A couple of people made it all the way to chapter three, so here's chapter four. I realized this is going to be a longer story than I originally thought. I keep remembering more stuff.

Chapter Four: Blind Spot

I found Fraser still at the dinner table (or there again), drinking tea and talking to Francesca. "You ready to go?" I asked him. "Ray's saying prayers with little Tony, but I can drive you."

He smiled. "Thank you, Ray. I'll just finish my tea and we can be on our way."

"I made it for him," Franny said proudly.

I tilted my head. "They make hot tea mix in powder form now?"

She snatched the discarded tea bag from Fraser's saucer and threw it at me. "No, that's where it comes from, moron," she exclaimed.

I tried to block it, but the soggy bag hit me in the shoulder. I caught it when it fell toward the floor. "All right, all right, I was just teasing you." I suck at this. Everything I say just makes her more irritated with me, I thought. I set the bag back on Fraser's saucer and sat beside him.

"We thought you had left already," Fraser said.

"Yeah, I was just sitting outside for a while, and then Maria caught me. I had to go read a bedtime story."

"Did you tell about Lou Scagnetti?" Fraser asked with a wag of his eyebrows.

I laughed. "No, but I should have."

"Who's Lou Scagnelli?" asked Franny.

"Scagnetti," Fraser started, but I cut him off.

"Private joke. You had to o' been there."

She scowled at me. I felt bad, but I always have a hard time taking back anything I say. She got this distant look in her eyes when she stopped scowling, and I wondered what she was thinking about.

Fraser set his cup down. "Well, thank you kindly for the cup of tea, Francesca."

We got up and went to the front door.

"Come again any time, Fraze," she said, making that zh sound like the Z in azure. She glanced begrudgingly at me. "And I guess you can bring this lunk along."

"Don't put yourself out," I said sarcastically. Why do I do that? What should I have said instead? What would Fraser have said? "I'd be honored." Something like that. You can insult the guy and he'll act like you were just as gracious as he, himself. He's a prince. What am I? Not on her radar, that's for sure.

We got into my car with Dief in the back and I started the engine. "Fraser," I said.

"Yes, Ray."

I wanted to ask all sorts of things like, "How do you train yourself to be polite? How come I can't stop myself from saying stupid things? Why do I always think of what I should have said after it's too late?" or, "How can you act so calm around a girl you know likes you?" Instead, I asked, "Do you think she hates me?"

"Who? Francesca?"

"Yeah."

"No," he said immediately.

"Well, do you think... you think I'm a pain to her?"

"Not at all."

"But I do annoy her."

"From time to time. But that's to be expected. You annoy everyone now and then. You can't help yourself."

"There's such a thing as being too honest, Fraser."

"Understood."

"Hey, um... has Ray ever said anything to you about his brother Paul?"

"Not really. I knew he had one."

"Well, it's weird, right? They haven't even spoken in years."

"It may be unusual for brothers, but it's hardly our business."

"Maybe not, but I was thinking... his birthday's at the end of summer, right?"

"September twenty-first."

"Right. Well, what if we got in touch with Paul and got him to come?"

He thought it over. "I think he would appreciate that very much, but if Paul wouldn't come when Ray was in the hospital, why would he come for his birthday?"

"You have a point, but he didn't have any notice for him being in the hospital. If we tell him about the party months in advance, he can probably get away, right?"

"Maybe. I suppose there's no harm in trying."

"Right. But don't tell anyone... especially not Franny. She might spill the beans."

"Beans?"

"You know, let the secret out."

"Ah, yes. I knew that. I'm sure Francesca would be discreet."

Maybe he was right. I decided to change the subject. "You're still staying at the consulate, right?"

"Yes... though I'll have to find other arrangements. My new commanding officer feels that my living there is a bit inappropriate."

"Bureaucrat," I said.

"Oh, he makes a valid point. After all, only visiting dignitaries are supposed to stay there overnight. And the night staff, of course. And besides which..."

"I get it. So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure yet. It's difficult to find a place that will accommodate both of us."

I glanced back at Diefenbaker. "Yeah... you could try my place. They're pet-friendly. Actually I think the place across the hall from me is still vacant. We could be neighbors." And I'd see more of you than Vecchio—Ray—would, I thought with glee. Yeah, not proud of it. As I said, I'm insecure. Kinda needy.

"It's worth looking into," he said. "I met your landlady..."

"Yeah, when you got her to let you into my apartment. I still can't believe you did that."

"I needed to find you."

"You didn't lick anything in there, did you?"

"There was no need."

"Good. And for the record, there's never any need."

We got to the consulate and I parked. "Hey, um... does it seem surreal to you, being back? It does to me. Like our northern expedition was all a dream or something."

He shook his head. "It feels a little strange, but it's not like a dream. If anything, it's like I started dreaming again when I came back here."

"So... Canada's your reality, and Chicago is mine?"

He looked thoughtful. "I don't know. Chicago has become important to me, but only because of the people I've known here. Canada will always be my home."

"I guess that's how it is for me, too. Flipped. The US, I mean, not Chicago in particular, though it's home for now." I wondered if he'd be going back to Canada again anytime soon. Did he miss the Yukon more than he would miss me?

"Well, you should be on your way," he said, giving my shoulder a little thump. "Get plenty of rest. I'll see you after the morning shift."

"Cool. Seeya."

The next couple of days were a little less awkward than the previous ones. Knowing Ray needed to get away to smoke now and then made me more sympathetic toward him, and I covered for him a couple of times. Franny kept hinting that she might just blow off her Saturday date to go bowling with Fraser and Ray, but she stopped saying things like that around her brother because he always shot her down. Even Fraser acted like it wasn't a good idea.

On Friday, Fraser and I went to get supper without Ray, who had some errands to do or something. I took the opportunity to ask, "How come Ray's so against taking his sister bowling with you? Did he say the other night when we had dinner at his place?"

"Yes," Fraser answered. "He informed me that the men who frequent Chicago bowling alleys tend to be very rude to women, and especially to young, attractive women such as Francesca."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"And you believed him?"

Beat. "Yes."

"Oh, my god, Fraser, he's snowing you."

"Snowing me?"

"Pulling the wool over your eyes. Giving you the business. He's just saying that because he doesn't want to hang out with his kid sister."

"I'm sure you're wrong, Ray."

I sighed. "Fraser... I think you've got a blind spot for this guy. Do you believe everything he tells you?"

"Well, no. But for the most part."

I turned my focus back onto my food. I felt bad for Franny, but I didn't know how to help. Fraser wouldn't believe Ray would lie to him, and I didn't want to jeopardize the new understanding we'd come to by confronting Ray about his sister.

"Something wrong?" Fraser asked after a minute.

"Eh, I don't know," I hedged. "Have you looked at any apartments yet?"

"No, but I spoke to your landlady on the phone. She said I could look at the one across from yours tomorrow."

"Oh, good. It's not real ritzy, but from what I've heard, it's nicer than the building where you used to live. The one that burned down."

"Dief and I are used to roughing it."

"Yeah, I know." I smiled, remembering the primitive campsites we had put together on the islands between Greenland and Canada. Fraser had even thrown together something of a half-snow cave, half-igloo that was just big enough for us and Dief to crawl inside. It had been surprisingly cozy. "But you wanna have someplace you can take your friends sometimes... and your lady-friends."

"Oh, well..." He did that thing where he looks around like something super interesting is going on that only he can see, and he is trying so hard to exude calmness that he looks close to panic.

It made me grin. "Don't worry. We'll find you something. Oh, and hey. I was thinking I'd tell Francesca after all, about my idea to get Paul out here for Ray's birthday. If she thinks it's good, she can give me his phone number or his address."

"Good thinking." Fraser was calm again, but now he looked like he was thinking hard about something.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Oh..." He shook his head and gave me a weak smile. "Not really."

So, something was wrong. "What's up?"

"It's nothing."

Sometimes this would be when I put the pressure on and tried to wheedle it out of him, but he looked like he really wasn't ready to talk. "Okay," I said.

We gave some leftovers to Dief, who kept looking for more when he'd eaten it all. Then I drove them back to the consulate again.

"Let me know when you're coming to see the apartment," I said, putting the passenger side window down. "I could pick you up if you want."

Fraser leaned on the door. "Thank you, but I planned on taking a taxi. Much as your landlady will be glad for you to vouch for me, seeing that I can afford a taxi may vouch for me more strongly." Fraser was finally getting that money was king in Chicago.

"You have a point."

"Will she want references?"

"Eh, it won't hurt. But she'll definitely want to see your last couple pay stubs."

"I'll be sure to bring them. Good night, Ray."

"Good night, Fraser. Seeya, Dief."

Dief barked once before trotting up the front steps. Fraser followed him.

I headed home where I decided to quickly spruce up my space a little in case Fraser wanted to hang out with me for a while the next day. The mess wasn't too bad... just some clutter I could take care of pretty quickly. But there was a mountain of dirty dishes. I sighed and started piling them in my dishpan so I could fill the sink with water. I would definitely deserve a beer when I got done. Maybe two.

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