I
Of all the people Victor thought he'd befriend, a man like Erik Nolan would have been way far down the list. Of all the people he thought he'd have as a housemate, Erik would not have been on that list at all.
Erik was by far the most interesting person Victor called a friend and it boggled his mind that he even considered him a close friend. Victor didn't subscribe to any belief system, but 'blessed' was a word he would have used for Erik. He was naturally outgoing, naturally tall, and naturally rich.
That said, Erik Nolan wasn't a saint. He had a rough personality -- not intimidating, but the kind that wasn't afraid to make crude, non-PC jokes or offer blunt opinions. He liked a good party and a good drink.
This was the Erik Nolan Victor met in college and this is the Erik Nolan he shared Erik's three bedroom, three bathroom house with. But before Victor even met him, he made a pre-judgement that their paths would likely never cross. For one thing, despite being in the same educational level, Erik was a few years closer to 30 than he was. He was the archetypal popular high school jock, if such labels still existed. Victor didn't think he did formal sports. Victor definitely didn't himself. People liked him, and girls liked him. Victor did drink occasionally, but wasn't particularly loud or the people magnet he was.
But for whatever reason, whatever makes the universe work as it does, they hit it off. Maybe it was the 'opposites attract' thing.
Following graduation from their respective graduate programs, they were both young upstarts at new jobs, both single, and both self-dependent. So naturally (or maybe it wasn't so natural) they rented an old but newly renovated house together -- the mentioned tri-bedroom home all to themselves. Or at least, Victor rented. Erik owned the whole thing. How did they afford it? Victor had savings from working all through high school and undergrad and a bit of education funds from his dad too, while Erik almost exclusively had a boat load of money from his parents. Erik though wanted the extra space in case they took on another body.
About six months into living together, Victor's mom and dad said they wanted to come see the place their son was so avidly raving about.
It had been years since Victor lived with his parents -- his last year of high school in fact, because his schools were always outside their tiny town. He did, of course, go back to visit during summers and sometimes Christmases, but it was never more than three or four weeks at a time. He had gotten used to being on his own. Now with his own place and in the workforce, he was officially never going back. That felt good.
Erik initially made fun of him for getting a visit by his parents as a grown man, but he was basically cool with it -- Victor thought he was anyways; he never actually said. Victor suspected that they weren't ever going to get such a stay from his roommate's parents. At least, not together.
Erik's dad was a high level public servant, and his thick salary and sophisticated pension as well as his savings put the Nolans in a very stable situation financially. But despite his work ethic and savviness, Steve Nolan, like his son but in other ways, was not a saint. He was aloof and inattentive towards his wife, and didn't realize his marriage was breaking down.
There was no person Erik loved and respected more than Elsie Nolan. At least, that's what Victor believed. Erik wasn't a touchy feely kind of guy, but he breathed affectionate wisps about his mom here and there. Every bit of a son feeling most attached to his mother seemed true for Erik and Elsie. Victor never saw a picture of her, but she had to be beautiful just judging by Erik's tone.
His father was mentioned even less, and without the same fondness. Erik told Victor his parents separated while he was off in college and Victor guessed that it was sparked by his mom getting up and leaving her husband. His dad almost tried to compensate for the family breakdown by showering his son with money and allowing him free reign. It didn't work, because Erik resented his father still, but he probably couldn't lie that he hated having the freedom and disposal money.
Anyways, the plan for
Victor's
parents was that they would stay for two or three weeks, depending on how long they felt. Erik and Victor both had a month off, surprising vacation time for how new they were to their jobs. Victor's mom was emphatic about not wanting to 'burden' them or 'overstay' their welcome. Victor assured her they would accommodate her fine.
On the day of their arrival, Victor opened the door to his mom - with her short stature and all -- rushing in to hug and kiss his son. The late afternoon sun brought plenty of light into the foyer. "Oh my god, my Victor..." she ensnared him. With Erik facing him while leaned against a wall, Victor knew he'd hear it from him later. Victor could see his all too familiar sheepish smile ridiculing him now. His grinning friend scanned them up and down as he took in this surely 'gay' display.
Victor's dad came in in a more reserved fashion, as was
his
style. He dropped the bags - a couple of older suitcases - and joined the Schafer reunion. Actually, he oddly tried to shake hands with Victor before his wife -- Victor's mom - told him to give me a little more than that.
"You haven't seen him in who knows," she flustered.
After forced into a father-son hug, the family collectively turned toward Erik, who was just smiling after watching this awkward sequence.
"Oh, guys, this is my roommate, Erik," Victor rushed. "Erik, my parents, Amie and Kurt."
Erik pushed himself from the wall and straightened his body while stepping towards them, his bare feet patting on the hardwood. He donned a white sleeveless shirt, a pair of Nike shorts, and red cap worn backwards on his head that covered his blonde hair. The Schafers were not a tall clan, and Erik certainly accentuated that. The male members were both about 5'4, a few tiny steps above the matriarch who was a diminutive 5 feet even. Erik was, in Victor's estimation, 6 feet - maybe 6'1.
For the warm day, Amie donned a pair of white shorts and deep green tee. Sandals covered her uncoloured nail feet. She was a woman of fair complexion, not overly tanned with shoulder length brown hair and bangs across her forehead. She had a bit of shape to her hips and chest, but for the most part she was a slender woman. Victor's dad had on a pair of brown slacks and a light blue button-down shirt. Like his son, he was a thin man of slightly darkened skin derived from his day job. While his arms and hands were hairy, the top of his brown hair was thinning.
Erik extended his hand, taking the new guests' individually, and gave one of the more respectful greetings Victor seen from him. "Erik. Pleasure to meet you both." Amie Schafer smiled back and offered a sweet 'hi' while Kurt Schafer just nodded and said 'hello'.
"We still have
those
?!" Victor then said, turning to the raggedy cases by his dad's feet.
Amie immediately shook her head. "I told your father we needed new ones, but he won't listen." She looked legitimately annoyed, but Victor didn't think much of it. She rolled her eyes and landed on Erik. Victor wasn't sure how much support she was going to get from him. He at least smiled -- or grinned -- back.
After a few more inconsequential words, Victor showed them up to their room. He knew Erik brought home more than a few overnight 'guests', but they never stayed in their guest room. The Schafers would be breaking it in. It was minimalist -- what was one to expect from two guys decorating? But it had a lot of light, a queen-sized bed, and closet space, which were the musts to Victor. They didn't complain. He showed them the shower, Amie said how happy she was to see her boy, and then he let them get settled.
The next move was to get started on dinner. He preheated the oven and turned on the stove. It'd be pasta and chicken strips tonight.
Prepping everything, Erik walked in just as he was setting a pot of water to boil. He traversed the tiled floor and reached into the fridge for a pre-stocked Heineken. He always had a beer stash in there at all times.
"Parents are all good?" he asked, after taking a swig.
Victor's head wavered. "Yeah, I think so...it was a long drive. They're tired and cranky." The oven beeped that it was ready. He loaded it with a tray of frozen battered chicken. The water needed a bit more time, but Victor had the linguini ready to go.
"Yeah, your mom was really showing your dad who was boss. Dad's a wimp, huh?" he laughed.
"No, that's how things are in house," Victor played off.
Even with two men in the family, Victor knew that his mom seemed to be the authoritative voice in the family. She was a sweet and loving woman, but he and his father knew not to argue with her because it was an argument they would lose. The suitcase stuff was just a weird by-product of that, he guessed.
"Plus, like I said, it was a long ride. Anyone would get annoyed," he added. The water was bubbling now.
Erik shrugged it off. He took his beer and left the room. Victor finished off dinner, considering Erik's words some more. If he was implying what he thought he was, it was a misogynistic comment to make. At least, it could have been interpreted as such. It fell in line with other things Erik said and did anyways.
He organized the table in a way that he was sure to make even his mother proud that she raised him right, and then went upstairs to summon his parents. The door was partly ajar and he heard their voice inside. They weren't loud and combative, but somehow they sounded at odds about something. Victor tapped on the door and pushed it opened.
"Hey, hungry?" he interrupted.
Amie sighed, sounding relieved. She had changed into a long skirt and a blouse. His dad remained in the same clothes. "Yes. Let's eat."
While trailing her son down the stairs, Amie mentioned that he never gave them the 'grand tour' of the house. Victor obliged. He figured they already knew the top floor (although maybe not that Erik had the master), so he focused on the ground level. He showed them the main floor powder room that was recently reno'd. He toured them through the living room with the restored fireplace and big screen TV. Finally, he led them through the kitchen and its granite counters and white cupboards.
"Wow, you did this?" Amie enthused about the table setup. Victor mentally gave himself a mental pat on the back as he told her that it was indeed his handiwork. She was glad to see it.
"Where's Erik, by the way?"
"Oh! He's probably outside. I guess I should show you that too," he remarked, heading toward to the backyard walkout.
He slid the screen door and walked out to the charming yard. A spacious house meant a not so spacious outside, but it would do. Looking around, there was the patio area, a little walkout to a garden area, and a barbeque. A fence with bushes rounded the perimeter, shielding the neighbours' yards for the needed privacy.
