Sometimes, things just don't go the way we want. Say Garrett, how does a man feel when he confessed his love to the one woman he thought she was honest and now he's put at a distance? Anyway, rest assured that things get in gear now, for you'll get right now if not a very nice but a very interesting
Surprise in the Evening
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Garrett enjoyed his usual weekly dinner with his father. He kept this tradition for a long time already. It dated back even farther than the time with Catherine. Through all his ups and downs, this one evening always seemed to be a kind of lighthouse in his life: Nice and unhurried on a fine evening, but a safe and unshaken in a stormy night.
After his last up, his next down followed right away.
All the joy and hope he brought back to Wilmington after that fine but also meaningful weekend with Theresa was all too soon replaced by melancholy when he realized how reservedly she kept distance to him since.
It was more than a month now he hadn't heard from her. Three times he tried to call Theresa and every time, he was cut short. Garrett dearly hoped that she would say at least something like "I want to see you again" or "I'll miss you". But she never did. It was not his way to be intrusive, so he finally let it be with a heavy heart.
"I wouldn't let her go that easy" Jeb commented, "don't you think she just needs some more time to make up a decision?" Garrett replied with a low voice: "I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to leave Boston. It is her world after all. I understand it, she is really doing well there. But my world is Wilmington. It was here that I spent the time of my life with Catherine. I was not made to live in a big city."
This made Jeb taking a very long look into the eyes of his son:
"I tell you what. You never tried! I see well you're not feeling good these days. You're missing her. But can't you see that she might not feel any better than you? There has to be some compromising. And I'm not going to talk all over Catherine again. God bless her good soul but it's about high time for you to go on with life. You must find a new way and if this way should lead you away from here, so what? I just can't see how you want to carry on for much longer the way you do now.
Do you want to walk on the shore forever and sadly turn around just to see your own footsteps?"
The expression of Garrett's face was a most thoughtful one: "Dad, what have you seen in the last twenty-fife years apart from your footsteps in the sand? Were there many flowers blooming on your wayside ever since mother died? I may be fighting with my own issues, but being born the son of my father, I just hate to see him get along with a fate he doesn't deserve. Will both you and I never get out of this?"
Jeb was definitely not a man of silly talking. The occasions were few indeed when he felt urged to start a speech. But if he did, Garrett knew well that it was worth listening to him:
"I see, you're getting poetic and that's actually not the worst thing when you're feeling bad. So I'll stay in the land of epic poetry for a while as well. It shows quite nicely that both you and I have some dreams and hopes left.
No denying, the way I had to go after your mother's death was piled up with stones rather than sowed with flowers. You witnessed many things with me, so not much to say here. But believe me, I've always seen the flowers on my wayside.
I gladly noticed them, down to the smallest one and they always made my soul smile. They kept my dreams and hopes alive and they're a big reason why I'm not feeling as bad as you probably think. I still feel the wind in my back and the sunshine on my face. Not with an overwhelming joy, you see but with a good feeling of contentedness.
You say you have your issues, still you regret that all those years have not been kind to me. As a father, I proudly see I have a son who cares. I didn't want to raise you with the intention that you should do everything the same way than I did, but there's one thing we're alike: You keep on trying, hoping, dreaming, worrying and you keep smiling even if sometimes you'd probably rather want to step aside and quit the whole crap. You remember the first year after Catherine's death, don't you? But you didn't quit!"
This last sentence touched Garrett far more than he wanted to admit. It truly was the hardest time he ever had.
Unshaken as ever, Jeb went on: "It's always been the same: History repeats itself. Seems my story is being retold by you now, some good things as well as some bad things too. But if it has to be so, there's a flower, on your wayside as well as on mine, a flower that has never faded so far: It's called confidence.
Sometimes you must try to tip destiny a little bit in your direction and sometimes there is plainly nothing left than having to wait for what happens. Both will always be all right as long as you see a sense in it. I tell you I still see a sense in my having patience, I still have dreams and I still hope to make some of my dreams come true. My son, I know there are flowers blooming on my wayside.
Now tell me, what is it about you? Do you still see a sense in your acting? I mean holding on to Theresa, even if she's taking herself aside for the moment? Have you ever wondered?"
Actually, Garrett thought to know his father's attitude for long enough. However, in this moment he learned that there was still so much more to him. How precious, he thought is a father's love, the only way he knew how. What he said and the way he said it lifted Garret up once again. He needed not much time to find the words to answer:
"Dad, you did it: I heard you and I tell you: Yes, it still makes sense. If at all, it's Theresa and Theresa alone! I just can't imagine any other woman. It's as simple as that. I'll hold on to her"
Finally Jeb gave his son a bright smile: "So consider this the first step on your new way. You must go it, no matter to where it may lead you. And to close this evening with you, one last little thing: Trust me when I say you don't need to worry about me."
While driving home, Garrett reflected his father's words. Deep inside, he knew well it was true. The signs were pointing all one way: Start living again, keep going and don't stop. In all those dreams, when Catherine appeared to him, didn't she keep telling him the same? And it was more than one message when he wrote to her: "I know I have to go on without you". Garrett realized he had to stop pretending.
He had to do it!
He arrived home and parked his car. But what was this? All at once he noticed a person sitting in front of the closed house door. Now who..., he thought, but then he saw it clearly. For a second he felt his breath going out:
Kevin!
He approached and realized that something must have happened. "Garrett, please don't be angry" The despair in his voice was clearly heard. In fact, red swollen eyes told Garrett that the boy didn't spend the last hours joyfully. His whole body was shivering even if the temperature was as nice as a fine summer evening in June could be. Supposedly he had been sitting there for some time already.
There was one good virtue with Garrett. He could handle unexpected situations without panic. Perhaps the one stormy night on sea had told him so: First think then do what you have to.
Although his mind was filled with curiosity, he knew he had to care for Kevin's desolate condition first, so he didn't ask questions. "Come on, Kevin, it's all right. Let's go in".
He put Kevin on his feet and they went into the kitchen where he offered him a seat. Thereafter, he left for the bath room and came back with a face tissue moistened with warm water. "Here, wipe your eyes and do your face. You will feel better. Do you want a hot chocolate?" Kevin gladly accepted. Garrett poured then himself a cup of coffee and started very much the same way than he did with Theresa a few months ago: "I see something has happened. Tell me, I will listen to you."
Kevin took a deep breath and finally started telling:
"I... I run away from home. I couldn't stand it any longer. Mom doesn't really care for me no more! It's gotten so much worse the last months. Whenever I tried to talk to her I didn't think she wanted to hear me.
And all because of that darned new job of hers. We had a bad quarrel last Saturday, she was angry with me and I was angry too. But of course it was no good. Two days ago, she went to Chicago and left me with a family she knows. They have a good mom and dad who care for the kids.
I... I'm so ashamed, it was not their fault, they've treated me so right, but I had to go. I figured out some excuse so I had yesterday afternoon to prepare all to come here. Garrett, please can you understand, please?"
Kevin was really down so Garrett put his hand on his shoulder. "Yes Kevin, I see what you mean. But how in the world could you manage to get down here?"
All of a sudden, Kevin blushed and dropped his eyes. Then he continued, very slowly and almost with a bit of reluctance: "Mom regularly saves money for me on my bank account. I can't get it myself, but I wrote a statement on the PC, saying that Theresa Osborne permits her son a single retreat of 500 Dollars.
I... I falsified her signature.
The bank corner is not far away from home. They verified my identity, but thereafter I got the money with no problems."
Perhaps Kevin expected Garrett get indignant, shocked or even angry, but Garrett didn't say anything. He just waited for Kevin to continue.
"Then I checked the flight schedule on the internet. I had luck, today was OK. So I booked a flight with another such statement in the name of my mother and got up here. I arrived at noon and took a taxi. I waited till you came.
Garrett, don't be angry, will you? At least, it was my own money. I didn't steal it from mom. I never meant to betray her, but she doesn't listen. You are the only one who listens to me. Don't be angry, Garrett, please!"
Garrett stood silent for a moment "Do you know when your mother will be back home from her business trip?" he asked. "Oh yes, tonight, I guess she should be at home by now."
"And you left her a message?" Kevin nodded "But I didn't tell her that I came here. I don't want her to be angry with you as well."
But Garrett knew better. This time was not going to get the easy way out. Not for Kevin, not for Theresa and not for him. He concluded:
"Kevin, we both know that what you did was not right. But I couldn't say either that I didn't understand your acting. You feel rejected by your mother although I don't think she has done so on purpose. I know she loves you and has cared for you from the day you were born. Just because things weren't that good in the last time should not make us overlook the rest, when things were apparently better. Right now, it just seems to me, maybe once again, she's living through some hard times."
Kevin shook his head: "But it's her fault! I'm no little boy any more and I'm nobody's fool. I know what's going on! You love her and she could be happy with you. We could all be happy. But what does she do? She's going to work herself half blind. I don't count any more."
Garrett heard the anger in his voice and replied softly: "Yes Kevin, you're right: I do love your mother. If only it was all that easy. But we can talk about that later on. For now, let me suggest something else: I've had my dinner already but you really should eat something. And then we'll try to call your mother, but we'll do it together, okay?"
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Not quite the way you expected to see Kevin again, is it Garrett? Sure you want to call Theresa now but hopefully, you're aware that this time, you'll not be talking to your lover but merely to a mother in despair.
To be continued.
