Not This Again

Greg Everett looked at his dashboard clock and nodded. He was only ten minutes from his uncle’s house. 

I’m well ahead of schedule, he thought. 

Dinner was due to start at three-thirty. Greg would get there just after two o’clock. He upshifted to go around a slow-moving truck, then shot past it. Greg took great pleasure in driving his Porsche. He rarely got to open it up like this. The wind rushed past his face, and Greg smiled. 

I better enjoy this while it lasts. Because once the family gets to Uncle Robert’s, the fun is well and truly over, Greg thought as he shifted gears again and drove around another car. 

Greg parked in front of a black sedan and shut the engine off. He leaned back on the headrest and said, “Here we go.”

He pressed a button, and the top unfolded from its compartment. Once it was secure, Greg exited the car and headed towards the house. He could hear voices before he was halfway up the sidewalk. As he opened the door, he was greeted by his uncle, Robert Everett, and his wife Diana. 

“Hey Greg,” Robert said as he hugged him. “It’s great to see you.” 

Greg returned the hug and replied. “It’s good to be here, uncle.”

They separated, and Greg hugged Diana. Robert directed him to those who were already present. 

Greg greeted them all, then turned to Robert.

“Are Mom and Dad here yet?”

Robert frowned as he said, “Not yet, but they should be here within the hour.”

Diana snorted.

“That means we have an hour of peace left to enjoy.”

She walked away to greet a couple and their children.

Greg nodded, then said, “I am going to make myself a drink or two.”

“I will join you,” Robert said as they approached the bar. One of the two uniformed women took their orders: a whiskey and coke for Robert, and Greg took a glass of brandy.  

“Here’s to family,” Greg said with more than a bit of sarcasm. 

Robert smiled and touched Greg’s glass.  

After they had sipped their drinks, Robert moved through the growing crowd, making sure everyone was okay. Greg wandered through the house, admiring the art that Robert had collected over the years. Robert had spent much of his life working for the US government. He did not speak much about it, but the experience obviously had its benefits. 

Greg made his way to the back door and took in the view. The house was built on a hill that overlooked a forest. A stream ran from the trees and along the bottom of the hill. It was a breathtaking sight. This vantage point allowed Greg to see a dark blue pickup truck approaching the house. 

Greg’s shoulders slumped as he watched the truck approach.

“So it begins,” he said aloud.

Thomas and Patricia Everett walked into the house as if they owned it. Most of the guests greeted them with a smile. Some were almost deferential. Greg watched this with frustration. The experience took him back to his childhood when he and his siblings were treated more like servants than children. 

I’m not dealing with them until I have to, he thought.

Greg slipped past the living room and entered the library. He sat in a chair in the back of the room. Greg could see the door, but those entering could not immediately see him.  He decided that he would not leave the library until dinner was served. Greg placed his brandy glass on a side table and reached for a book without looking. He looked at the cover and smiled as he opened a book on the history of the Republic of Venice.   

Greg looked up when he heard heels clicking on the hardwood floor, and the sound was heading his way. Greg stood up and put the book back in its place. As he reached the library door, his cousin Maria met him. 

“I knew I would find you in here, you big nerd,” she said with a smile.

Greg returned the smile and hugged her. As they separated, he said, “Time to eat, I imagine.”

Maria nodded.

“I’m rounding up the stragglers. Go find a spot before there aren't any left.”

Greg turned toward the dining room. As he entered, the conversations slowly died as everyone turned to look at him. 

Greg forced a smile and said, “Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.”

Most of the crowd returned the greeting, then returned to their earlier discussions. His parent’s faces were carefully neutral. 

Greg could stall no longer. 

He approached them and said, “Hey, Mom, Dad. How have you been?”

Thomas was silent for a few moments, then extended his hand.

“Hello, Gregory. We are doing fine, thank you.”

 He turned to Patricia.

“Mother,”  he said. “You are looking well.”

Patricia looked Greg up and down before giving him a short, almost hesitant hug. 

“Happy Thanksgiving, Gregory. It is good to see you.”

If you say so, Greg thought. 

Neither one of his parents even tried to feign pleasure at seeing him.

Greg nodded at the small group of friends with them and went to find a seat. He settled between his younger brother, Steven, and his cousin, Elizabeth. The three had lived together for years as children and always got along. They had also gotten into their share of trouble. Judging by the looks they were getting from some of their older relatives, they were heading for trouble again. Greg ignored the reproving glances and focused on catching up with those he had not seen for a while.

As was the norm for Robert, the food was excellent and available in massive quantities. 

Several people were having trouble staying awake. Greg had eaten his fill and had given up his seat to another cousin. He talked to one of the many in-laws and played with their infant daughter. The little girl smiled as Greg playfully nibbled on her hand. He felt, rather than saw, his mother approach him. Patricia looked at the baby and smiled.

“She is adorable, Lynn,” she said.

“Thank you, Mother Pat.”

Greg fought the urge to roll his eyes. His mother insisted that her in-laws call her ‘Mother Pat’ or ‘Mother Patricia.’ 

She focused on Greg.

“You are so good with children,” Patricia said. “When do you think you will start a family, Gregory?”

Not this again, he thought as he handed the baby back to Lynn. 

The thought must have shown on his face because Lynn said, “It was great to see you, Greg.”

She then walked away, heading for the living room.

Greg sighed and prepared to have this seemingly endless argument.

“Mother, can we not do this here and now?”

Patricia looked around the room. 

“I don't see why the time and place matter. It is essential that you have children. Someone needs to carry on the family name.”

Greg gave a harsh laugh. 

“Mother, I have two brothers and two sisters. All of them have at least two kids. The family lineage is more than secure without any contribution from me.”

Patricia frowned at Greg’s nonchalant attitude.

“Don't you want children? I mean, if you don't, that’s your choice. But you have never expressed that.” 

Greg did not know why, but those words sparked something in him. It was an anger that had slowly built over the years, and now it had finally reached critical mass.    

“Would it really be my choice, Mother? Because very few choices have been left for us to make.”

Patricia’s eyes narrowed.

“That is not true. Your father and I gave you more freedom than most. Perhaps more than we should have.”

Greg laughed again.

“It is most certainly true.”

Greg held up his hand and extended his thumb. 

“Thomas Jr wanted to work with animals. You made him pursue a medical degree. You and Dad would have cut him off if he did anything else.”

He extended his first finger. 

“Christina wanted to become a writer. You forced her into law school with the same threat.”

Greg saw his father approaching, anger and embarrassment on his face. Greg was beyond the point of concern for sparing feelings.

“Linda wanted to pursue a scientific career. You put her on an engineering track.”

Thomas interrupted. “Gregory, you are making a big deal out of nothing.”

Greg turned to face his father.

“You finally admit it. The desires of your children are nothing to you. We were and still are nothing more than shiny trophies you can show your friends to compare who did the best job with their kids.”

Greg went back to his countdown, holding up his ring finger. 

“Then there is me. You wanted me to go into law school as well. I wanted nothing to do with it because I saw what forcing my older siblings to your will did to them. They hated their lives, but they wanted to please you, and, more importantly, they did not want to be saddled with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt.”

Thomas opened his mouth to speak, but Greg did not relent.

“I chose a path I wanted because I was not going to become just another avatar of your will. And despite all of the hell you gave me, I succeeded. I have a great life and managed to do it without your input, meddling, or threats.”

He held up his little finger.

“And finally, Steven. You tried the same things on him as you did the rest of us. He took what I did and turned it up to eleven.”

Greg laughed, breaking his tirade momentarily.

Thomas jumped in.

“We wanted what was best for you. We wanted you to-”

Greg stopped laughing and looked hard at his father.

“You wanted what was best for you! We were never consulted or given any choice in the matter. It was your way or no way.” 

“Steven took your plan, turned it sideways, and stuck it where the sun doesn't shine. He joined the Army, got a degree, and became an officer. Not only that, but he is the third highest-ranking officer on his base and is the youngest to have ever held that rank.”

Greg laughed again. 

“Steven decided you would be proud of him no matter what. Because if you spoke against his career choice, everyone would turn against you.”

He looked at the people who had been with his parents earlier.

“Even those who attach themselves to you like parasites and kiss your ass to stay in your good graces.” 

The newest targets of Greg’s ire looked down at the floor.  

Patricia raged, “How dare you speak to us that way?! We are your parents!”

“From where I stand and what I have seen and experienced, you are less our parents and more our masters. You treated us like animals plowing a field. You point us in whatever direction you desire, and we are supposed to go that way. If we don’t, we feel your whip until we return to the right path. ”

Greg let out a long sigh. 

“If and when I do have children,” he said with finality, “you will spend the absolute minimum amount of time with them as possible. Because I do not want them to experience anything like my siblings and I did.”

Patricia raised her hand to strike Greg, but Thomas caught her wrist.

Thomas stepped in front of Patricia and stood bare inches away from Greg.

“Son,” he said in a dangerously soft voice. “I am giving you one chance to apologize to us. You know what you said is false, and I demand that you apologize right now.”

Greg closed the distance between them, his nose almost touching his father’s.

“I will apologize when you acknowledge the damage you caused to your children by forcing them to become nothing more than your clones.”

Thomas shook with anger as he clenched his fists. Greg did not flinch. If his father was going to strike him, then so be it. 

After several intense moments, Thomas relaxed his hands and stepped away from his son. He took Patricia’s hand and then addressed Greg.

“I want this to be heard by all who are here. I no longer consider Gregory Carlyle Everett my son.”

There was an audible intake of breath from all present. Thomas continued.

“He is a stranger to me and will no longer be welcome in my home or anywhere I hold authority. This will be the condition between us until Gregory publicly apologizes to me and his mother, Patricia, for telling these vicious lies.”

Greg was unmoved.

“You have done me a favor, Thomas. Send the paperwork to my home or office, and I will sign it and return it to you as quickly as possible.” 

Thomas blinked in surprise. It was as if he thought Greg would recant after hearing Thomas unofficially disown him. 

Patricia, despite her anger, was shocked at what had just happened. She squeezed Thomas’ hand, but she got no response. The die had been cast, and there was no going back. 

Thomas nodded. 

“You will have it by Tuesday.”

Greg nodded.

“Very well.”

He turned to Robert and said, “Thank you for the incredible meal and hospitality. I am sorry I am leaving under such circumstances.”

Robert nodded and hugged Greg.

“You are welcome here anytime,” he said.

Greg nodded, then headed toward the front door. 

Greg could feel dozens of pairs of eyes as he stepped out into the evening air. He did not look back. Even after he reached his car and began to drive away, he did not glance in the rearview mirror. 

Greg made the first turn, placing the hill between himself and the house. It was only then that he looked back. He was a little sad that things had come to this, but it was a relief at the same time. Greg knew he had been carrying anger and resentment, but he had no idea how much. 

“Perhaps I should have gone to therapy,” Greg said with a wry smile.

Greg pushed a button on the LCD screen as the highway came into view. A ringtone chimed twice before a female voice answered.

“Hello, baby.”

Greg smiled.

“Hey, Jessica,” he said. “I’m on the way home.”

“Oh,” she said. “so soon?”

Greg changed lanes as he passed a truck.

“Yeah,” he said. “Things did not go so well.”

“I am sorry about that, honey. So, did you get to tell your parents about our surprise?”

Greg smiled even though Jessica could not see him. He opened the gallery on his phone and pulled up the sonogram that Jessica had sent him two weeks ago. 

“No,” he said. “But they will be very surprised, believe me.”