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That’s what waited for him back home. Back in the City of Big Shoulders.
But for now, it was awfully nice to be doing something other than sitting at Joe’s bedside or coaxing Bryce into a plan for his life.
That’s what he was supposed to be doing right now, in fact.
Instead, he was standing in a field, imagining the house he’d build. It was an occupational hazard; wherever he traveled, he tended to scope out a site. This one wasn’t far from the emergency services site; it was on a hill, the lake in the distance, vineyards roping their way down the slopes. The house he’d build here would have lots of windows, cedar planked exterior, a river-stone chimney.
Right. Well. Maybe he could teach Bryce some construction work. That, or gigolo, because the guy had a way with women, that was for sure.
Joe had dialysis, Didi would be denying amputees their claims, and Bryce was presumably home. Lucas got into his car and headed to Didi’s.
Both Joe and Lucas were aware of the fact that Didi would undercut any effort to dislodge Bryce from the family home. She gave Bryce an allowance and a credit card, despite the fact that he was thirty-one years old. Castrated him, in other words.
Lucas parked the rental car a few houses down from his aunt’s; old habits died hard. Didi hated cars in the driveway or on the street in front of her house; said it looked poor white trash (this with a significant look at Lucas, despite the fact that technically, he was Hispanic and not white).
Bryce’s car was in the driveway (Didi’s rules didn’t apply to him). Lucas knocked, waited and then went in the front door. From the basement, came the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Lucas let himself in and went down the cellar stairs. The apartment was surprisingly neat and airy. Chances were high that Didi had a cleaning woman come down here each week. Big leather couch, a pool table, a bar, a bedroom and a tiny kitchen that Lucas bet was never used.
Lucas waited until his cousin had killed another innocent person on-screen, then said, “Hey, Bryce.”
“Dude! Good to see you,” Bryce said, grinning up at him.
“How’s it going?”
“Excellent. Want to play?”
“Another time, maybe.”
“Sure. What can I do you for?” Bryce turned off the game.
“So how are things jobwise these days?” he asked.
Bryce nodded. “Yeah. Well, I do a little work at the shelter and the gym, you know?”
“You ever think about getting certified as a trainer?”
“Maybe. Sure, I guess. I don’t know, though. Might not be fun anymore if I had to do it for a living.”
“Whatwouldyou like to do for a living, Bryce? You’re past thirty now. Maybe living at home is getting old?”
“Are you kidding? It’s great.”
Technically, they were the same age. It never felt like that.
“I guess I want to see you moving forward, buddy,” Lucas said. “You know. Have a career, your own place...you mentioned wanting a family someday.”
“Definitely. I love kids.”
“But you have to take some steps, Bryce. Those things don’t just happen.”
“Right, right.” He nodded sagely.
“So maybe we could work on that while I’m around.” He paused. “I think it’d mean a lot to your dad if he could see you a little more settled, Bryce.”
“Yeah. Uh...what do you mean?”
Lucas paused. There was a touching, if somewhat pathetic, innocence in Bryce’s eyes. “Bryce, your dad’s not doing well. He won’t be around much longer.”
Bryce stiffened. “Actually, he’s doing great. I mean, the dialysis is just as good as a regular liver.”
