Everlasting (Unrestrained 6)

"Drake," she said and smiled. "When are you two moving back? We miss you terribly and Ken has been morose ever since the band broke up. They can't replace you, you know."

"I'm irreplaceable," I said with a laugh and sat beside her at the desk. "We actually may be moving back sooner than we thought."

"Really?" Her eyes brightened. "How come?"

I shrugged. "There's some drama on the family front with Liam and Maureen."

She frowned and peered at me over the top of her reading glasses. "That's too bad. Is she giving you a hard time about seeing him? He's your son!"

I shook my head. "She wants to go to Indonesia with her husband, but can't take Liam until he's clear for five years after the transplant. It's why they split the first time. I guess he was unhappy back in California and wants to go back to his job in Indonesia. More money and seniority or something. That means that Liam has to move back to Manhattan to stay with his grandmother. Unless I can get joint custody and he stays with me. But, I've had some issues at the hospital in San Francisco and quit. So..."

"Oh, Drake, that's terrible. I feel selfish wanting you back but under happier circumstances."

"Kate wants to move back but doesn't want to be too far away from her father, given his health. I don't want to be too far away from Liam. We're going to work on Ethan and see if we can get him to come back for the fall but maybe finding a better place to live where he can get out more than his penthouse on Park Avenue allows. He's wheelchair bound now."

She nodded. "He needs a house with a garden. Maybe a townhouse somewhere nice."

"Kate's really torn. She wants to move back but can't imagine leaving her father. I don’t want to miss being in Liam's life and Maureen will fight me if I try for custody."

Mrs. O sighed heavily. "You have to try, right?" She took my hand and squeezed. "If you need anything, let us know. You're like a son to me, Drake and a brother to the kids."

"I know," I said and leaned over and gave her a kiss. Then, I told her all about my new family in California.

"That's amazing," she said, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry your mom is so sick, but to find your brothers and a sister? That's priceless."

"It is. So, you can understand how torn I am between staying in California and coming back to Manhattan."

"What a decision. I don’t envy you but at the same time, how exciting to discover your new family and your mother..."

I thought about how confused my mother was and how there was no recognition in her eyes when she saw me. "She doesn't recognize me but I like my brother and sister. But Liam and Ethan are the priorities."

"Family is always the priority. Everything should be viewed through that lens. In the end, your business and your accomplishments will mean little if you're alone."

"I know. I learned that lesson when my father died. We didn't spend enough time together and then he was dead. I think Kate feels that really acutely and is afraid to be away from her father for too long."

"You guys will find a way to balance things. Kate, Sophia and Liam – they're your priorities. Then us old fogies."

"Old fogies," I said and kissed her cheek.

For the next half hour, while we waited for the last diners to finish their meal and the wait staff and bus staff to finish their shifts, I helped out in the private dining room getting it set up for our family dinner. Every Sunday it was the same – serve the guests supper from five until seven, and then have a late supper prepared by the cooks. We would sit down after and eat.

I was finishing setting the table when Kate arrived. Of course, there was a huge fuss made over her, with everyone crowding around. I went over and kissed Kate. Once everyone said hello, we all went into the dining room and sat at our places. Mrs. O had the table set up so that Kate and I were the center of attention, and we sat and had a drink and waited for the first course to arrive.

The meal was fantastic – high end but still family food. Two different roasts – beef and chicken plus all the trimmings. The wine flowed, the plates were passed and passed again, and everyone was smiling and laughing. I sat beside Mrs. O and watched her family talking and enjoying themselves. This – this is what I wanted for myself and for my family. Big family meals around a table like this one, with great food and conversation. Everyone felt comfortable with each other and truly liked one another. I had been denied a family like this one growing up but I was determined to make a family like this for myself – and become a part of every other family I could, whether that was with Ethan and his family, the O'Rileys, or my new family in California.

One day, if we were lucky, Kate and I could host a big family dinner like this one in our house. I imagined the day and all the preparations, choosing the menu and wine, buying the food and preparing it and then welcoming everyone into my home. Our home.

One day...

When we finished dessert and had our coffees, we talked about the future and what was on the agenda.

"Drake, we hope you move back and take back up with the band but I realize that things are up in the air right now," Mrs. O said.

"They are. We'll figure it out. We'll probably come back for the temperate weather and maybe visit Ethan and Elaine in San Francisco during the holidays. If Liam does live with me, he'll be going to school and we can't be going back and forth between the two locations. His school would come first.

One thing I did appreciate was that no one asked me about the trial. They all knew it was a sore spot with me and a personal embarrassment. Luckily, I didn't have to think of any answers.

They as