He laid in his old bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about his life. He didn’t pray very often, though he supposed he did believe in some sort of higher power. But tonight, he prayed that he could get through the next couple of days without cracking.
Wednesday had been a fun day with Sharon and Colt. There was a small Christmas Market in nearby Leominster, so the three of them went there to walk around and admire the decorations.
“Unker!” Colt said excitedly. He hadn’t quite gotten the hang of ‘Uncle Ker’ just yet but instead mashed the words together. Ker thought it sounded just fine. “Lookee, Santa!” He pointed to a large statue outside one of the many shops.
“I see that,” Ker said, trying to match Colt’s enthusiasm. “Have you been good this year? Santa will only visit if you’ve been a good boy.”
Colt furiously nodded his head in agreement.
“So listen, sis,” Ker said to Sharon. “I’m trying to steer Dad’s conversations away from telling me I need to move back here to take over the family business, but I’m not sure how much pressure I can take. You know how he gets to me.”
“I know, Ker,” Sharon agreed somberly. “I wish I knew what to say to him to make him understand, but you know how stubborn he is. Plus, I really can’t afford to get on his bad side. Mom’s been good enough to watch the little guy for me three days a week. I can’t afford to pay for full-time day care if she were to change her mind.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Ker said. “But if it gets bad, I may need you to talk me off the ledge. I don’t need Dad pushing me to do something I shouldn’t.”
“Don’t worry, Ker, I’ve got your back.”
Christmas morning started with light snow falling gently across the area. The forecast didn’t call for much in the way of accumulation, but it was nice to see everything coated in a glistening white layer.
As Ker dressed, he caught a whiff of cinnamon in the air and knew that his mom had made her traditional cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. Just as he hit the stairs, he heard Colt’s laughter and knew that he and Sharon had arrived for the day.
Colt insisted on sitting on Unker’s lap while he ate breakfast. Ker happily shared part of his first roll with Colt, knowing he’d go in for a second one at some point along with more coffee.
Next it was time for presents. The family didn’t do much in the way of gifts for the grown-ups; rather the energy (and money) went to stuff for Colt. Still, Ker got a couple of flannel shirts, some warm woolen socks, and a new thermal Henley, all of which would come in handy during New England winters.
Once all the gifts had been exchanged and opened, Sharon put Colt down for a nap before their Christmas meal, and she and their mom retreated to the kitchen to finish the food preparations. That meant Ker and his dad were left alone in the living room. Neither of them was a big sports fan, so the TV was off, and Christmas music was playing softly in the background.
“So,” his dad began, “have you given any more thought to giving up this foolishness in Plymouth and coming back here to live? You can start back at the main store immediately, and I’ll begin showing you all you need to know to take over so that in a few years, I can retire.”
“Dad,” Ker said slowly and evenly, “we’ve had this conversation before, and frankly, nothing’s changed. I have a lifein Plymouth. I love my job there. And I just met a guy who’s really special. I think we have a real chance of being together for a long time.”
“But, son,” his dad said. “Have you really thought this through? If this person you’ve met is really special, maybe he’d consider moving back here with you. Why can’t you see that it’s your duty to be here for your family?”
“What do you mean, my duty?” Ker asked. “How do you figure that?” He tried to stay calm but could feel the heat rising in his tone.
“Dammit, boy. You have an obligation to me. To your mother. It’s your job to come back and take over so that your mother and I are cared for as we get older. Didn’t we teach you anything when you were growing up?”
Ker felt himself still completely. His mouth went slack, and he couldn’t believe his ears.His obligation? Oh, fuck no!“Dad,” he said sternly, voice rising in pitch, “I’ve tried so many times to make you understand, but apparently I haven’t been clear enough. I’mnotmoving back to Fitchburg. I’mnottaking over the business. And that’s final!”
He stormed out of the room, grabbed his coat off the peg by the kitchen door, and went outside to cool off.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Ker
To say dinner was tense was an understatement. Except to compliment his mom on the delicious turkey dinner with all the fixings, conversation was extremely light. To try and keep things civil, Colt became the focus of attention, and they managed to get though the entire meal as well as dessert without a fight breaking out.
Around seven thirty, Sharon bundled up Colt and herself, and they left. Colt had been getting fussy, and they all knew he needed his bed and a good night’s sleep.
Sharon hugged Ker extra tight and whispered, “Call me if it gets too bad,” in his ear.
Ker walked into the living room, afraid of what might come next. It turned out to be much worse than he expected. His dad had been sipping some whiskey since dinnertime. That had only loosened his tongue, so he started in again as soon as Sharon and Colt had left.
“I just don’t understand why you hate us so much!” his dad bellowed.
“What do you mean, Dad? I don’t hate you or Mom.” Ker was confused.Where had this line of thought come from?
