Suited

Thirty Five

My parents landed on the twenty fifth, claiming they wanted to make the visit a proper vacation. Why anyone would choose to holiday in Baltimore, in autumn no less, was beyond me, but I chalked it up to their desire to be tourists even though they had been in Greece during the summer. Lawrence and I were early to pick them up from the airport with him in his usual seat up front and me outside, leaning against the back door. I hated BWI for its crowds and poor service, but work had me grow accustomed to it. Lawrence rarely flew anywhere and the obnoxious level of car fumes in the pick up zone would bother his lungs, so he was inside.

I spotted my father first in the mass of people swarming the automatic doors from his height but I almost missed him since his long wavy hair was covered by a stupid American flag beanie that he no doubt found in the duty free shop. The first thing I told him when he finally got close enough was to take the damn thing off. It was against flag code and looking like a tourist here was never a good thing.

I said hello to my nosy mother who was leaning around her husband to see who was in the passenger seat. Lawrence was on his phone and didn't notice and she couldn't see in that well. The Chairman liked for his employees to have the darkest tint the law would allow. When I spoke to her, she stood up straight and mumbled a hello back like she'd been caught in the act. Which she had. I took her suitcases, of which there were several because she must have believed America didn't have shopping plazas, and put them in the trunk. Father did the same for his own. He only had one because he was sensible. They were on vacation, not moving.

As we were getting situated in the car, I heard my mother ask my father who my "friend" up front was to which he reminded her that that was Lawrence and my boyfriend. All of the exchange was in Italian but Lawrence giggled. I glanced at him briefly but kept my eyes on the road as I started the car. He understood them perfectly fine.

Mother said he looked like a scoundrel, so he turned around and said, "Grazie, è la mia estetica. È un piacere conoscerla, signora," before he sat back with a proud smile on his face. If we were alone, I would have kissed him for that but I settled for a quick glance at him with a grin. My mother was stunned and Father was laughing his ass off.

I booked them a room at the Ivy for the week and my father's English was good enough to get the two of them around so I was happy to leave them there. Food and entertainment were available inside anyway, so they really didn't have to leave. Maybe they'd change their mind about dinner and decide to eat here instead. They probably had something nice planned. I got their bags out and helped them to the door.

"I just don't understand why he's so rude," mother huffed, talking about Lawrence. I asked what she meant. "He's not even being hospitable. He could at least get out and shake hands or something. Isn't that what folk like him do?"

"He isn't a diplomat. Besides, this air isn't good for him."

"The air?" She scoffed. "What, is he dying?"

"Diana," Father hissed. I'd told him briefly about Lawrence's condition. Less so his past but the ramifications of it. "He isn't dying. You're the one being rude."

"I bet he has—What is it called?—AIDS?"

I wanted to ask her to shut up and narrowly avoided doing so. "He does not and even if he did, it wouldn't be your business. He has a heart condition and asthma. You don't know what you're talking about. We're in the middle of the city. There's cars everywhere! You're so insensitive—" There was no use explaining further. I looked at my father. "Can you take her inside please? The reservation is under your name and it was made with your Visa card. It should be suite fourteen." If it wasn't, oh well. All of the suites were nicer than my house.