The Estate/Part 2

Previous - Why The Man's Nuts

“Where y’guys at?” Vinnie holds a cellphone up on his ears, talking to Rick. He had one of those old flip-phone kinds, and even that’s too much a piece of technology for Vinnie.

''“He’s at the… place. What the fuck am I doin’ here…”''

Vinnie stands near the bus stop sign, about to go walk over to his favorite pub. Rick needed the car to drop off Hamill at that… place. The Sunbright, or whatever it’s called. So he had to take the bus here.

“Don’t gotta dance with ‘em. Just sit at the bar or—or somethin’…”

“Well, shit… arright, then.” There was some busy music in Rick’s background. He felt kind of glad he didn’t have to listen to it.

They both hang up, with Vinnie closing up his phone and pocketing it on his trench coat. He walks down the sidewalk, his eyes on the rickety wooden sign hanging by a post. Dave’s, the pub he’s been visiting every Thursday, or… Friday, or any other day for that matter.

He makes a left turn and walks down onto the small set of steps; the pub was placed a bit underground, and it provided the perfect quiet, solitary feeling Vinnie’s all too familiar of. Harold’s been asking him of too much lately, and this is just the place to ease him off the edge a bit. Rick places the cellphone on the breast pocket of his suit, and watches as Harold talks with the bouncer and admits his way in. It was fairly early, with the sun still a bit up. Harold was up to something he definitely wasn’t going to like… The lines aren’t even full yet. There were only five other people waiting to get in.

Harold points over to Rick, and signals him to follow. Rick jogs toward him, and together, they enter the place.

The fucking Sunbright. It was a nightclub that opens just around sunset. Perfect place for a guy like Harold. Rick takes a look at him.

The age on his face didn’t match the all-white suit and shoes he wore below. Even the neck was open, making room for… Harold’s chest. His fingers had numerous rings. The… collar of his suit shined. Rick needed a drink to drown that image out as soon as possible. It was Saturday Night Fever: Senior Edition with him.

“I’ll be in one of the booths…” Harold says to him, and it straightens Rick up. Harold points to one of the circle-looking booths from the distance, where the seating areas were. There were already a few people sitting over there. “You can… leave, if you want. I’ll be here all night, with Laura…” He’s confirmed it; he’s going to stay. Rick only manages to nod. Harold doesn’t even bother to look, and leaves to walk over to the booth.

Rick sneaks in a shake of his head, and turns around to go over to the bar, which was just to his left side. He sits in one of the tall chairs and orders some Gin on the rocks. Out of courtesy, he has to stay for a bit to look after Harold. It’s what Vinnie taught him.

He takes a sip of his drink, swirling the glass around a bit. He figured he can bit a little bit more drinks before he leaves. He checks on Harold by turning around. He just sat there, constantly looking at his phone. Rick takes another sip before turning back around to the booth.

He wondered how Vinnie was doing. He’s hoping he can probably catch him at the bar, but there’s word of him going off to somewhere… He looks up to the television set at the top right corner, above all the bottles, and sees a hockey game in progress.

He looks at the glass on his hand one more time, and takes a long swig that finishes it up. He purses his lips and puts the glass down, signaling the bartender for another. And just then, he feels his cellphone vibrate.

He takes it out, and sees the name “Hamill” calling. He touches the screen and puts it on his ear. “Hello?”

''“Rick? Where you at?”'' It was Harold’s son, Hamill. They’ve been talking a lot lately.

Rick turns around to look at Harold briefly. “At the bar, lookin’ after y’dad. What’s up, buddy?”

''“Really? I—I was just gonna ask you for a drink. Dad talked to the bouncer?”''

“Yeah.”

''“Alright. I’ll just see you there. Was gonna ask you to have a drink with me anyway…”''

Rick receives his second glass. He mixes the contents with the straw it came with. “Arright, see y’here buddy…”

He’s been really good friends with Hamill lately… partly because they can talk about Harold behind his back. That, and the kid’s pretty funny. Likes to pass him hundred-dollar bills like it’s nobody’s business. Of course, those bills came from his dad. To Rick, just a few extra tips.

Rick takes a few glances toward the doors, waiting for Hamill to arrive. ''What am I doing right now? Well I’m going to go see my 60-year-old boyfriend, of course.''

''Just saying it like that already makes me question it… what the hell am I doing with a man like Harold? I’m… in my late 20’s, still trying to finish my degree on Journalism. Interning here and there—hell, even got a small anchor gig—but I’m still young. So what am I doing with Harold?''

''I met him, that charming old fool, probably a few months ago. Was at the bar, friends ditched me… then this old guy approaches me. Had this smolder like he had a chance. He just kept talking to me. I was hoping to just get a few drinks and go home, and… lie in my bed, thinking about the monotony and… continuing it the following day.''

''I don’t know if it was the scotch. But Harold made so much sense. He was such a sweet guy back there.''

He took me to jewelry store, told me it was his “Friend’s”… so I just, go home that night with a ten-thousand-dollar diamond necklace.

''The gifts are… great, but it’s pretty much… Harold too. I can talk to him, and he listens. The gifts are pretty much just… icing on the cake. Okay, maybe not, but—it’s an amazing combination. It gets a little weird sometimes, but…''

''I’ve talked to my mom about this already. My mom’s 50, by the way. Not even as old as Harold. She reminded me how much of a mistake this is… how much this isn’t good for me in the long run. I told her there was money involved. She told me this was just a phase.''

''I’ve just been so unsure lately. I’ve… started to see Harold for what he really is. He’s… got the son, for Christ’s sake. A wife whom… he hasn’t even followed through with the papers yet. He’s… acting like a kid, like me, for that age. I just… don’t know.''

[Laura arrives at the Sunbright, wearing the dress and fur jacket Harold had bought him.]

''If… anything, Harold’s made me feel like a queen. And that’s all he’s… done.''

[She mentions Harold’s last name to the bouncer, and he lets her in.]

''I’ll let him down easy. Probably tonight. No… he called me up here for a… reason.''

[She passes a glance at Rick, who was sitting at the bar, holding up a glass.]

Maybe get a few more gifts out of him or… or something.

[She sees Harold waving to her, wearing a white suit.]

''Oh, gr-great. L-look at that. Diamonds on the collar… this is just…''

[She tries to smile off her thoughts, and walks over to Harold.] It takes about ten more minutes after Laura for Hamill to arrive. He wore something pretty casual, with his jeans, work shoes, and bulky brown cargo jacket. He was pretty much a younger Harold, minus the hair loss and the mid-life crisis.

“Buddy,” Rick greets, following it with a firm pat to his back. Hamill just smiles at him and orders something from the bartender.

“So what brings you here?” Rick takes a sip of his fourth glass. Hamill looks at him, then glances at Harold, all the way at the back.

“This is kinda a new place for him, isn’t it?” Hamill then receives his drink, which was a glass of scotch, while Rick nods.

“I mean… shit. I feel too fuckin’ old bein’ in here.” Hamill just looks down on his drink, as he leans against the counter.

“So…” Rick swings his stool back to the counter and puts his glass down. “Wanna be my wingman?”

Hamill looks at him weirdly. “Don’t you… have a wife?” he responds, taking a sip of his glass.

Rick smiles, and looks down on his drink. It was half-empty. “Yeah… I was just… kiddin’.” He really wanted to see her right now, but she was all the way back in Vermont.

“I was… talkin’ ‘bout you. Need any help?”

Hamill scoffs, swings his chair forward, and takes yet another sip. His eyes scan around the bar, before stopping at his father’s booth. Rick looks at him for a prolonged moment, before realizing it. He nudges him. “The fuck, Hamill? Y’really lookin’ at her?”

Hamill shoots a look toward him. “What? No, I was just… l-looking. Slim pickings, though…”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Rick finishes his drink and pats Hamill’s shoulder a few times. “I mean y’see here back at the estate a few times, but… come on. That’s yer dad’s.”

Hamill holds his drink close to his mouth and gives him yet another weird look. “Not her…” he says, in a near-mutter. He finishes his scotch. “Let’s just… go. Sick of seeing him…” He watches as he sees Laura’s face grow into surprise, followed by a smile. Harold must’ve proposed to her, or… something.

He sighs and stands there for a good moment, not even realizing Rick looking at him.

“C’mon y’idiot…” he tells him, and Rick nudges him to exit. “Y’sure? Y’really ain’t free…?”

Vinnie sits on one of the round tables, having just downed a mug of beer. His phone was back on his ear.

“Y-yeah, sorry Vin…” The man’s voice was as old as Vinnie’s. “Tellin’ ya though, the kid’s up tah drive ya if no one else will.”

Vinnie’s just learned Rick was going on a bar hop with Hamill. Rick’s been hard at work, and Hamill’s a nice kid, so this is the least he can do.

Vinnie pauses for a few seconds. “Arright. Tell ‘em t’pick me up at Dave’s.” He hangs the phone up, and was about to order another mug, when he decides to go wait outside. He says goodbye to Pat, the bartender, and takes his trench coat from the wooden coat rack.

He slips it on as he goes outside, stuffing his hands into the pockets to shield himself from the cold. The sun wasn’t completely down yet, and he was only a bit buzzed, so he was making good time.

The person he just talked to was Don, a very old friend of his. They’ve decided to stay in contact, especially with Vinnie turning over a new leaf. He recalls seeing this guy as a teenager, and he was actually his second consideration before Rick, if it wasn’t for his background. He was almost Rick’s age.

A dark-gray coupe pulls over to the sidewalk, just in front of Vinnie. Vinnie approaches it and enters the passenger side. He’s been to this car enough times for the driver to not mind.

“Toni.” Vinnie cracks a smile. “How y’doin’?”

The driver smiles back, and he pulls the car out of the curb. He had a thin stubble and black hair that was obviously styled by a barber. “Been pretty good.”

“So what uh… what convinced ya to pick me up? Y’been bored or somethin’?”

Toni cracks a smirk, and shakes his head. “Been at the laundromat too long. Could use a different view.”

Vinnie turns to look at his window. “So uh… I see y’still like t’get yer haircuts from Don.” Toni glances at him.

“He always knows how to do it. Been cuttin’ it since I was 16 so… he’s pretty much the only one.”

“That’s good.” Vinnie smiles at the thought. So Don hasn’t retired yet after all.

They pass by a few buildings, silence looming over them for a few minutes.

“Where we headed?” Toni asks. Vinnie, who has been fixated on his view, nearly forgets to let him know.

“Oh, uh... the hangar. Hopin’ to see an old friend.”

“Old friend, eh? So Alberta’s still intact?”

Vinnie nods. “Been actually tryin’a get back into flyin’. Kinda miss it.” He’d always try to do it during his days off, but sometimes he gets stuck in the pub. Good thing he remembered it today.

Next - The Resort