Fuck,
fuck, fuck a big fucking rubber duck. Why
did he ever think, he could run his own life at fifty five? As long as he was a lead singer in a rock and
roll band, his mom would try to run his life.
It was a joke when the band was young and his mom ran the fan club, but
she was retired from there. He was old
enough to be in a relationship with a woman and she has nothing to say about it.
“We’re having Thanksgiving with the O’Sullivan’s this
year, Mom.” He got it out without taking
a breath. “Colleen invited us, and I think the kids would enjoy being with a
large family.”
“Jon, you have a large family, the kids need to be with
family.” His mother was trying push all
his buttons. “This is the first year
after their mother died, we can ask Dorothea’s family.”
“Mom, they have plans.”
Jon knew his in-laws kept in touch with the kids, but not as much with
him. Even though they never said it out
loud, he felt they blamed him for their Dorothea's death.
“Well, your father and I were invited by Culan, to join
the festivities. Matt and his family will need a place to eat, so we won’t be
going.” Jon knew what his mother was
getting at, he just wasn’t going to let her get to him.
“It’s your decision mom”, I have to get a shower and hit
the road mom, have a great Thanksgiving.”
He hung up, he would hear about it later.
“Oooh, she’s going to call back and you lied to your
mother.” Stephanie said from leaning on
the door frame.
“Yeah I did, so let’s get out of here and get on the
road.” Jon laughed. “Boys, let’s go, the
car will be here in twenty minutes.” Jon
yelled up the stairs. He took the stairs
two at a time, his go bag was in the closet.
He had plans for this afternoon, he had a song lyric in his head and he
needed to get it written down, before it got lost.
Taking the chopper to the Hamptons, they missed all the
holiday traffic, his driver knew the backway to the house. He pulled out his iPad and tapped away, as
the scenery went by.
Colleen hit all the holiday traffic heading to the
island. Driving out to the Hamptons was
enough on the weekend, but on a holiday, it was worse. Bumper to bumper, move an inch, stop for
thirty. Her cell started to ring, she
tapped her ear piece. One day she would get a car with Bluetooth.
“Hi” She moved another inch.
“Hey, where are you?”
Jon asked her. He had ridden by
the bar and her car wasn’t there.
“Sitting in the car, in bumper to bumper traffic.” Colleen huffed out. “I have about two miles to the turn off to
the bar.”
“I should’ve sent the chopper back for you.” Jon told her.
“I should’ve blown the meeting, half the staff wasn’t
there, but being the new teacher, I had to be there.” Colleen made the light, barely, she was lucky
the police weren’t trying to make their quota today.
“Do you have plans tonight?” Jon was going to be alone for dinner, all the
kids had plans, which had its upside.
“Something standing for about an hour.” Colleen laughed. “Once I get to my apartment and unload Bugsy,
I’ll need a drink or two.” She maneuvered her Bug closer to the bar. “Two blocks to go, did you hear if your
parents were coming down?”
“Oh God I hope not.”
Jon grumbled.
That made Colleen laugh louder.
They made plans to meet at the bar and go out for drinks
and dinner.
Colleen opened the door to her apartment over the
bar. It was near the end of November,
but the heat along the coast was hanging on for dear life. The apartment was stuffy, so, Colleen went
around opening windows and putting on the ceiling fans.
Music trickled up from the bar, Colleen unpacked her
bags, and she knew her mother would stack out the fridge and cabinets. The smell also started slipping in through
the windows, on went the air conditioner and down went the windows.
Jon pulled into the parking lot and found the Bug parked
next to the outer steps. He wouldn’t
have to go through the bar, as he started up the stairs his phone started to
ring. Checking to see if it was one of
his kids, he all but moaned seeing his mother’s name on the screen. Letting it go to message, he continued to
climb to the landing, he’d check it later.
He knocked on the door, and waited, his phone signaled he had a voice
message.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck a big rubber duck.” He mumbled as the door opened.
“It’s only fifteen steps.” Colleen said with a laugh.
Jon held up his phone to show her the message sender.
“Oh Dayum.”
Colleen rolled her eyes. “You
didn’t tell her, did you?”
