Stuck With Francis

- 7 -

The day after, I got the chance before my shift to finally sit down and talk to my dad about everything he's been keeping from me. I actually was planning on never speaking to him again as a form of payback, but I realized he wouldn't even notice if I did do that. 

"So, you're working with the Zambrottas?", I asked while he made himself a sourdough toast. He was jollier than usual, there was a bit of radiance to his patchy, stubbly skin. 

"Sorry to not tell you sooner, everything's been so hectic." He gave me the toast I thought was for him. "Things are gonna be a lot better for us, Lio. I might even be able to pull some strings for your college fund."

My father has never been enthusiastic about be heading off to an expensive four-year to pursue a degree, and implicitly made it clear that I would be mainly responsible for funding my education. Being a top-ranking student, I've always been disappointed I could never congratulate myself in the glow of his praise, but I understand the pressures of single-handedly raising a kid on low income. 

"That's good, dad. That's really good." I bit on the buttered toast he gave me. "They're a really nice family, I guess I could say I was wrong about them."

"Kenny and I go back decades. We used to work together on the barges as deckhands, way before you were born. Before you were even a notion in mine and your mother's brain." He dusted the crumbs off his gray beard and continued fiddling with kitchen-wear. It was rare for him to hold eye contact when speaking to me, he was always focusing his attention on something else. "Then, Kenny decided to go off and use his dead father's inheritance to start his own fishing business, and it took off. Now they own all kind of boats, fishing, ferries, party boats. He got ridiculously loaded."

"If they were successful here, why did they move to Boston?"

"Many reasons. He saw opportunities to expand business in the Boston harbor, Francis came into existence and his wife wanted to raise him where she grew up, and then the whole deal with your mother."

"My mother?"

His whole body paused, as though he said something he shouldn't have. 

"Er-It was a small thing, I shouldn't even mention it as a reason. It's mostly because they preferred the bigger city."

My widened eyes followed his stout build stagger out of the room. Every single time I get close to hearing something about my mother, it's short-lived. I gave up a while ago on trying to get information out of him. However, now that he seems more happy and sprightly than ever, I might be able to pry some more details off of him within time. So I dropped the issue at the moment and prepared to leave for work.

He popped his head back in the living room.

"You know, now that you're almost 18 and all..."

Is this it? Is he gonna tell me something about my mother?

"You can always quit your job and come and work with your old man. We got some openings and with better business I can pay you more than what you're probably getting now."

Oh. Well, this still was good news. 

"Aw, thanks dad. I'll take you up on that, if you're sure about it."

"Sure thing, I can have you on some deckhand duties, maybe you can learn a thing or two about management, as well. Francis is gonna be down there pretty often helping out-"

"Oh." My smile faded into a sneer.

"Gosh, you. I didn't raise a hateful son! No causing problems, okay?"

I rolled my eyes like a dramatic teenager does and walked out the door.

"Okay, dad. I'll put in my two weeks today."