Chapter Thirteen - Pleasantview
Content warning: This story contains mature themes and is not suitable for minors. For this chapter, minor sexual references.
165 Sim Lane, Pleasantview
Darren’s cheeks actually hurt as he forced himself to smile as Mortimer mused out loud that he’d always been fond of Darren and thought it was a pity he and Cassandra had never been more than friends.
You’re not the only one Darren thought bitterly.
Mortimer didn’t seem to pick up on Darren’s discomfort but it didn’t escape Dina’s notice that Darren seemed awfully thirsty.
“Here Darren, let me get you another drink,” Dina offered taking his glass from him. “So tell me, do you do commissions often?”
Darren smiled in palpable relief at Dina grateful for the change of subject, “This will be my first actually.”
“I think it’s a little indulgent myself,” Mortimer said placing his empty glass on the bar.
“But what my darling wife wants, my darling wife gets,” he added with a wry grin.
“It’ll be nice to have a portrait of you, and it will fill that space in the entry hall nicely,” Dina told him as she filled their glasses. She hadn’t said it out loud, but after seeing how badly Mortimer was affected by a recent cold, she couldn’t help but be more aware of her husband’s advanced age. She wanted a worthy monument to her husband, if not for her, then at least for his children.
“And it is very important to fill that space,” Mortimer said to Darren in mock seriousness.
“I’m sure Darren at least can appreciate my desire for good art,” Dina feigned dismay as she handed the men their drinks.
“Art was never really my forte I’m afraid,” Mortimer chuckled.
“These are great pieces, did you chose all of these?” Darren asked Dina, indicating the paintings adorning the walls.
Dina nodded, “I had to source most of them online, there aren’t exactly many places to buy art around here.”
“Or sell it,” Darren agreed.
Mortimer turned to Darren, “Dina’s been talking about how she’d like to open a business, if it was a gallery of sorts, she could feature your paintings.”
“What a fantastic idea, Darren could be the in-house artist,” Dina enthused. While she adored her son, she was feeling more than a little housebound by her mothering and wifely duties. “What do you think Darren?”
“It would be a godsend for me, I’ve always struggled with the business side of it all,” Darren admitted.
“Tremendous, it’s settled then,” Mortimer declared triumphantly.
Not that he’d said anything out loud, but he too had been reminded of his age after his body had struggled to throw off a simple cold. He wanted to know that when he left this life his family would prosper. But Mortimer knew that prosperity was more than just financial security. He wanted his wife to gain her own sense of achievement instead of allowing her self-worth to be dictated by the opinions of others. He felt that if she invested herself in something, seeing it succeed, which he had no doubt it would, would show her how capable she truly was.
“Now, I suppose we should get on with this silly portrait business,” he said with a smile.
195 Main Street, Pleasantview
“You don’t seem that pleased about it,” Lilith observed.
The firm that Dirk had worked for throughout high school, where he had worked his way up to the position of executive assistant, had offered to make his job full time. “No, I am, really. It’s just, I think Dad was kind of expecting me to go to Uni,” he explained.
It hadn’t escaped Lilith’s attention that Dirk had been offered a full time job only after she had been accepted into the Police Academy. Her boyfriend had never shown much interest in going to University but if he did want to go, she didn’t want him missing out just because she wasn’t going. “Do you want to go?” she asked, “I mean, you’d be able to start in an even higher role if you had a degree.”
“And leave you and these short shorts behind? I don’t think so!” Dirk exclaimed.
Lilith moved out of his arms, “come on, you need to take this seriously,” she implored.
“I am,” he countered unconvincingly. “Hey, when do they give you your own set of handcuffs?” he joked.
“Dirk!” she cried as indignantly as she could manage.
He laughed, “I’m just playing around, come back here.”
“You really should think about it Dirk,” she said quietly, as she climbed into his embrace.
“Oh trust me, I’ve thought about handcuffs,” he said cheekily.
Angela playfully smacked him, “I’m serious!”
“You’re worried I’m not going to Uni because you’re not,” he surmised. She nodded. “Well, it’s part of it,” he told her truthfully, “but not the only reason.”
“I just don’t want you to miss out because of me.”
“I’d be missing out without you Lil,” he replied.
“Oh god, could you be any cheesier?” she laughed.
He didn’t take her response to heart. He knew she was uncomfortable with declarations of affection; they had been few and far between while she was living at home.
“Everything I want and need is here, I don’t need to be anywhere else,” he told her.
Lilith couldn’t help but the goofy smile that spread over her face at his words. Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead on Dirks, “I know I don’t always say it,” she said softly, “but I do love you.”
“I know,” he assured her
Deciding to lighten the mood, and take advantage of his girlfriend’s close proximity, his hand slowly slid down her thigh, “you might not say it, but at least you show it,” he grinned.
“You’re hopeless,” she replied, her laughing made any attempt at appearing annoyed futile.
“We could always christen the couch,” Dirk suggested with a wink.
Lilith was about to answer when they were brought to attention by Darren clearing his throat, “you’re assuming it hasn’t been already,” he said dryly.
“I really don’t need to know,” Dirk muttered.
“Likewise,” Darren retorted. “And how about you put your hands where I can see them so I don’t have to act like a parent or something.” Although when it came to it, Darren felt he had lost his right to assert his position as a parent long ago. After Darleen had died he had been in such deep despair that his son had regrettably had to mostly take care of himself.
Dirk sheepishly moved his hand back to safer territory. Lilith on the other hand greeted Darren brightly, “How was your day Mr. D?”
“Good actually,” Darren replied taking a seat, “I have some news.”
“What a coincidence,” she said turning to Dirk, “so do we.”
Darren paused for a moment. “This better not include the words baby or marriage,” he said flatly.
“Well I guess anything is good news now,” she smiled before heading to the kitchen to begin cooking dinner.
“Well, you have my attention,” Darren told his son.
“Relax Dad, it’s not bad news,” Dirk told him.
Darren expression remained sceptical but prompted his son to continue.
“You know the company I worked at in high school,” he began, “well they’ve offered me a full time position. It’s still in the same role, but the money is really good.”
“And they’re happy to wait until you finish your degree?” Darren asked.
Dirk swallowed uncomfortably, “Well that’s the thing. I wouldn’t be going, I’d start working full time straight away.”
Darren’s brows furrowed in concern, how could he tell his son he thought he was making the wrong decision when Dirk had been left to make so many over the years? “University is a great opportunity, are you sure you want to miss out on that?”
“It never seems to occur to anyone that I might be missing out if I go, does it?” Dirk retorted.
“I just, I know it can be easy to be caught up in the moment. I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret later on,” Darren said cautiously.
Dirk asked the only question he knew would make his dad understand, “You wouldn’t have regretted spending more time with Mum would you?”
Darren paused, his son was right of course. And who was he to say that Dirk and Lilith were any less in love than he had been with Darleen.
“Look, it’s not that I haven’t thought about it,” Dirk assured his father. “And when it comes down to it, I can only make a decision that is right for me now, not what might be right for me in the future. I mean, we both know how uncertain the future is.”
Darren couldn’t help but smile. Somehow, while he had been in a constant fog of grief, Dirk had grown into an insightful young man. He couldn’t help but think how proud Darleen would be. “I think you’re right,” he told his son, “and you have my support whole heartedly.”
Dirk let out a breath he hadn’t even been aware he was holding, “So, you’re not disappointed?”
“Not at all,” Darren replied, “in fact, I’m not sure I could be any prouder”.
225 Main Street, Pleasantview
John had been at work, but had been filled with overwhelming pride when he returned home to hear that Lucy had been accepted into private school. While Jennifer had felt it would provide better opportunities for their daughter, it was Lucy’s grades which reflected how much effort she had put towards being accepted into the private academy.
But as John looked through their accounts, he couldn’t help the feeling of dread set in. He knew most parents’s first thought after their child got into private school was finding the money for it, but that shouldn’t have been the case for them. They’d been saving for it. But as he went through each bank balance he discovered that not only did they have no savings, but they were overdrawn.
“Can I talk to you for a moment,” he asked his wife as she came out of their bedroom, noticing she was wearing yet another new outfit.
“Quickly though, my ride to work will be here soon,” she replied distractedly. It was her first day back at work after taking maternity leave.
“Okay, how about we start with the fact you’re wearing new clothes,” he suggested.
“I work at a fashion magazine, I can’t exactly wear last season’s clothes. Is there a point to this?” she questioned.
“Have you seen our accounts lately? Our savings are all spent and we’re in debt. We can’t afford for you to keep buying new clothes.”
“Oh, you have to be kidding me,” Jennifer replied throwing her hands in the air in frustration, “a couple of new outfits have not put us into debt.”
“Jen, this isn’t a couple of new outfits!” John told her exasperatedly. “Do you realise that we’re not going to be able to pay Lucy’s school fees when they’re due? What if this interferes with her schooling?”
“You want to know what costs a lot of money John?” she snapped, “another child. But no, I buy some clothes to wear to work and suddenly I’m responsible for ruining Lucy’s education. This is about me going back to work isn’t it?”
“That’s not fair. I’ve never been anything but supportive of your career,” he responded patiently.
“Oh sure, supportive,” she seethed. “But you’ve never been happy that I wanted to work.”
“Everything okay?” Lucy asked firmly as she entered the hall carrying her baby sister.
“Of course Luce,” John replied.
“Your father just wishes it was the fifties,” Jennifer spat.
“I’m pretty sure I heard your ride to work Mum,” Lucy intervened.
Jennifer’s attention was quickly diverted. “Okay, I have to go. Have a wonderful day at your new school sweetheart,” she said, planting a kiss on her daughter’s cheek before hurrying down the stairs.
After hearing the front door close, Lucy turned to her father and gave him a knowing look. Her mother might have been hormonal during her pregnancy, but at least she had been focused on something other than her career for once. Since Tiffany had been born however, her mother had seemingly been counting the days until she could return to work.
Giving his daughter a small smile, he held out his arms, “You better give me this one, the school bus will be here soon.”
Lucy carefully placed Tiffany in John’s arms, “she’s fed, changed and thoroughly played with.”
“I really appreciate how much you’ve been helping out sweetheart,” John told his daughter, “but just remember it’s not your job.”
“Dad, it’s not a problem,” she responded sincerely, “I know you need to get some sleep after your late shifts.”
“Still, just, try to be a kid,” John pleaded with his daughter.
“I was thinking of getting drunk after school and maybe doing some graffiti,” she suggested dead pan.
“That’s much better,” John replied equally expressionless.
After a moment she spoke again, “Jokes aside, if things are tight, I can get a job after school.”
“Did you hear what I said about being a kid,” he said pretending to be stern, “It all work out, now go on before you’re late for your first day.”
As he watched his eldest daughter head to school and held his youngest in his arms, he could only hope he was right.