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He nods, also taking a look around. “With Drew.”
“Yeah. Him, too.”
Silence.
I take a small step away, looking over my shoulder to see if Drew is coming back yet. A champagne cork pops, so it’ll be another minute.
“How are things?” I ask.
“Business is good. I had another clean colonoscopy so that was…” He shakes his head and chuckles awkwardly. “Also good.”
“That’s great news.”
“What did we talk about before all this?” he asks.
“Hard to say,” I tell him.
“How are you?”
“I’m uh…happy. I’m very, very happy.”
His eyes get super watery, and he smiles at me. “It shows.”
“I got married—for real this time—in case you didn’t hear about that.”
“I did hear about it,” he says. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Finally, Drew is in the room again, handing over some alcohol. Briefly, I wonder whether he used the wrong champagne, but he’s not stupid. As soon as I take a sip, this is confirmed.
My father nods at him. “I’ve been seeing those ads of yours everywhere. You seem to be doing really well for yourself. Healthy.”
Jesus—could this be more awkward?
Drew pats his abs and quirks a wry grin. “I try to take care of myself. Heard your colon’s clear. Way to go.”
I laugh. I can’t help it.
Luckily my dad does, too, and there’s a slight crack in the ice.
Drew squeezes my shoulder. “Why don’t you show your dad around? You have all the before pictures, right? It’s a miracle what he did with this place, Mr. Arnaud. You’ll be very impressed.”
My dad looks to me. “If you don’t mind… I’d love to see it.”
“Uh, yeah. Sure.” I get out my phone and scroll to the brownstone photo album. One hour and a narrated home tour later, I’ve had the longest conversation with my father since I told him I wanted to take a gap year.
Drew is on the couch in the living room when we return, and he smiles softly up at the two of us.
“I guess I’ve taken up enough of your day. I appreciate the tour and…the, uh…chance.”
“Me, too,” I find myself saying.
“Olivier, I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes.”
“I mean…” I shuffle my feet. “I wasn’t perfect either…”
“You were a child. You are my son. And I do love you for whatever that’s worth anymore. Once your mother stopped breathing down my neck, and I was able to understand what had happened—who you told me you were—the man you are—I didn’t have anything but pride and so much regret, Ollie. I’m so sorry.”
