Chapter Fourteen - Pleasantview
Content warning: This story contains mature themes and is not suitable for minors. For this chapter, adult and sexual references.
165 Sim Lane, Pleasantview
Dina could tell Alexander was still uncomfortable when it was just the two of them in the room. “Your dad said he’d join us in a minute, you know how he gets caught up in his books,” she said reassuringly.
Alex put down the sandwich he was about to take a bite of. While he knew decorum dictated he was to wait until everyone was at the table to begin eating, he really didn’t think such etiquette was necessary to uphold for a meal of lunch meat sandwiches on a Saturday. He certainly didn’t think it was necessary for his step-mother of all people to admonish him for it.
The room was filled with an awkward silence. “So, how’s school?” Dina asked.
“Fine,” Alex mumbled.
“That bad huh?”
“What do you want me to say?” Alex asked exasperatedly.
Dina took a sharp intake of breath, she hoped Victor wasn’t this sullen in ten years. “Never mind then,” she said with forced pleasantness.
“No, you want to know, well here it is. High school is a cruel hierarchal system which, even with the presence of a uniform, is based upon your appearance and conformity. Dad believes the only reason for new glasses is a change in prescription and is hardly going to let me replace them because of peer pressure. Add to that the gossip about my mum and,” he paused, “other matters; school is, to be colloquial, crap.”
Dina paused, her step-son certainly had his share of teenage angst, even if he didn’t speak or act like a teenager. “Can I do anything to help?” she questioned.
Alex looked at her incredulously, “you do realise I was being polite when I said other matters, right?”
Dina had to try very hard not to take to heart what the rumour mill of Pleasantview said about her. But she couldn’t help but feel a stab of guilt as she realised she had never considered how it might affect Alexander. “Right. Well, new glasses. I could take you to get them,” she suggested.
“Great, then I can be like everyone else,” he said dryly.
Dina couldn’t help but smile, “Trust me Alexander, it would take a whole lot more than a new pair of glasses to change who you are.”
Alex didn’t quite know how to respond to that comment.
“In the end it’s your decision. And even if it is to feel more accepted or just, make life a little easier, I don’t think that’s so bad. We all just want to feel accepted,” she said quietly.
“Exactly how much Dr. Phill have you been watching?” he asked. He meant for the comment to be scathing, but found he didn’t actually feel the sentiment.
“More than anyone ever should. It’ll be good for everyone when the gallery opens,” she responded with a soft laugh. “We could go downtown this afternoon if you want.”
“That would be great,” he replied, and he meant it.
170 Main Street, Pleasantview
Don had been collecting the paper when, as he found he often did, he found himself looking towards Nina’s house. He couldn’t help the sudden stab of panic that quickly overcame him as he watched Nina climbing what appeared to be a very precariously balanced ladder.
Dropping the paper he stalked quickly over to the condo. Trying to block the sun with his eyes he squinted upwards, “What on earth are you doing?”
“I wanted to see how bad this was. I was hoping I might be able to just plaster over it, but I think I’m going to have to hire someone to come and fix it,” she replied nonchalantly.
“Nina I can see from here you need to hire someone,” he snapped, “now get down before you break your neck.”
He steadied the ladder as she made her way down. As she turned around to face him she was surprised by his pained expression. “What the hell were you thinking,” he demanded of her.
“I told you, I was seeing how bad-”Nina began but Don give her the chance to finish.
“Do you have any idea how many people are admitted to hospital each year because of ladder related fall injuries? You could have seriously hurt yourself, you could have been paralysed, you could have...” he found he couldn’t finish the sentence.
Nina was surprised by his uncharacteristic seriousness, “I get it, but I’m fine,” she assured him.
“It’s obvious you need to get a professional in, why didn’t you?”
She tried to keep her tone light, hoping it would ease some of Don’s obvious tension. “Money is a little tight at the moment, it’s no big deal.”
“The hell it isn’t Nina! I could have easily leant you some. Your sister could have. There’s no need for you to go and risk your life,” his voice was getting more fraught the more he imagined what could have happened.
“I guess this means my dreams of being a streetwalker are out of the question?” she joked.
Don’s jaw tightened in frustration at Nina’s refusal to recognise how badly she could have been harmed. Nina found herself taken aback by not only how infuriated he seemed, but how frightened.
After he had begun avoiding her after his engagement, she had found herself acutely aware of his absence in her life. She had been unsettled by the melancholy that would overcome her when she went to call him and realised she couldn’t. She decided it must simply be a case of sexual frustration; experience had taught him what pleased her, and that was what she was missing.
Even though he had resisted her rather aggressive advances, she had still found herself smiling when she returned home. She realised she had just been happy to see him. She hadn’t argued when he declared they weren’t even friends, but hadn’t they been? After all, they had spent as many evenings watching a game while stuffing themselves with pizza and beer as they had in each other’s sheets.
Nina felt her heart beat a little faster as she thought to herself that he could only be reacting this strongly if he cared for her, but quickly stopped any fanciful thoughts of him returning her feelings. Besides, how could he when she had only realised how she felt? Keeping her expression neutral, she gently placed her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful,” she promised.
Don felt his anger dissolve at her spoken promise, but he found he couldn’t ignore how vehement his response had been. How could he justify such a response for someone he had had pushed out of his life to avoid the temptation of sleeping with them? As he watched her slowly remove her hand from his arm, he was suddenly hit with the realisation his relationship with Nina hadn’t just been about sex.
Of course he missed sleeping with Nina, but he also missed the way she would fight him for the last slice of pizza. Or the way she would calmly deal with insects and then chastise him for being a wimp. He missed evenings spent watching pointless television and sharing Chinese. He just missed being with her.
The weight of his revelation sat like lead in his stomach. But what was the good in realising his feelings for Nina now?
As he struggled against his first instinct, which was to back her against the crumbling stucco and kiss every inch of her exposed skin, he was startled from his thoughts by the sudden change in Nina’s expression. She stepped back but smiled broadly, waving exaggeratedly over Don’s shoulder. “Morty! What on earth brings you to this side of town?” she asked loudly.
Morty...as in Mortimer? Don cursed silently before turning around to face his father-in-law, wondering how long the old man had been standing there. He tried to assure himself that he hadn’t actually done anything but it did little to ease the fear that had overcome him.
“Mr. Goth,” Don choked out as Mortimer approached him, hoping he didn’t appear as terrified as he felt.
“Don please. It’s Mortimer, or Morty if you must,” he told him with a chuckle. Don tried to smile in response but it appeared more of a grimace.
He smiled at his wife’s sister, “I was actually hoping to chat with my son-in-law, do you mind if I borrow him Nina?” Don noted with relief that if Mortimer was suspicious of anything, his tone didn’t betray it.
“Of course,” Nina replied after a moment, “he’s all yours.”
He’s certainly not mine she thought to herself sadly as she watched the two men leave.
190 Sim Lane, Pleasantview
“Not that this walk hasn’t been lovely Don, but aren’t you going to be late to work?” Cassandra questioned. Her broad smile made it clear she couldn’t have truly been too worried.
Don had finished his residency and was now working as a general practitioner. Don put his hands on his hips in mock indignation, “do you truly think so little of me that you think I would abandon my patients?”
“Why Dr. Lothario, is my opinion that important to you?” she asked playfully.
“It happens to be the most important opinion of all,” he told her, “which is why I need your valued thoughts on a very important matter.”
“And what matter is that?”
He took her hand in his, trying desperately to hide his enthusiasm, “I’m seeking your opinion on a house actually.”
Don gently led her up the path towards the house they were standing in front of. As he pulled out his keys and opened the front door to the property she looked to her husband in bewilderment, “how do you have keys for this place? Is it for sale?” she pondered. She had been hinting for quite some time that she was keen for them to move out of Don’s condo.
“Not technically,” he said slyly, opening the door and ushering her inside.
Don watched carefully as Cassandra looked around the empty space. “So what do you think,” he asked.
“It’s beautiful, the natural light is incredible,” she replied truthfully. “But if it’s not for sale, I’m not sure why we’re here.”
Don didn’t even bother trying to hide his smile. “It’s not for sale because it’s already ours,” he told her.
“Don, that’s, that’s amazing,” she gushed elatedly. “But can we afford this?” she questioned.
“It’s a gift Cassie. From your dad,” he said carefully.
Cassandra’s face fell as she tried to absorb the news her husband had just told her. The house was everything she could have ever wanted, but she hadn’t spoken to her father since he had seen her before her wedding to tell her he wasn’t attending.
“I know you’re upset that he missed the wedding Cass,” Don said gently, “but he really wanted to be able to do this for you, and for us. I’m sorry if I made the wrong decision in saying yes, but I think it was the right thing to do.”
Cassandra couldn’t help the guilt that welled inside her, “I haven’t spoken to him in months and he brought us a house. I just, I’m still mad you know, I mean, it was our wedding,” she tried to explain.
“I know baby, and he understands that,” Don consoled her. “He came and spoke to me. He told me it was important for him to know that we had a home that was ours. He said he wanted to know that you were able to have the future you’d dreamed of.”
Cassie was silent for a moment in thought. Taking a deep breath Don continued, “Not to mention if I’m not mistaken, I believe we’ll be needing an extra room before too long.” Don didn’t generally make a habit out of taking his work home but he did notice when his honeymoon period wasn’t interrupted.
Cassandra tentatively placed her hands on her stomach although found she couldn’t quite meet her husband’s gaze. “I only confirmed it a few days ago,” she admitted quietly. “I wasn’t, I wasn’t sure how to tell you. It’s sooner than either of us expected, and I know you wanted to wait a while.”
“Look at me,” he commanded gently. As she raised her eyes to look into his, he found himself, not for the first time, humbled by the devotion he saw in his wife’s eyes. She seemed to look at him as if he were her knight in shining armour and despite feeling unworthy of her fairytale vision, he was determined not shatter her illusions of him.
“None of that matters Cassie,” he told her solemnly. “What matters is that you’re ready.”
“I am,” she assured him, her voice thick with emotion. “I love you Don. I know it sounds strange, but, it’s hard to imagine loving anyone as much as I love you.”
Don took his wife’s hands in his and smiled, despite hating himself for not being able to say the same.
165 Sim Lane, Pleasantview
“He really does seem happier,” Mortimer observed quietly as he and Dina checked in on Alexander and his study partner, “he was right though, I would have said it was unnecessary.”
“That’s why I told you after we went shopping,” Dina replied with a knowing grin.
Mortimer smiled, while he didn’t quite understand how a new pair of spectacles and a hair cut could give his son more confidence, he was pleased his wife seemed to. It had taken a few years, but thankfully, his son had finally begun to accept Dina in his life. This brought Mortimer immeasurable peace knowing, that sooner than later, he would be leaving both his sons in her care.