The Dinner
FILP Short Fiction
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
by Vince Wetzel
Copyright Vince Wetzel and OT Press
“I like John and Carla, but I just don’t relate. He’s a computer guy,” Jesse said, pulling into the parking garage on the main drag of Huntington Beach.
“And you’re an accounting guy,” Jesse’s wife Danielle said. “Can’t you just nerd out on numbers or something? I haven’t seen Carla in forever and they’re only in town tonight before heading back to the Bay Area.”
Carla and Danielle were roommates when they both attended law school at USC nearly two decades ago but now lived in two different parts of the state. Danielle stayed in Southern California, moving to Orange County where she met Jesse and made a home. Meanwhile, Carla took a job with a tech company in the Bay Area and met John. Their bond and shared experience went beyond law school and being roommates. While Jesse and Danielle had twin girls, Carla and John had twin boys a few years later and now lived in Sacramento.
“We’ve really worn out the Sacramento talk,” said Jesse, who grew up in the California Capitol before moving to Southern California for college. “If he was at least into sports. Didn’t he say once that his dad was an usher for the A’s?”
“Yes, but come on, he’s not that bad,” Danielle said. “And you owe me. How many times did I have to hang out with Paul or any of your high school buddies?”
“C’mon you like those guys,” Jesse said. “And Paul’s gotten much better over the last few years.”
“I do, but my point is that we’re in this together. You don’t get to complain.”
Jesse nodded in concession, and they crossed over Pacific Coast Highway toward the beach where they were meeting John and Carla. There was little variation in the beach temperatures. Even in November, Jesse only needed a light jacket and jeans to feel comfortable with a cool coastal breeze coming off the ocean.
From the moment they entered, Danielle’s wide eyes met Carla’s big smile and they embraced, the sounds of high screeches turning heads in the waiting area. Jesse searched beyond the reunion and found John looking about as uncomfortable as he did. At least, they had this in common.
“Hey,” John said, stretching out his hand.
“What’s happening?” Jesse said, shaking it. John nodded his head. It could be a long night.
Duke’s was a nice restaurant but with a casual vibe. After all, it was named after the legendary Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanomuku. Duke’s flagship was on the Waikiki Beach and it continued its Aloha vibes on the California coast.
As the four sat at a window table with a view of the ocean, Jesse felt Danielle and Carla leave their husbands for their own world of law school memories, taking care of twins and longtime history. That left Jesse to search for common ground with John, who seemed more content with staring at the ocean than engaging in conversation.
“So how are the twins?” Jesse asked. That was a good safe bet. John’s twin boys, Donovan and… Walker, were a few years younger than his twin girls, but Jesse had plenty of stories to share or rehash. After all, for the first six years of their lives, he was a stay-at-home dad and was very intimate with the struggles of raising twins.
“They’re good,” John said. Jesse waited for elaboration. None came. C’mon man. Give me something.
“Yeah, my girls just started getting interested in boys. I need to get myself a shotgun,” Jesse said.
“That’s tough,” John laughed. “I’m glad I have boys.“
OK, that was a little something to build on, Jesse thought.
“Did you grow up with brothers or sisters? This girl stuff is way beyond my sphere of understanding.”
“Only child,” John said.
“Same,” Jesse said. “My parents broke up when I was young and I lived with my mom, but that’s not the same as understanding a girl’s perspective. And my mom wasn’t help in raising twins that’s for sure. How about your mom. Is she around much?”
John’s eyes went wide and he turned quickly and stared toward the ocean. His lip quivered before he took a deep breath.
“I need to step out for a moment, my apologies,” he said and left in a flash. Carla looked after him. She tried to get up to follow him, but John shook his head and continued out the door.
“What did you say,” Danielle turned and stared at him accusingly.
“Nothing,” Jesse said. He didn’t know what happened. “I promise. We were talking about twins and I said how much my mom wasn’t around to help out the twins.”
Carla’s shoulders dropped and she drew a breath.
“John just found out his mom has Stage Four cancer,” Carla said. “I should have said something before, but he just found out a couple of days ago and he’s having difficulty coping.”
Danielle placed her hand on Carla’s and gave her a sympathetic look. Jesse felt awful. While they were no longer close, he lost his own mother three years before. And it was always a shock to the system to know that a parent was not invincible.
“I’m so sorry,” Jesse said.
“It’s ok,” Carla said. “He’ll be fine. I’ll go check on him.”
Jesse placed a hand out for Carla to remain.
“No, that’s ok. You guys keep catching up,” Jesse said. “I’m the guy who brought it up. I’ll go out there.”
Jesse stood and walked out the restaurant. The breeze had picked up a little, but the sounds of the ocean crashing against the beach still dominated the soundscape. When he turned, he saw John standing against the pier staring out toward the ocean. Jesse took as casual approach as he could. From experience, Jesse knew nothing put up the defenses more than a guy wanting to solve his problems.
“Hey,” Jesse said.
John acknowledged, nodded, then turned back to the ocean.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave like that,” John said. “That was kind of rude.”
“I understand. Carla told us. That must have been some tough news.”
John nodded. “I’ve taken her for granted thinking she’d always be there. I mean she weathered COVID pretty well and I thought that was the big threat, but this came out of nowhere.”
It was Jesse’s moment to nod. He held back and let John continue.
“It’s just weird. She just retired three years ago and she had these plans of traveling after my dad was done ushering for the A’s which he kept promising, but now it may not happen. I mean, we bought this home in Sacramento with a great guest house for when they visit.”
“Time is undefeated,” Jesse said. “The important thing is to make the most of your time together and don’t be afraid to tell her how you feel. I didn’t. My mom and I hadn’t spoken for six months before she passed and it’s one of the biggest regrets of my life.”
“Really?”
Jesse scrunched his face in an ironic smile. “Yeah, we had a fight about how she was criticizing my parenting. And I kept meaning to call her, but I kept thinking she should call me. So the days turned to weeks to months and then I get a call from my aunt letting me know she was gone. So, there’s no better than the present to tell folks you love them and to be there.”
John and Jesse stared back to the ocean silent for seemed like minutes. Jesse tapped back at the railing and pushed back. “I don’t know about you but I’m pretty hungry for some seafood. Say we head back?”
John smiled. “Yep. Hey, thanks for the conversation. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. Now can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Are the Kings going ever win again?”
John shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m a Warriors guy, but man they have got to get better eventually, right?”
Jesse appeared in the novel Friends in Low Places and John will show up again Lose Yourself, a novel due out next Spring.
Side of Mustard
Offseason moves: We are in the prime time for basketball, American football and World Football (soccer) teams to retool their rosters in preparation for the next season. All over social media, fans are wringing their hands over moves their teams are making: Why are they releasing that guy? Why did they sign him? F that guy if he’s leaving. We didn’t need him anyway. To which I reply, "I am not paid for this. I don’t have the information, nor the history of what the squad wants or needs to improve its play. Therefore, I will hold judgment until the end of the season.” As I age, the off-the-field game is less and less important to me. Is this a sign of maturity? An acknowledgement that my teams don’t care about my opinion? Or do I have higher priorities than my fandom? I don’t know. I just move forward, turn on the game when it’s on and when it’s over, move on with my life. Do you carry your team with you after the final whistle?
First Half Goals: We are halfway through the year. How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Yikes, that bad? I think we look at making resolutions all wrong. I’ve come to the belief that resolutions are made to be broken. Goals are made to be achieved. Resolutions are vague statements. “Going to drink less.” “Going to get in shape” or “Be healthier.” No wonder they fail. How boring. In the last few years, I’ve begun to focus in goals and tie metrics to them. For example, “I’m going to going to the gym 150 times this year.” That averages three times a week. It’s doable on a per-week basis, but gives me a long-term goal toward which to work so that I can’t take off a week or two because I don’t feel like it. Through the first half of the year, I’m at 80 visits to the gym, 80 15-minute at-home workouts, 26 tai-chi sessions. How do you achieve your goals?
Swooning over June: In Sacramento, it is common for temperatures to hit 100 in May and certainly in June. This year, we did hit 100 on June 30! After years of high temps and drought conditions, 2023 has been a most-needed respite. Sure, the pestering rain was annoying and because of the storms a rat nested in my engine and chewed through the wires of my car causing $2000 worth of damage. But overall, I’ve delighed in the first half of the year. In June, particularly, I had two trips to the coast where the temperatures were in the mid 60s. Shorts and hoodie weather FTW! Alas, we’re in line for a hot July, so I’ll close the windows and turn on the AC and reminisce about the cool marine layer of June.
No New Year's Resolutions for me ... very impressive that you both have them and live up!