"Coup de Foudre" 141
We're back! And it's now March, 2017...
Gus gets an unexpected phone call.
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, March 2017
“Hey, Gus!” Debbie yelled. “Get your ass down here. You got a phone call!”
Gus looked up from the English paper he was working on. Phone call? On the landline? That was weird. All his friends would text him. And Dad or Justin would call his cell, never that old-fashioned phone in Deb’s kitchen.
He closed the lid on his MacBook and bounced down the stairs.
“Who is it, Deb?”
She shrugged. “Fuck if I know. A lady. Not a kid.”
Gus picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Is this Gus Peterson?” said the voice. She sounded old. Shaky.
“Yup. Who’s calling?”
“This is Nancy Peterson.” The voice paused, as if waiting for his reply.
Gus frowned. “Who?”
“I’m… I’m your grandmother. Lindsay said you’d be at this number. I thought you were living with… with your father.”
Gus blinked. His grandmother? What the fuck? “I’m living here at the Horvaths’ while I’m in school. Dad and Justin live nearby, in the loft.”
“Oh.” The lady - his grandmother - sounded different. And she seemed at a loss for what to say next.
“Do you want something? Because I’m kind of busy right now.” Gus hated to be rude, but he didn’t know this lady. And he really didn’t want to know her. After all, in all of his 16-and-a-half years of life she hadn’t wanted to know him!
“I… I’m calling because of your grandfather. He’s… he’s quite ill. And he wants to see you. You’re his only grandson - his only grandchild. And he’d like to know you before…” The lady’s voice caught. “He had a stroke.”
Gus didn’t know what to say. The last time he’d heard from the Petersons had been about a year ago, shortly after they came to Pittsburgh. His grandmother had left a message on his cell, something about coming to brunch. Well, fuck brunch! And fuck them! Now the last thing he wanted was to go over to some hospital - he fucking HATED hospitals! - to get fawned over by some old man he didn’t know. Where had this guy been all his life? He knew that his mom had parents who lived in the Pitts - creepy, homophobic parents. And rich parents. Mavis used to go on and on about how Mom should make nice with them because they had a lot of money and might throw some bucks their way. But that never happened. A couple of times he got a card at Christmas with a check for fifty bucks, but that was pretty much it. And that hadn’t happened since he was a kid.
“I’m sorry about that, but what do you want me to do?”
Gus was very aware that Debbie was standing there, listening to every word, so he couldn’t say what he wanted to say, which was ‘Fuck off!’
“Ronnie’s in hospice care,” said the lady. “If you could just come over and see him. He’s been asking for you. It would mean so much to him. Please… Gus?”
Ronnie. That name stung. Why the fuck did his grandfather have to be named Ron? Ron Peterson. Gus didn’t even think of himself as a Peterson anymore. Or a Peterson-Marcus or whatever the fuck. When he met new people he told them to call him Kinney. Gus Kinney. That’s who he really was. Gus Peterson-Marcus was a child, while Gus Kinney was a man!
“I wish you would reconsider,” the lady said. “I know… I know you have no reason to see him - or me. Our relationship with Lindsay has been rocky ever since… well… for a long time. I know she has a new… friend, now, with Melanie out of the picture.”
“Wife,” said Gus, hardly believing he was sticking up for that bitch, Mavis. “She’s Mom’s wife. You know that same-sex marriage is legal in Canada AND America, right? Even if you don’t like it.”
“Yes,” said the lady tearfully. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s been so difficult for us…”
“Sure,” Gus sniffed. “For you! That’s a laugh! Now your husband is dying and he remembers that he has a grandson? Ever hear of too little, too late?”
“Ronnie has wanted to see you for a long time,” the lady admitted. “I was the one who… who couldn’t deal with it. Please don’t blame him. It’s my fault. And now… please think about it, Gus. Please!”
Gus winced. “I can’t do this. Talk to Mrs. Horvath.” He shoved the receiver into Debbie’s hands and fled upstairs.
He threw himself on the bed and buried his face in the pillow. Why did this have to happen now? When everything was going so well? He was doing great in school. He was on the soccer team and writing for the school newspaper, too. And he had a girl he was sort of going with. Olivia. She had dark red hair and brown eyes. They’d gone to the movies - once. And hung out at the mall a couple of times. He was hoping to invite her over to Deb’s for dinner, but he hadn’t gotten up the nerve yet. He wasn’t sure Olivia was ready for Debbie, let alone Brian and Justin!
But why did his crazy Peterson grandparents have to show up now? Why the fuck? He already had enough to deal with!
There was a tentative knock at the door. “Gus?”
“Yeah?”
Debbie stuck her head in. “That wasn’t very nice to bail out on your grandmother that way.”
Gus knew it, but… what was he supposed to say? “I couldn’t talk to her! She wants me to go to some hospital and talk to a guy I don’t even know! You know how I… I just can’t go there!”
Debbie sat on the edge of the bed. How often had she done this in the past with her boys? In this very room, on this very bed? Michael. Justin. Emmett. And now Gus.
“I know it’s hard, but sometimes there are things you have to do when you’re a man. And you are a man, Gus. Not a little kid anymore. I know you’ve had some bad experiences in hospitals, but so have we all. It’s something you have to deal with as an adult. People get sick. They get injured. And, sometimes, they die.”
Gus turned his head away. “I know. But why now?”
Debbie shook her head. “I don’t know the answer to that. I know the Petersons haven’t been the best grandparents. They weren’t the best parents, either - at least not to Lindsay. And that sister of hers, Lynette - she didn’t turn out so great either.”
“She’s on her fifth husband!” said Gus. “I heard my mom tell Mavis! But they didn’t stop talking to her! They didn’t stop sending her money! Because she’s not gay! And that’s fucked up!”
“I know, honey,” said Deb. “It stinks. It’s unfair. But maybe you have a little chance to make it right,”
Gus sat up on the bed. “How?”
“By showing them what a great guy you are. To show them what they’ve missed all these years. Maybe it’s too late for your grandfather, but it might not be too late to change your grandmother’s mind - or to change her heart. You’re their only grandchild, right?”
Gus nodded. “I guess even with all those husbands, Lynette never had one. Or never wanted one.”
“I doubt Lindsay’s sister was cut out to be a mom, but that’s another story,” said Debbie. “I know Lindsay gave up trying to make her parents come around, but you might have better luck.”
Gus swallowed. “Because I’m not a fag, right? In this case, I wish I was one! Because I’d show them! I’d… I’d be the queeniest queen you ever saw! I’d really freak them out!”
“But you’re not,” Debbie said. “It’s better to be yourself, gay or straight - don’t you agree?”
Gus punched at the pillow in frustration. “I guess.”
“And that’s why I think you should go and see your grandfather. I talked to Mrs. Peterson after you booked it and she said they weren’t sure how much time he had left. It looks like it was a pretty bad stroke. If you want, me and Carl will go over there with you. But…”
“But what?”
Debbie smiled. “I think your father should take you. And Justin, too. Let them see the kind of man you’ve become, even if you were raised by a bunch of queers - and one pretty fucking amazing fag hag!”
“Maybe,” said Gus. “But I don’t think Dad will want to go! He hates the Petersons! Because of how they treated Mom!”
“He’ll go if you ask him,” Deb pointed out. “Because you’re his son and he’ll do anything for you, even be nice to your grandparents.” Debbie paused. “You know you have another grandmother, too.”
Gus rolled his eyes. “Like that’s ever going to happen! Remember what happened when Dad was in the hospital? No fucking way!”
“I know,” said Debbie. “Sometimes miracles happen… and sometimes they don’t. But in this case, all you need to do is give a little nudge. After all, Mrs. Peterson called you. She made that move. Now it’s your turn.”
“Shit,” said Gus. “If this is what being an adult is all about… it’s fucked up!”
“You’re right. But that’s a lesson we all have to learn,” said Deb. “Now come downstairs, because I’ve got some ice cream that needs to be eaten and Carl and I are both on diets!”
Gus nodded. “Okay, Deb. I think I will.”
Gus gets an unexpected phone call.
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, March 2017
“Hey, Gus!” Debbie yelled. “Get your ass down here. You got a phone call!”
Gus looked up from the English paper he was working on. Phone call? On the landline? That was weird. All his friends would text him. And Dad or Justin would call his cell, never that old-fashioned phone in Deb’s kitchen.
He closed the lid on his MacBook and bounced down the stairs.
“Who is it, Deb?”
She shrugged. “Fuck if I know. A lady. Not a kid.”
Gus picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Is this Gus Peterson?” said the voice. She sounded old. Shaky.
“Yup. Who’s calling?”
“This is Nancy Peterson.” The voice paused, as if waiting for his reply.
Gus frowned. “Who?”
“I’m… I’m your grandmother. Lindsay said you’d be at this number. I thought you were living with… with your father.”
Gus blinked. His grandmother? What the fuck? “I’m living here at the Horvaths’ while I’m in school. Dad and Justin live nearby, in the loft.”
“Oh.” The lady - his grandmother - sounded different. And she seemed at a loss for what to say next.
“Do you want something? Because I’m kind of busy right now.” Gus hated to be rude, but he didn’t know this lady. And he really didn’t want to know her. After all, in all of his 16-and-a-half years of life she hadn’t wanted to know him!
“I… I’m calling because of your grandfather. He’s… he’s quite ill. And he wants to see you. You’re his only grandson - his only grandchild. And he’d like to know you before…” The lady’s voice caught. “He had a stroke.”
Gus didn’t know what to say. The last time he’d heard from the Petersons had been about a year ago, shortly after they came to Pittsburgh. His grandmother had left a message on his cell, something about coming to brunch. Well, fuck brunch! And fuck them! Now the last thing he wanted was to go over to some hospital - he fucking HATED hospitals! - to get fawned over by some old man he didn’t know. Where had this guy been all his life? He knew that his mom had parents who lived in the Pitts - creepy, homophobic parents. And rich parents. Mavis used to go on and on about how Mom should make nice with them because they had a lot of money and might throw some bucks their way. But that never happened. A couple of times he got a card at Christmas with a check for fifty bucks, but that was pretty much it. And that hadn’t happened since he was a kid.
“I’m sorry about that, but what do you want me to do?”
Gus was very aware that Debbie was standing there, listening to every word, so he couldn’t say what he wanted to say, which was ‘Fuck off!’
“Ronnie’s in hospice care,” said the lady. “If you could just come over and see him. He’s been asking for you. It would mean so much to him. Please… Gus?”
Ronnie. That name stung. Why the fuck did his grandfather have to be named Ron? Ron Peterson. Gus didn’t even think of himself as a Peterson anymore. Or a Peterson-Marcus or whatever the fuck. When he met new people he told them to call him Kinney. Gus Kinney. That’s who he really was. Gus Peterson-Marcus was a child, while Gus Kinney was a man!
“I wish you would reconsider,” the lady said. “I know… I know you have no reason to see him - or me. Our relationship with Lindsay has been rocky ever since… well… for a long time. I know she has a new… friend, now, with Melanie out of the picture.”
“Wife,” said Gus, hardly believing he was sticking up for that bitch, Mavis. “She’s Mom’s wife. You know that same-sex marriage is legal in Canada AND America, right? Even if you don’t like it.”
“Yes,” said the lady tearfully. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s been so difficult for us…”
“Sure,” Gus sniffed. “For you! That’s a laugh! Now your husband is dying and he remembers that he has a grandson? Ever hear of too little, too late?”
“Ronnie has wanted to see you for a long time,” the lady admitted. “I was the one who… who couldn’t deal with it. Please don’t blame him. It’s my fault. And now… please think about it, Gus. Please!”
Gus winced. “I can’t do this. Talk to Mrs. Horvath.” He shoved the receiver into Debbie’s hands and fled upstairs.
He threw himself on the bed and buried his face in the pillow. Why did this have to happen now? When everything was going so well? He was doing great in school. He was on the soccer team and writing for the school newspaper, too. And he had a girl he was sort of going with. Olivia. She had dark red hair and brown eyes. They’d gone to the movies - once. And hung out at the mall a couple of times. He was hoping to invite her over to Deb’s for dinner, but he hadn’t gotten up the nerve yet. He wasn’t sure Olivia was ready for Debbie, let alone Brian and Justin!
But why did his crazy Peterson grandparents have to show up now? Why the fuck? He already had enough to deal with!
There was a tentative knock at the door. “Gus?”
“Yeah?”
Debbie stuck her head in. “That wasn’t very nice to bail out on your grandmother that way.”
Gus knew it, but… what was he supposed to say? “I couldn’t talk to her! She wants me to go to some hospital and talk to a guy I don’t even know! You know how I… I just can’t go there!”
Debbie sat on the edge of the bed. How often had she done this in the past with her boys? In this very room, on this very bed? Michael. Justin. Emmett. And now Gus.
“I know it’s hard, but sometimes there are things you have to do when you’re a man. And you are a man, Gus. Not a little kid anymore. I know you’ve had some bad experiences in hospitals, but so have we all. It’s something you have to deal with as an adult. People get sick. They get injured. And, sometimes, they die.”
Gus turned his head away. “I know. But why now?”
Debbie shook her head. “I don’t know the answer to that. I know the Petersons haven’t been the best grandparents. They weren’t the best parents, either - at least not to Lindsay. And that sister of hers, Lynette - she didn’t turn out so great either.”
“She’s on her fifth husband!” said Gus. “I heard my mom tell Mavis! But they didn’t stop talking to her! They didn’t stop sending her money! Because she’s not gay! And that’s fucked up!”
“I know, honey,” said Deb. “It stinks. It’s unfair. But maybe you have a little chance to make it right,”
Gus sat up on the bed. “How?”
“By showing them what a great guy you are. To show them what they’ve missed all these years. Maybe it’s too late for your grandfather, but it might not be too late to change your grandmother’s mind - or to change her heart. You’re their only grandchild, right?”
Gus nodded. “I guess even with all those husbands, Lynette never had one. Or never wanted one.”
“I doubt Lindsay’s sister was cut out to be a mom, but that’s another story,” said Debbie. “I know Lindsay gave up trying to make her parents come around, but you might have better luck.”
Gus swallowed. “Because I’m not a fag, right? In this case, I wish I was one! Because I’d show them! I’d… I’d be the queeniest queen you ever saw! I’d really freak them out!”
“But you’re not,” Debbie said. “It’s better to be yourself, gay or straight - don’t you agree?”
Gus punched at the pillow in frustration. “I guess.”
“And that’s why I think you should go and see your grandfather. I talked to Mrs. Peterson after you booked it and she said they weren’t sure how much time he had left. It looks like it was a pretty bad stroke. If you want, me and Carl will go over there with you. But…”
“But what?”
Debbie smiled. “I think your father should take you. And Justin, too. Let them see the kind of man you’ve become, even if you were raised by a bunch of queers - and one pretty fucking amazing fag hag!”
“Maybe,” said Gus. “But I don’t think Dad will want to go! He hates the Petersons! Because of how they treated Mom!”
“He’ll go if you ask him,” Deb pointed out. “Because you’re his son and he’ll do anything for you, even be nice to your grandparents.” Debbie paused. “You know you have another grandmother, too.”
Gus rolled his eyes. “Like that’s ever going to happen! Remember what happened when Dad was in the hospital? No fucking way!”
“I know,” said Debbie. “Sometimes miracles happen… and sometimes they don’t. But in this case, all you need to do is give a little nudge. After all, Mrs. Peterson called you. She made that move. Now it’s your turn.”
“Shit,” said Gus. “If this is what being an adult is all about… it’s fucked up!”
“You’re right. But that’s a lesson we all have to learn,” said Deb. “Now come downstairs, because I’ve got some ice cream that needs to be eaten and Carl and I are both on diets!”
Gus nodded. “Okay, Deb. I think I will.”