Raising Nemo

Chapter 04

Nemo was not happy to go into his crate when Gary was ready to leave. Seeing how the puppy had been very good about housebreaking and actually letting him know when he needed to go out, Gary let him roam freely about the house while he took a shower, leaving a full ration of food in the bowl.

It was rather... disconcerting to whip the shower curtain back after finishing, to see Nemo sitting immediately next to the tub, looking expectantly up at him, as if he held the keys to heaven. It dawned on Gary, the puppy's schedule was off. He was used to Gary coming home, going outside, eating, and then going for a walk, playing, and grooming before bedtime. Gary remembered when the boys' schedules were off-kilter for whatever reason when they were small. He and Carol always paid for it that night and the next day.

As he got dressed in a pair of jeans and a button down oxford, it dawned on him he was getting used to Nemo being underfoot. He actually was looking forward to the puppy taking off with one of his socks. But tonight, he was in a hurry, and for whatever reason, Nemo did not want to go in the crate, Gary eventually resorting to Doggie Bacon Strip Bribery! But in he finally went, toys and the blanket inside as well as a second doggie treat.

There was a painful howl when he left.

~~~...~~~

"Gary, it's been too long, since we sat at a dinner table together!" Both Brian and Sandy rose to greet him, Sandy giving him a huge hug. "Our waiter has been warned!"

Marriage and four children had made Sandy pleasingly plump, far from the cheerleader figure she sported in college. She and Carol were cheerleaders together, but for some reason, Gary didn't think the two of them got along. Sandy seemed to try to tolerate Carol when he and Carol married, but...

On occasion he thought to ask her about it, but the time never seemed right. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer, so it seemed best to just... not.

Brian's barrel chest had dropped over the years and neither he nor Sandy seemed to mind that time had caught up to them.

They sat down and ordered drinks, before Sandy reached across the table and grabbed Gary's hand. "You have been a stranger to our home for too long."

"I've been busy."

"You've been hiding!" Sandy huffed. "You're still hiding!" She jabbed a finger at him.

The waitress returned with their drinks, Gary picking his up and contemplating the depths of the ice. "I've not been good company."

"You are always good company."

Gary smirked into his gin and tonic. "Tell that to my boys."

"Your boys think you hung the moon!"

Gary continued to smile. Truth was, his relationship with his sons had improved after the storm, all three learning to give and listen a little bit more. "My... social chip is burned out."

"Your social chip?"

Gary turned to Brian. "Do you always let her run rough-shod over your friends?"

Brian lifted his long-neck bottle. "When they deserve it!" He toasted. "Cheers."

"You divorced Carol, not your friends."

Gary settled into his chair. He expected this; truthfully, he needed it. He had buried himself, separated himself from friends the last five or six years. He concentrated on the boys, their college funds, his career, paying off the house. He avoided the opposite sex as if women were The Black Plague. "You would try to set me up with some nice girl from Rochester, Carol. I know you. Let's talk about something nice."

Brian took the hint to change the subject with aplomb. "The boys are at Oklahoma State together?"

Gary sighed in relief. A much nicer subject. "Yeah. They're rooming together, so that's cheaper."

"BJ has been accepted at OSU and Arkansas already. He hasn't given a letter of intent. Won't do it until Thanksgiving." Brian was proud of his eldest, who was the all-state offensive lineman at Silverton High School. Gary figured he'd be seeing a lot of BJ every Friday night for the next two to three months. "Scouts for Georgia Tech, UGA, and Florida State showed up over the summer. All three want to talk to him. We've heard Alabama and Auburn are sending scouts sometime in the next few weeks."

"They are too far away," Sandy mumbled. "I don't want my baby so far from home, I have to get on a plane to get to him if he needs me!"

Gary snickered. "Sandy. Your baby is six foot four and weighs almost 300 pounds, solid muscle."

"It doesn't matter," she sniffed. "I still see that sweet little baby face when I check on him at night."

Brian rolled his eyes, but Gary sympathized. He caught himself checking on Donnie and Trey last night, only to remember, they weren't there. "Well, I'd rather see him in a Bulldog or Crimson Tide uniform, than a Razorback jersey!" Brian hated the Razorbacks as much as he hated the Texas Longhorns. "Say what you want about the south, they have great programs."

They talked football, colleges, and Nemo, until dinner came. While Sandy cut up her chicken, Brian finally raised the subject of the middle school position.

"George's mother passed away over the summer and left him extremely well off. He handed in his resignation a month ago. The system has been scrambling to fill it."

"I haven't heard anything about it." That was the truth. "Why didn't it go out on email?"

"It went out in official mail. This school system is woefully behind the times. Sadly, it helps Titus in keeping pertinent information from his more worthy employees, namely you. I get the feeling you're not completely happy."

Gary didn't want to unload on his friend. He was grateful, grateful for the job, grateful for his support and his friendship over the years. Had it not been for Brian finding a family therapist after Carol left, he and the boys would have probably fallen through the cracks and things would have been much, much worse.

"I don't want to burden you."

"Don't you dare start that, Gary Fuller! You've spent how many years like a hermit, closing yourself off, not burdening anyone!" Sandy's voice raised and surrounding tables stared. "Titus Walker is a jackass – don't you shush me Brian Matthew Waldstein!"

"Full name, man. You're in trouble." Gary whispered.

Sandy's voice did come down a notch. "Titus is a jackass and you know it! How many positions has he kept secret from his employees, holding them back?"

"So," Brian rumbled. "Burden me."

Gary found some western cattle-rustling paraphernalia hanging on the wall as part of the rustic décor and concentrated on it. "I'm scheduled to attend every extra-curricular function between now and Christmas. Games, chorus, band concerts, in addition to assisting with the football team. Apparently, everyone else has families and responsibilities, and with the boys gone, he figures I need to be occupied and am readily available." Sandy hissed at this. "In the meantime, we're down an English teacher, as well as a History teacher on maternity leave who might not come back and I'm teaching four English classes and taking on a history class, with the rest of the department rotating the schedule, all while keeping up with my AP duties." He inhaled deeply. "I'm not doing another year with him after this. Either a transfer comes available or I'm going to be looking for another teaching job." Finally, he looked down and at his friend. "At this point, I don't care if I go back into the classroom or not. This weekend, I'm hitting the Tulsa website, as well as Creek County. If something comes up and the board will let me out of my contract, I'm gone."

"Bad juju breaking a contract after school starts."

"I know. But between the divorce, Carol's death, her parents undermining me with the boys-"

"Still?" Sandy was clearly upset. "They're still digging at you?"

"Still." Gary leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed and began to nod. "The boys are starting to avoid them." He resumed his quiet tirade. "They are adults now and I'm not going to force them to be anything. Between that and now Titus's control-freak antics, I don't see me staying sane this school year." He smirked. "Nemo has been a god-send, I hate to say."

"You need someone to take care of, take the load off."

Brian was contemplating Gary's words. "The cut-off was yesterday, but if you can email me your resume and application before I arrive in the office in the morning, I might get the committee to accept your application as well." He gave an impish grin. "Slide it under the office door."

It was going to be a late night. Thank God, tomorrow would be a light day with little work. In fact, Titus normally showed up late on Friday of pre-planning and left early.

"Do you want me to email it to you? I'll do it as soon as we get home."

"That would be great."

"I'm not guaranteeing anything," Brian reminded him, "because it's going in after the deadline, but I can try."

"It's not your fault Titus didn't tell anyone."

"Gary," Brian leaned forward, "don't give up on a transfer just yet. There's talk of building another middle school. Both are bursting and the elementary schools aren't showing signs of downsizing anytime soon."

"That could be how many years down the road?"

"Two or three. I know Titus is difficult, but-"

"Who does he know?"

Brian squirmed uncomfortably. "It's not who he knows, it's how long he's been here." That made Gary wince. "Titus is an excellent orator. The High School is a well run machine and he knows how to win awards and look good. People don't see the people beneath him making him look good and he knows that. Things change during the year. Who knows what's coming up or down the pike. Anything can happen." He was fumbling in his pocket. "Where's my notebook? Give me your home email address, the one you don't use at school-"

Sandy pulled a notepad from her purse and slid it to Gary. "Write it here." It was a pretty flowery girly shopping notepad. "He'll lose it. He looses everything!" Gary took the pen she handed him as well and wrote down his personal email address, as well as his private cellphone and landline.

"I'll keep you abreast, since Titus won't. I'll text you if something happens."

"I can check on my home email on my cellphone."

"Yeah, you do that." The waitress laid the checks on the table and before Gary could pick his up, Brian snatched them both. "You've been through too much shit. Tomorrow, text me the number of students enrolled in your four English classes. I'll see if a new English teacher has been approved. That will be a load off, I'm sure. Make sure you get that application and resume into me before the morning. I know you, Gary. Talk yourself up. You've got to be your biggest cheerleader in this one. I'm not promising anything, but I'll try."

"That's all I can ask."

As the three got up to leave, Sandy reached over and touched him on the hand. "What are you doing Sunday?"

"Sitting in front of the television, watching ESPN, with my hand in my shorts." His smirk lifted one side of his face. "I've been looking forward to that for a long time."

Brian guffawed, while Sandy blushed. "Come over to the house for dinner after church. Brian is grilling steaks and there's a new girl with our company. She just moved here. She's single and very nice-"

"Sandy, you're not setting me up."

"Gary, it has been how many years? You have grieved long enough! And she isn't worth-" she snapped her mouth shut and turned red. "I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn."

It was very quiet for a moment. "Someday," Gary spoke softly, "I'm going to take you to lunch behind your husband's back and you're going to tell me why you disliked Carol so much. But not today." He pulled her under his arm and hugged her. "And I'll come to dinner and invite your new friend, but don't make it like a double date."

"You got it, bucko!"

~~~...~~~

Gary was up until after midnight redoing his resume and then filling out the application for the principal's position on his computer. It was hard listing his accolades and responsibilities; it wasn't something he normally did. Nemo spent the majority of the time at Gary's feet, forlornly chewing on the lone toy with the squeaker still intact. Gary almost took it from him, but realized that the squeaky was becoming a beloved and comforting toy. It was amazing how many similarities Gary saw between Nemo and his boys, not only when they were younger, but after Carol left.

Nemo had not had an accident in the house since that first morning, so Gary turned on the back light, took the puppy out one last time and then rather than crate him, led him to the huge dog bed in the family room with the blanket and toys and turned the lights off.

He got up the next morning, to puppy yips and went downstairs, to find Nemo dancing and waiting by the kitchen back door.

And the dog bed moved a foot away from where Gary placed it.

~~~...~~~

Friday morning had one meeting that was mercifully short and then after lunch, as was typical, everyone from Titus to the teachers with any sort of experience, disappeared. They had pre-planning down to a science. Gary found himself alone, along with the janitorial staff and all the first year teachers, putting on the last touches for the incoming masses on Monday.

And Nemo.

Who wanted to play.

Nemo ran up and down the hall, barking and making noise. He would stop in front of Gary's open door, yap some more, and then run some more. It wasn't until he got Nemo into the SUV and strapped himself in, that his cellphone buzzed. He took a deep breath before checking his caller id.

No word yet. Dinner still on Sunday? B.

Gary exhaled. Oh well, he said it was going in late and the deadline was passed. It was too much to think that they would make a decision in 24 hours. He was just going to spend Saturday on the computer anyway, if nothing else, looking at the surrounding school systems and seeing what they might have to offer. He texted a quick affirmation, before checking to make sure Nemo was secure and cranking his vehicle.

After changing and taking Nemo to the dog park for an hour, he went through a drive through, got a burger for him and one with bacon and cheese for Nemo. He went home and, getting a bottled root beer from the frig and giving Nemo real puppy food, Gary sat down in front of the television, used the remote to click it on, and put his hand in his pants.

~~~...~~~

Gary arrived before Sandy's mystery who wasn't a set up but probably was a set up co-worker. He forced himself not to compare the huge home his friend lived in to his own comparably modest abode. Truthfully, he made decent money, but chose to bank as much as possible, rather than purchase a large, pretentious home with a yard he would have either fought to keep up with or gone broke hiring a yard service to do.

But that had been Carol's dream.

Brian was in the back yard wearing a 'Dinner is Ready when the Smoke Detector Goes Off' apron. Sandy hugged him before handing Gary and her husband a cold one and disappeared back into the house.

"You holding your breath? I've not heard a thing."

Gary shook his head, ruefully. "You made no promises, you said the deadline was passed. So regardless if I get it or not. No loss. No promises. No pain."

"But gain!" Brian cheerfully retorted. "Look. When the board realized that you are interested in moving out from Titus's tender tutelage, it opened some doors for you. They were very impressed with your resume!" He playfully punched him in the arm. "So, maybe this will be your big move!"

Sandy arrived with raw steaks and salmon on a platter. Smiling, she handed them to her husband, before hearing the front doorbell ring. "That will be Laurel."

Brian watched as his wife returned into the house. "Renee turned in her resignation Friday afternoon, so the call will go out for a new history teacher Monday." He began to spear the meat onto the grill. "We hope to have someone in there in a few weeks. There is an administration meeting on Tuesday you need to be at. Titus will be told to hire or we will. Teachers shouldn't be teaching during their planning and administrators should be administrating, not covering long term. You need to show those leadership abilities we know you have. We will also introduce discussion to make a decision on the English position sometime in the next few weeks. Hang in there. Don't give up. I've got my ear to the ground for you and I'll keep you abreast of things since Titus won't. So," he nodded towards Gary's hip, where his cell was attached, "you keep that thing close. I'll be pinging via my private mail as our professional mail is open to the public for God knows how long."

There was noise coming from the house. Brian's kids came up from the basement to the back yard making as much ruckus as four children could make and there was an additional female voice as well. "In case you've not figured it out, Sandy is setting you up," Brian hurriedly whispered. "I don't know anything about her."

~~~...~~~

Laurel mentally exhausted Gary. She talked and talked. She was young, well, young to Gary; in her mid-twenties and full of energy. She didn't simply participate in a discussion; she commandeered it, led it, controlled it. Sandy told the adults at the table that Laurel was the new junior accountant for the bedding chain in Tulsa Sandy was the human resources manager for. Laurel was updating the software for the company, improving the books, planned to cut costs, improve the company's profit, find different insurance, retirement plans, plans, and more plans. She played clarinet with the Tulsa Symphony, saving money and hoping to purchase her first home in a year, which would have three bedrooms and a large enough kitchen to cook in, and a large enough yard to grow her own vegetables, because vegetables canned or frozen in the supermarket were full of chemicals and pesticides and other unnatural things or were genetically altered, as well as enough space for fruit trees and berry plants. Apparently, Laurel made her own jellies and jams, didn't eat meat, and was rather picky about the seafood she ate. In fact, she brought her own seafood for Brian to grill and stood over him, making sure he did it right.

She wasn't simply opinionated; she was The Authority. Oh, she was nice about Her Opinion, but it was still Her Opinion.

Soon after dinner was over and Gary helped Sandy clear the table, he realized that Nemo had a really good use:

An excuse to escape.

He found himself shaking Laurel's hand, pounding Brian's shoulder, and hugging Sandy. As he backed out of Brian's driveway, he realized that somehow in the cacophony, he and Laurel had exchanged phone numbers and they had a date next Saturday.

~~~...~~~

Nemo was eager to get out, walk, go somewhere, anywhere. Gary wanted to get out, walk, go somewhere, anywhere. He needed to get the ringing from Laurel's voice out of his ears. How did he get roped into a date? He found himself loading Nemo into the SUV and heading to the dog park. There were several dogs there, most Nemo already knew and was friends with. For not the first time, Gary made comparisons to Nemo and his boys growing up. There were dogs Nemo liked to play with, others he avoided. Nemo liked bacon, not so much sausage, and he liked his puppy food not so crunchy. He had a favorite squeaky toy, a preferred blanket. He'd been upset on Saturday when Gary 'fed' the blanket to the washing machine, sitting in front of the washer and then the dryer, whining and absolutely ecstatic when the blanket emerged from the dryer unscathed and none the worse for wear. Nemo grabbed it from Gary's hands and took it straight to his crate, tucking it into the back and stayed with it for an hour, as if to make sure Gary hadn't harmed the beloved fabric and wouldn't take it again any time soon!

They stayed for forty-five minutes, Nemo joyous and excited to see his friends, and Gary exhausted and unaware that he looked, as he always did, for the very nice assistant manager from PetPalooza, and was disappointed when he didn't see her. As the park emptied, Gary spent precious time with his eager puppy, training him to sit. Stay wasn't a concept yet, but he'd get it. When it came time to leave, Nemo was reluctant, obviously basking in the amount of attention Gary gave him, but Gary had an early and busy day the next day.

He was unaware that as he pulled away from the exit of the dog park, Deidre and Brutus were pulling in through the entrance.

~~~...~~~