Once I got home, that was when the real work began, the goal being that I’d be ready to wear my new state-of-the-art foot-and-ankle prosthesis the moment it arrived. I wanted to get back to living an active life as soon as possible. I might have sat around moping back in my Chad Woodcock days, but that was all behind me now. I had plans, ones too big to wait for things to happen. And those plans started and stopped with Dani.
I settled into my chair, sweaty from the walking I’d done while talking to Dani on the phone. As far as resting spots went, this outdoor patio overlooking the expansive pool and water features was a fine one. As an added bonus, my property featured a giant security wall, keeping any unwanted trespassers out.
I watched Julio basking in the sun. It had only taken him a couple of days to acclimate to the good life, spending hours in the pool, in the gym, in the movie theater. With his contract up in three weeks, I wasn’t sure if he’d actually leave, not when Rozsika happily waited on him hand and foot.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“You can’t check your Apple watch or your phone?”
“I could, but I prefer to hear your sexy voice.”
Julio sighed, taking a sip of his Blue Hawaii, complete with an umbrella and fruit kabob, before pulling the phone out of his swim trunks. “Twelve fifteen. Why?”
“Perfect. We can get to Dani’s before her surprise comes in.”
“No. You didn’t hire me to be your chauffeur. I’m not driving you anywhere. Dani can come here.”
“That’s the problem. She won’t.”
“I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but maybe she’s just not that into you.”
“She’s into me,” I assured him. This wasn’t an attraction issue; that much I knew. Something else was going on, and I needed to get to the bottom of it, even if that meant going behind Julio’s back.
“So, why’s she not here? Have you told her you like her?”
“Do I look like an amateur?”
“Then don’t ask me for female advice.”
“I wasn’t. I was asking for a ride.”
Julio considered me with an expression that bordered on pity. “Look, dude, I’ve been dumped a lot in my lifetime. A lot. Are you sure this isn’t her telling you to get lost?”
“I’m not being dumped, dick. She’s going through something, and I have to figure out what it is and fix it.”
“I don’t appreciate name-calling, RJ. This is a professional relationship we have here and should be treated as such.”
Rozsika appeared with a plate of finger sandwiches, placing them on the table between Julio and me. She laid a hand on Julio’s shoulder and smiled as she set a second plate down in front of him, piled high with warm chocolate chip cookies. “And for you.”
Professional, my ass. The dude had slipped into my life with ease. If I wasn’t mindful, he’d be the lord of the manor in a week.
“Oh, Rozsika,” he said. “Where have you been all my life?”
“I make cookie for RJ but he doesn’t like,” she said in her heavy accent.
“So ungrateful,” Julio agreed.
“Or maybe I just don’t eat sugar to maintain a healthy body.”
Rozsika and Julio exchanged an exasperated look.
“With Julio, I get to show off cooking,” Rozsika tsked. “With you, only protein.”
Julio patted his impressive belly. “Well, lucky for both of us, I don’t worry about my figure quite as much as RJ does.”
Rozsika giggled her way back to the kitchen.
“I’ve got to give you props. For a guy with absolutely no game, you sure know how to charm the Hungarian grandmas.”
“It’s a gift.”
“Right, well, I’m gonna go take a shower,” I said, step one of my escape attempt.
“Do you want help?”
“Showering? No, I’d rather lick a gas station toilet seat than have you in there with me, but thank you.”
“Jesus Christ, RJ. Your shower’s big enough to host the Oscars. Besides, I’ve already seen your junk more times than I care to remember.”
Not emboldening him with a response, I hobbled away.
I’d just barely gotten dressed when a call came in from Andrew, my jack-of-all-trades employee… and my driver for the day. I assumed he was calling to let me know the car was waiting for me behind the hedge, where I’d instructed for him to park it. Yes, Julio was my employee and could easily be fired, but technically I had hired him to do exactly what he was doing—keep me healthy and on task. And so, I had to sneak out behind his back. If I was lucky, I’d be back before he was done with his outdoor evening nap.
“RJ, someone claiming to be your brother is out front.”
“My brother? Which one?”
“Says his name is Manny. This him?”
A still image of Manny at my gate popped up on my screen. What the hell was he doing here? My family never came here. I went there. It was sort of an unwritten rule that, up until today, had never been broken.
“RJ, you still there?”
“I’m here, and yes, that’s my brother.”
“You want me to let him in?”
I ran my fingers over my now smooth jawline and pondered. The last thing I wanted was to entertain family when I had a mission to complete before rush hour, but I thought back to our last encounter and how he’d stood up for me at the hospital. At the very least, I wanted to know what was up with that.
“Uh… all right. But have the car ready.”
“It is. I’ll send him in.”
I met Manny at the front entrance and figured I’d keep him contained there. No sense in him getting comfortable, as he wouldn’t be staying long. I observed him as he stepped into the lobby. Manny was two years older than me, with curly brown locks that were currently being worn longer than I’d ever seen them. He was a near perfect replica of Renato, making it more than clear that he was the man’s biological son.
“Hey,” he greeted me with a smile. “Wasn’t sure if you were going to let me in.”
“I wasn’t sure myself.”
“I don’t blame you. Last time was…”
“Every time is,” I corrected.
“Sure.” He nodded. “Every time is an adventure in our family.”
I didn’t like the way he said, ‘our family,’ like I was actually a part of it. I had a pretty good idea what he was here for—money—and the sooner I shut him down, the better.
“Not to be rude, Manny but I’ve actually got somewhere to go, so…”
“Oh, sorry. I’ll make it quick. I just came by…” He hesitated, looking nervous as hell. Oh yeah, this was definitely a money grab. “To say thank you.”
“Okay,” I responded. Definitely not what I was expecting. “You know I cut the family off, right?”
“Yes. I do. And that’s actually why I’m thanking you. You finally gave me the push I needed to strike out on my own. I moved out. Got a job. And I’m going to start trade school in a couple of weeks.”
In some ways, Manny was so much younger than me. He’d been sheltered all his life, with very few expectations placed on him. While I was off touring the world, he was on the couch, watching TV and living off my dime. But it was never too late for redemption, and I was inclined to give it to him.