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“Never.” Smiling as he sits, he asks, “How did you think today went?”
“Fine. I didn’t hear anything to indicate otherwise. The Ops staff is thrilled I can’t micromanage anymore.” I laugh.
“Like you did that to begin with. They will move our offices mainly over the Labor Day weekend, and transition should be seamless for IT.”
“I’m not worried for the most part.”
“For the most part? Is there something I should know?”
“Nothing earth-shattering, Dad. I just have a request. Historically, the management of the interns is done in partnership with the VP of Operations and human resources.I’d like to continue to maintain the intern program with your permission.”
“That’s a tough load, Eli. You may have to travel more, and your meeting schedule will double. Are you certain you want to do that?”
“Dad, it’s my favorite part. I like giving the kind of mentorship I had with Pops, you, and Will. I want to continue to pass it on. If it becomes too much, or I’m not an asset to the interns, I will gracefully hand the reins to Skye. Fair?”
“She’s on board with this?”
“She is.”
“Then I won’t stand in your way. Just know I’ll have to keep a background eye on things from a board perspective.”
“I understand. I won’t let you down.”
“You never do, Son.”
Two bottles of wine with a Monday dinner is a good idea, said no one ever. Lauren, Stacey, and I had the first one gone and the second uncorked before our meal even hit the table. I could have agreed to black walls for all I remembered by the time they laughed their way back across the hall.
What I do remember is I feel good about all the changes in here they suggested. I’m going all-out and replacing everything. New hardwood throughout. An area rug for the bedroom and for the living room. All the furniture will be switched out. Even Tori’s backsplash masterpiece will go.
The one item that will stay and remain the focus is a contemporary painting by Dutch artist, Jessica Hendrickx, calledAngels and Demons. For a long time, I looked at this painting as a symbol of darkness moving into light. Now, I look at it as one soul and everything contained in it.
It’s hung in the bedroom since the week after Tori left. I bought it at a gallery opening we were supposed to attend together. It spoke to me, and after finding out what the title was, I was sold. On the nights I couldn’t sleep, I’d stare at it, hoping to find an answer or comfort in it. I suppose in some screwed-up way it became a companion for me.
Lauren asked if she could move it to the living room and make it the center of the palette for that space. I agreed. I know she and Stacey will bring me back into the place. They said they could do it all in one weekend if I could bug out. They also decided they don’t want me to help, and a finished surprise would be better in the long run.
I don’t care so much as long as the memories fade, and I can get on with living. Wes would argue I made the choice to remain stuck. I could never convince him that sometimes what looks like simple sand and rock can quickly become mixed with one last component that will keep you stuck. Twisting that ring off my finger might do what he said it would. Set me free.
Chapter Seven
Elijah
Thursday before Labor Day, three thirty in the afternoon. That’s when the questions come that I’ve been trying to avoid. “What are you doing for the holiday weekend? Are you going to the Hamptons?” I know my assistant only wants to know how to get a hold of me, but the anxiety these questions provoke must be written in red on my forehead.
She quickly says I can let her know anytime. I sit here thinking as she closes the door.I’ll let you know as soon as I sort it out. The pros… Mom and Gran would love to have me there. It’s all they’ve asked for the last two summers. I could allow Wes to drag me out to Southampton Social and finally shut up about it. I could be with my entire family all at once.
The cons… standing at the shoreline on the beach where I was married. Seeing those images play out over and over in my mind. I know in my head it’s not worse than still living in the same apartment in New York, where I caught Tori in bed, but I can somehow reason that it is.
Fucking suck it up, Sawyer.I can hear Wes barking at me like he does. The words that stick, though, are those of my father and Sam. My father always encourages me to try. If it ends up not being right, at least no one can say you didn’t put in the effort. Sam’s take is simple. Fear is the enemy.
It’s time to fully reenter the world.
I call Anna at her desk. First, I apologize for my reaction to her questions. Second, I tell her I’ll be leaving after my last meeting tomorrow. I will be going with my family for the holiday, and lastly, I ask her to do something I normally wouldn’t. I ask her to coordinate getting my motorcycle tuned and ready. I’ll be taking it with me.
How Anna found a mechanic on such short notice I’ll never know, but she’s getting the biggest bouquet of flowers as well as a dinner for her and her husband for it. By the time I hit my parents’ driveway to park my Tesla Model S for the weekend and send my bag with Hayley in her car, my 2018 Harley Heritage Classic with the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine is blue, shining, and ready for riding.
Gran and Pops went up late yesterday and my parents left this morning. I swore Hayley and Anna to secrecy about going to the Hamptons for the weekend. If anything, I’ll get to make Gran and Mom cry in a good way for once.
Even without riding it for a year, this bike purrs like a kitten… or roars like a lion, depending on who you ask. I secure my helmet and anchor my sunglasses as I wait for the gate to fully open. Once at the edge of the driveway, I angle left and get my bearings in the neighborhood.
