
family, and a revamped backyard.
For as many years as they had lived in their
home, Chris had promised to work on their backyard. It was more
spacious than most in the neighborhood, but needed more work than
any other in the neighborhood. After failing to even grow enough
grass, Chris just kept putting the work off, but as Sadie browsed
landscaping companies Chris promised again to do it himself. She’d
heard this too many times before and called. A specialist came over
to survey the area and gave Sadie a quote while Chris crossed his
arms and tried to come up with excuses as to how the money could be
spent elsewhere.
No point was good enough. Sadie had a goal
and the means. It would only take a short time to reach the end; a
week. Under Sadie's supervision the landscapers installed a full
irrigation system that watered the front and back yards along with
a drip system for a garden, a small pool with attached Jacuzzi,
redwoods lined around the fence for privacy, and a lush grass lawn.
A bit of the American Dream brought to reality.
Chris couldn't argue with it, especially
when Sadie unveiled another new grill. Shiny aluminum with a
massive area for roasting anything he could imagine. She took the
other one back because it didn’t meet the standards of the rest of
the new yard. The only problem was that Chris didn’t have an
opportunity to fire up the new grill. With all the shopping and
exciting changes to the backyard, Chris hadn’t seen Frank since
their last barbecue. They didn’t normally text or call each other
unless there were immediate plans to do something like workout or
drive to work. Then the two weeks were over without any contact
between the two. No wake up text to carpool together on Monday
morning either.
Chris stared at the message screen before
typing, “No taxi service today?”
The phone kept silent until Chris readied to
leave. Frank’s message put it bluntly, “Different schedules now.”
As if sensing Chris’s hurt feelings, the phone vibrated again.
“Sorry bro. See you at the lab.”
At the lab, Chris didn’t see Frank. Johnykin
met up with him first thing and directed him to a lounge area he
would now be sharing with her. She explained that Erik replaced
Chris and Frank’s old positions and thought it best to give the two
teams their own space. The lounge area looked fine for whatever his
new role entailed: two black leather sofas, back to back
desk/computers like Chris and Frank’s old setup, and a widescreen
connected to X-Tech’s best TV package. Nothing happened that day
except a workout routine in the Fun Room (new normal size weights
were placed inside for Chris), some informal chit chat, and a lot
of Internet browsing. The rest of the week stuck to this schedule.
To Chris it was all fine like the lounge.