My fingers stick a little to the ice cubes. The clink into the glass follows the soft gurgling sound of the Vodka as it pours into the miss-matched tumblers.
Looking down into the clear liquid, my mind wanders into a place of tingling anticipation, of pent up anxiety.
My footsteps are slow, sure. I place one of the small alcohol filled tumblers on the end table closest to my Dad. Turning slightly to toward the chair occupied by our boss, Lee Townsend. The second glass is placed on a small folded paper towel that serves as a coaster.
The furniture is brand new, not expensive by any stretch of the imagination but we wish to insure that it keeps that new look for as long as possible.
"Thanks Son, that really was a fantastic meal. To you and Lee," Dad raises his glass slightly above his shoulder height in a gesture of a job well done.
"Here, here!" concurs the handsome, well manicured Lee, his glass also raised.
"CLINK!" the glasses touch, just as I grab my bottle of Snapple and join in the celebratory toast.
A smile crosses Dad's face, both he and Lee nod at each other before placing the glasses to their lips and pulling a strong swig of chilled Vodka.
"AH! Now that hits the spot doesn't it Lee," Dad's wink at me is a little affirmation of our bond. One that has grown stronger over the past month. I can not believe how things have changed in such a short period of time.
My life once seemed so planned out, so calculated, a bit boring, well it is anything other than boring now.
I have new friends, the anticipation of a new University, a new job and even my passion, hockey seems to have taken on an interesting path. I have a best friend who has my back. He and his girlfriend are not judgmental nor do they pry into my personal life. Neither of them are forcing me to have to endure lurid tales of sexual conquests or past relationship failures. They are just real folk, friends without pretense or expectations. I really feel comfortable not having to make up stories of mysterious girlfriends unknown. It just does not come up, I don't feel compelled to bring it up. It's all going pretty well, so why mess with it. Life could not be better right now, or could it?
I settle down on a large round overstuffed cushion. Pulling my knees up to my chest, legs slightly spread apart. I rest my chin on the rock hard muscles of my quads.
My iced tea is drained fairly quickly, placing the empty bottle on my folded paper towel. The new hardwood flooring shines and sparkles with the reflection of the lamp on the table between Dad's and Lee's chairs.
I listen to the banter between the two men as they swap tales of disastrous attempts at finding suitable Wells in this heavily granite and iron laden area of New England.
It seems as if the two of them are going on and on and on about everything and nothing. My mind wandering in and out of attention. Other things are on my mind, things that I dare not say out loud to anyone, let alone in front of them.
I value the opportunity to work that Lee has afforded Dad and myself. He also is becoming a friend to Dad. I take great pleasure in the satisfaction that the man that I so look up to, respect is appearing to be, well sorta, happy again.
I have not really felt that Dad was all that happy or comfortable without Mom and my sister in his daily life. I worry about him a lot, often late at night, just listening to him gently snoring. Dreaming up all sorts of scenario's where I fill his needs in the way Mom had done for him during their decades together.
I wish for the time that Dad would be as comfortable with every aspect of his life and love as he had been with Mom. Yeah, I know I am off in La-La land again but heck, I can dream can't I?
"Robbie, ROBBIE?" Dad's voice splits through the voice in my head.
Snapping my head up off my knees, "Oh, sorry, did you say something Dad?"
"Were did you go there kiddo? Lee was just asking you if you would get him another 3 fingers of Vodka, a few more ice cubes too. Be a good boy and get us both a little more, wouldja?"
Getting up, I walk toward the two empty glasses sitting on the small white painted table. The ice had long since either melted or had been chewed up. I gather up the blue, then the clear tumbler. "Sorry bout that, I'll be right back."
Part of the kitchen is flooded by a sliver of light as I open up the freezer door to retrieve another handful of ice cubes. The unscrewing of the metal cap on the Vesicca Vodka bottle and then the gurgle of alcohol being poured over ice. A little Vodka splashes onto my left hand as it hits the cubes. I screw the cap back on, instinctively lick the back of my hand. The sweet flavor of the Potato Vodka tingles the end of my tongue.
"Hmmmmm"
"Here you go Dad, Lee." handing the men their glasses. "I'll be back in a moment, have to go to the bathroom."
Walking down the darkened hallway toward the guest bathroom, I pause for a moment. I flick on the wall switch and the room comes into focus. I close the door behind myself and proceed to undress, take care of natures calling.
Just as I enter the living room again, still wiping my damp washed hands on the sides of my T-shirt, I see Dad smile at me, nod toward the two empty glasses on the table.
Lee has his long legs crossed at the ankles, he has slid slightly forward in his chair. It is hard for me not to notice the large bulge in his jeans, it mounds up in front of him. Relaxed and completely at home, he smiles at me. "Please?" he points his long right index finger toward his once again empty tumbler.
Dad chimes in, "Oh yeah, sorry bout that Robbie, Please, the two of us? This is the last one, I promise."
Dutifully taking the tumblers, I turn and go back into the kitchen to refresh the drinks. This time I pour a little Vodka into Dad's glass and take a swig. It burns a little, strong, wince just a little and then swallow. I pour a little more and drink it.
"OK, that's it, I am not going to have any more. I have other plans and I don't think that getting drunk for the first time in my life is going to do anything to help me keep my plan on track."
The glasses are placed along side their respective drinker. "Thank you Robbie, you really have raised him to be a respectable, handsome young man there R.J."
Lee takes his glass, raises it towards Dad. Dad grabs his glass and quickly clinks it against Lee's. They nod at each other, then smile at me.
Proud, that is what I am, blushing, a little embarrassed but very proud. It's a wonderful feeling to be recognized by two very handsome and well, handsome men. I really like this feeling, like I am grown up, one of them. I'm a little emboldened, determined to do what I have been keeping under wraps all evening long.
"I am going to go to bed if you two don't mind. Is there anything else you guys need before I head off? It has been one heck of a day. I sure hope I can handle this kind of hard work when I get older the way you two have."
I wish I had not said what I had the second that it left my mouth. Had I just insulted them? Did I just say they were OLD? Heck, I hope they don't take it that way.
"No, you go to bed Robbie, you have had a rough day and earned a good nights rest." Dad reaches forward and pats the side of my arm with his big paw.
Lee sits up a little, leans forward, gives me a light smack on the side of my butt. "You go get some shut eye, we'll see you in the morning, good night Robbie."
Lee lets his torso lay back into a reclining position, raises his glass to his full lips and takes a long pull of Vodka.
Walking down the hallway, I turn this time to the right hand door at the end. It's the master bedroom, the brilliant moonlight streaking into the otherwise pitch black room. A swath of light illuminates the king sized bed then runs up the wall.
I enter the master bathroom and prepare myself for bed. Brushed teeth, washed face, cloths tossed into a small pile in the corner of the bedroom. I pull back the corner of the top sheet, slide between the clean bed linens. I lay my head down on the feather pillow. Facing my side of the bed, I stare at the strip of light that travels up the wall. I drift off into nothingness, not even realizing it is happening. My mind, once so full and scheming, now muddied and floating into the moonlight.
I awake somewhat unaware of my surroundings. My eyes are unfocussed for a moment, then I get my bearings. The soft and rhythmic snores are soothing to me. I turn my head and look over my shoulder. There is Dad laying on his back, large, dark and beautiful. My heart begins to beat quickly, I try to breath as quietly as I can as not to awake him. He has kicked the top sheet off of himself, he lay next to me naked, bathed in the moonlight filtering into the bedroom from the open windows.