10. Not To Be Jealous

10

NOT TO BE JEALOUS

“ H i, Dad,” Phoenix said when he answered the phone on Sunday. Elsie was coloring on the coffee table and he was watching football. Crystal was in her suite, he assumed. He didn’t always know when she left or not, as she’d go out the deck and down those stairs to her car on the side.

“How are things going?” his father asked.

“Good. Just relaxing now. I don’t get too many of those days.”

He just needed a day a week to unwind and since the plant was closed on Sundays, that was when he got some peace and quiet. It was the day he’d try to catch up on paperwork or work on other formulas, but now he had a child he had to spend time with.

He wouldn’t give up a minute of that for work. Not now at least. He’d figure the rest of his life out in time.

“That’s good to hear,” his father said. “Mom said that Crystal made Thanksgiving dinner for you.”

“Yes,” he said. “Elsie was used to spending it with me anyway. I wanted to at least try to keep as much normal as possible.”

Phoenix had one of the better Thanksgiving Days in a long time a few days ago.

Dinner with Crystal was nice and cozy and tasted wonderful.

Because she cooked it, he and Elsie cleaned up. He’d told Crystal she could have the rest of the day to herself because they’d eaten so early, but he noticed that she seemed almost bummed over that.

Maybe she wanted to hang out with them, but it was her day off. She didn’t need to watch Elsie when he was home, so Crystal had gone to her suite and he hadn’t seen her until Friday morning.

He’d worked the whole day from home, only leaving his office for food or a bathroom break. He got a ton of shit done and caught up without having too many interruptions.

Crystal had taken Elsie to the park and then done a bunch of arts and crafts in the kitchen. There were more beads and threads scattered everywhere than he’d seen before, but everything had been picked up and put away before dinner.

“Things are going well there?” his father asked. “With Elsie and Crystal?”

He stood up to walk to his office to talk. Not that he thought anything would be private or personal, but if it turned into that, he didn’t want Elsie to overhear.

“As well as it can be,” he said. “Better, to be honest. I’m almost afraid.”

His father laughed. “I understand. When things are going well you think there is a problem. Chances are there isn’t, but don’t take it for granted either.”

“I’m trying not to,” he said. “Work is still my biggest stressor. I’ll take that. Having Crystal makes a huge difference. It’s just balancing the time for Elsie too.”

He was being pulled into so many directions. He needed to be there for Elsie but needed to concentrate on his business that he was still trying to get up and running.

“Which I’m sure you’re doing a great job with. I talked to your Aunt Aileen earlier.”

“Oh,” he said. “I thought Mom talked to her on Thanksgiving.” His father’s only sister. Aileen Carlisle. Eight kids and the mother of a billionaire. All the kids were successful last he heard. He didn’t keep up to date too much on it, as he was living his own life and trying not to be jealous.

He could read about them in the paper if he wanted, but he knew his parents were still close with Aileen. Part of him felt bad that West became the father figure at eighteen when Sam Carlisle was killed overseas in the military. But they’d been living in North Carolina and his family had been in Florida. He hadn’t seen his cousins much.

It’s not like it was easy to pick up a family of eleven to travel even with the money to do it. His aunt had the same issues with her eight kids and being a single parent. Money had been an issue there though.

If his father had helped his aunt out over the years, he never asked, but he was positive it was offered.

“She did,” his father said. “But she called to tell me that West and Abby got engaged.”

“That’s great,” he said. West was five years older than him. He’d heard Abby was almost ten years younger than West and someone who didn’t like the life West lived. She liked to be out of the public view and in the slower lane. His cousin would have to figure that out, but it seemed as if he might have.

“Aileen is happy. There won’t be a public announcement just yet. Maybe the first of the year. Only family knows, but I know you won’t say anything. You don’t like anyone knowing West is your cousin.”

Phoenix sighed. “It’s hard,” he said. “I don’t need the attention or the comparison.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this and you hate asking for help,” his father said, “but maybe reach out to West. It’s what he does. See if he can offer any suggestions for you.”

“I’ve got a handle on it,” he said.

“You say that, but it’s not just you anymore. Swallow your pride. Everyone knows how hard you work. Asking for help isn’t the end of the world. We all need it at times.”

He didn’t need that reminder. “I’ll get your money back to you soon.”

“Don’t go there,” his father said. “You know damn well that isn’t what this is about. It never was. I want the best for you. And if the best means you’ve got to ask for help, then you should. End of story.”

“It’s hard to do that,” he said. “I don’t need someone telling me I’m doing it all wrong.” Even if he felt like that was the case.

“Do you think that would happen?” his father said. “What you’re doing with the recycled plastic is a great thing. On a number of levels. But maybe you’re missing something that someone else could point out.”

“I know,” he said. “I get it. I’m trying to make something fun out of that. Everyone always says science is boring.”

Something he’d dealt with most of his life. If they didn’t think what he was studying or doing for a living was boring, they thought he was because he was so fascinated with it all.

Could be why he was single too.

Nah, he wouldn’t think of those things. It’s not like he had much time either.

He focused so much on this process and when it finally worked, he ran with it. He felt like he’d succeeded where others had failed and he beat many to the punch.

“You have to be you,” his father said. “Not sure how many times I have to tell you that.”

“I hear it enough,” he said. “Anything else to report? Any family updates?”

“Well, Braylon is dating someone pretty seriously. Not sure if you heard that.”

“No,” he said. “I’m surprised Mom didn’t bring it up.”

“She is probably more focused on everything else going on in your life. I don’t think she’s said much to anyone other than your siblings about Elsie and Maryn.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s not a secret. It shouldn’t be.”

“I know,” his father said. “But you don’t like getting a ton of phone calls either and people asking if you’re fine or need help.”

“No one has called,” he said. Or not much. His siblings had all shown up for the funeral and he expected that. They reached out via text too to check in on him but not much more. None of his siblings lived that close and they were all figuring their lives out too.

He really wouldn’t say he was close to any of them. The three youngest were finishing school or in school. Not much they could do and he talked to them the least. Dallas and Bronx were five years younger and, being part of triplets, had that bond. Siena was close with her brothers but found a greater bond with London and Paris. But both of them were out of the country traveling for work.

“They are all there if you need them,” his father said.

“I know,” he said. “But I’m good.”

“Glad to hear it,” his father said. “One more thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

He knew where this was going. The trial for the woman who hit Maryn would be starting soon. Janet Silver was driving under the influence of sleeping meds and ran a red light and killed Maryn.

The woman might go to jail because she was struggling to sleep and took medication improperly and then had allergy meds mixed with it while she battled a cold.

Not his problem. His best friend died and now he was raising a five-year-old.

Could it have been any person just trying to get some sleep and battling a cold and making a mistake? Yep, it could have been.

It didn’t change the facts.

“I’m not going to speak at the trial,” he said. “I was asked and declined. It’s out of my hands. I’m torn over this.”

“I know,” his father said. “It’s the right thing. People make mistakes in life, but this one had deadly consequences.”

“Janet has two kids. Do I want more kids to not have a mother in their life? She has to live with this guilt.”

“She does and it’s not your concern either, but you have to think of Elsie’s future.”

“Don’t talk like a lawyer and tell me to sue her,” he said. “Dad.”

“I’m not telling you to do that and I wouldn’t. That woman and her family are going to go broke with legal bills as it is. But...she has auto insurance for a reason. I’ve done enough of these cases and you could just take a quick settlement and invest it for Elsie. In and out fast and very little legal fees. No fees with me.”

His father could practice in Georgia and had taken the bar to be able to get his license here. Since Austin Westerly owned a part of the business, he wanted to legally represent it too. It didn’t occur to him his father could handle this.

“I don’t know,” he said.

“Let me look into it,” his father said. “It will be painless on your end. I’m only saying this because I know you’re stressing about a lot of things financially between Elsie and the business. If you can get another chunk, you will feel better about it all.”

He would. When he got the life insurance money, which should be soon, he’d meet with his financial adviser and spread the investments around. He wasn’t touching one bit of that million dollars for anything.

Once Maryn’s house was sold, it’d be another chunk and he was just covering costs to keep utilities on. He’d have to tackle getting the house for sale soon. Several of Maryn’s colleagues had reached out and said they had buyers. He might not even have to list it.

“If you want to take care of it, go ahead,” he said. “Take a settlement and run. No dragging anything out. I mean it.”

“Thanks,” his father said. “I’ll keep you posted on it.”

“My brain can’t take another thing right now.”

“Are you sure everything is okay?” his father asked. “Your mother said Crystal is a sweetheart. Or is it that she’s pleasing to the eyes?”

There was humor in his father’s voice. “Both of those things.” There was no one else he felt he could admit that to.

“Just take things one day at a time. I know you. You won’t risk anything that you didn’t have lined up just right for an outcome.”

He snorted. “Doesn’t seem to be doing much good for me in life right now.” Work or personal, but he wouldn’t add that last bit. He didn’t want to come off as a whiner either. “Lining things up seems to be overrated,” he said. “So I guess it’s good advice to have.”

“I’ll let you go relax for the rest of your day,” his father said.

“Thanks. Talk to you soon.”

Phoenix hung up and walked out of his office and caught sight of Crystal pulling into the driveway. Guess she had left. He couldn’t see her from where she parked on the side of the garage out of his way coming and going into the house.

He could give her one side of the garage to use, but she couldn’t get into her place without coming into the house if she used that.

It didn’t matter to him. Maybe he’d let her know. As the weather got colder, it’d be easier anyway with Elsie. For now they were coming in the front door when she left and picked Elsie up.

He popped his head into the living room and saw Elsie still coloring, then he went to the back of the house and looked out the kitchen window to see Crystal carrying grocery bags up the stairs.

He went to the stairs in the house and walked up them and called out.

“Come up,” he heard yelled.

“Hi,” he said. “I saw you coming up the deck stairs and thought I’d stop up quickly. Need help carrying anything?”

“Nope,” she said. “I got it all, but thanks.”

There were a few bags on the counter in her apartment and she was unloading some snacks and other food. “I got thinking that you should have the other garage stall. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it before. This way you and Elsie can come in and out that way, especially as the weather gets cooler or it’s raining.”

“Thanks,” she said. “I appreciate it. If you want to give me a key to the side door of the garage, then I can still just shut the garage door and go out that way up the stairs like I’ve been doing on my days off.”

“I can do that,” he said. “If I can find the key. But there is no need unless you want to.”

Maybe she’d go out on a date or something and not want him to know she was coming in late. Not sure why that hadn’t crossed his mind.

It was almost as if he’d know if she was coming or going if she did that. She might not like that.

“I’m fine with either,” she said. “Whatever works for you.”

“Are you always this flexible?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’m not sure that is the word I’d use. Just that I’ve learned some things in life aren’t worth stressing, arguing, or even worrying about. It’s just out of your control. Though this one isn’t, it’d be stupid of me not to take it as it’d be more convenient.”

Just like what his father was trying to say.

“I should have thought of it sooner.”

“This is new to both of us,” she said. “No worries.”

He nodded at her smile. “I’ll let you get back to putting your stuff away.”

“Have a good night,” she said. “Tell Elsie I’ll see her in the morning.”

“I will,” he said. “You too.”

He returned to the living room where Elsie was ripping a page out of her coloring book. “Look, Uncle Nix. It's Goofy in a lab with safety goggles on. Did you look like this in your lab?”

He took the picture out of her hand and started to laugh. “Some would say I might have.”

“It’s funny,” Elsie said. “But is it fun?”

“It’s both. Maybe we can try some experiments.”

“I want a kit for Christmas,” Elsie said. “I’m going to add that to my wish list for Santa.”

Which reminded him he had to check in with Crystal on that as she said she was keeping a list too.

One more thing he’d have to start shopping for.

Good Lord, it’s like everything was piling up again.

He took a deep breath. “I can’t wait to see if Santa gets it for you.”

“I think he will,” Elsie said. “Then you and I can have fun like Crystal and I do with arts and crafts. I want more of them too.”

Something else to add to the list. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent himself a reminder with those two things on it. He could shop for them on the couch watching football.

“What do you want for dinner tonight?” he asked.

“Can we eat something that Carolina left for us?”

He laughed. “That had been my plan. Let’s go look in the freezer and pick.”

“Or we can close our eyes and just pull something out. Maybe it’ll be dessert. If it is, can that be dinner?”

It was the laughter in Elsie’s eyes. “You sound just like your mother right now. She loved dessert for dinner.”

Elsie giggled. “I know. I miss our ice cream sundae dinners.”

“You know what?” he said. “No need to pull out a dinner from my mother. We can make sundaes just for us.”

“Yes,” Elsie said, jumping up and down. “Because it’s Sunday. That’s the day you do it. Just like Mom used to say.”

“Just like your mom used to say,” he said, picking her up and hugging her.

Elsie wrapped her legs around his waist like she used to do and hadn’t in weeks. He heard the sniffle. “It’s okay to cry even if it’s a good memory.”

Elsie laid her head on his shoulder and let the tears fall. “I miss her.”

He ran his hand over her head. “I miss her too.”

He heard a noise and turned his head and got a glimpse of Crystal trying to sneak out of the kitchen and was positive she’d just witnessed what happened.

He wouldn’t be embarrassed over letting his guard down either.