Chapter 25

Mister Gallant, Regis, did pick me up at the Sand Bar the next day. It was high noon. I had stayed in my old back room at the bar; okayed by Hank’s upon my arrival; he’d actually driven me back to the bar when Regis had dropped me at his place. I’d decided that I didn’t want to disrupt his family on the big day.

I was not exactly nervous, but for lack of a better term, I was nervous. The place was big. The grounds sprawling. And the dozen or so cars seemed to be parked randomly everywhere. Now I actually was nervous. There were going to be lots of strangers at the do, strangers to me. I determined to be as much of a background ornament as I could be: no star on the top of the tree me. Well, okay that was a Christmas allusion, but it was all I could think of at the moment.

Regis led me out to the back patio. Their place, I would find out later, had three patios: the back one was the largest. It was Bea that greeted me. I was actually glad for that. So far, I had not seen any of the principals among the twenty or so people scattered around. It was going to be a very large dinner party. I smiled. I was for sure certain that I was going to be the only convicted murderer among the masses.

“I am so glad you decided to actually come,” said Bea.

“Yeah, well, I’m glad your glad,” I said. She smiled.

“They’re inside. I’m supposed to shepherd you in to them as soon as you arrived, if you were willing, of course. Well, you’ve arrived. Feel like being shepherded?” she said. I swallowed. I shrugged.

She took me by the arm and led me into the execution chamber; well that’s what it felt like to me.

The two of them were standing not sitting in the den, well, I thought it was the den; I was about to be reeducated.

“Welcome to the library of casa Willis,” said Blake. Okay it was a library not a den.

I looked around; it was just the two of them. Bea had suddenly absented herself. Ava looked to be analyzing my look.

“The twins are with Candace; they’re out amongst them,” she said. “We’ll be joining them shortly. Okay?”

“Sure, I guess,” I said. “I’m just a guest. I came here to eat,” I said, smiling.

“You’re more than just a guest,” said Blake, “you’re family. I mean seriously.” I had decided to let them have their day; I’d not be arguing with them, not on their home turf. I shrugged my surrender.

“You okay?” said Ava.

“Sure, I’m fine,” I said. She nodded, obviously noting my lack of enthusiasm.

“I have to say, we were hoping, but not expecting, to see you today. Can I ask, are things maybe a little better between us?” she said.

“I guess,” I said.

“Julian?” said Blake. “You seem a little off...”

“Okay?” I said. I suppose he meant that I wasn’t being overly enthusiastic about being around them, but I wasn’t sure.

“Well, I mean you’ll likely want to spend some time with your daughter, right?” he said.

Don’t argue, don’t argue, don’t argue I kept repeating to myself in my mind.

“Whatever is good for you,” I said, “and her.” He was nodding, but he still clearly thought I was being, how did he say it, oh yeah, a little off.

“Julian, really, you need to work on developing a relationship with your daughter. I know it may not be comfortable at first, easy, but really,” said Ava.

“You mean our daughter, right?” I said.

“Well of course, our daughter,” she said.

“And Blake’s her uncle or stepdad or something, right?” I said.

“Well...” she said, but stopped.

“Never mind,” I said. “She and I will talk if she wants. I’m good.”

“Okay,” said Ava. “Good. We should go out and join the folks.” I nodded, and followed their lead outside.

“Bea and Regis joined me as soon as I made my appearance. I mean they immediately joined me. It was becoming clear to me that I had handlers today. I was not to be left to my own devices under any circumstances. That bothered me some, but I let it go. I guess I was going to be handled.

In spite of what Ava had said. I didn’t even see “my” daughter for some time. I figured it to be about an hour. Dinner was but a short time off. In the meantime, everyone was drinking and snacking. And, for better or worse, my handlers were keeping me from being bored by keeping up a more or less interesting chatter in the interim.

“Here comes Candace and the little ones,” said Bea. They were six years old, the little ones. My daughter was twenty-four. Also, Bea had informed me in the chatter previously referenced, a new college graduate in Business Administration. How wonderful was that.

“Hi Dad,” she said, coming up to us.

“Hi to you too,” I said.

“I am so glad you came,” she said. Her greeting didn’t sound forced, but it did sound affected. He mother, I figured, but I was only guessing as far as that was concerned.

“Thank you for that,” I said, and smiled.

“Dad you should let me visit you from time to time,” she said.

“No problem for me, but you best let your uncle know before you come down; it is 250 miles down the street.”

“My uncle?” she said.

“Yes, uncle, Stepdad, however you refer to him?” I said. And yes, I was pushing the envelope. “My brother, you know.”

“Huh?” she said.

Bea, who was right beside me, decided to step in and intervene to avoid any possible change of mood. I suppose she did the right thing though I would have more than appreciated hearing my daughter’s response to my envelope pushing.

“I think we need to find our seats it’s almost time to eat,” said Bea.