Breakfast

Christopher

I woke up early, excited to do a little unpacking and settle into the new house. I wanted to make it feel like home for Olin. I wanted the transition to be as easy as possible, if that were even a thing. Olin was dead set on making everything as difficult as he could.

I reminded myself he’d been through a lot and I had to give him some time to accept the new life he’d been forced into. I was going to start that life by making him some bacon and eggs. Everybody loved bacon. Teenage boys especially loved bacon.

I searched the cupboards, familiarizing myself with where the housekeeper I had hired put the dishes. It was a little strange to feel like a guest in my own house, but I reminded myself it would get better with time. It would be a home.

I got busy making breakfast, my eyes continuously looking out the wall of windows that faced our massive backyard with the lake in the distance. It was spectacular. If I were the agent selling the home, I would have absolutely highlighted the view. Surprisingly, it had been downplayed.

I slid the scrambled eggs onto two plates and carefully divided the bacon before taking a few pieces from my plate and putting them on Olin’s. I wasn’t a young kid anymore. I had to watch my cholesterol. I was healthy now, but if I ate bacon like I wanted to, I’d be keeling over any day.

I knew Olin was up. I had heard him come downstairs. He hadn’t come into the kitchen, but I knew the smell of the bacon would bring him in eventually. I heard shuffling feet a moment later and knew my plan had been successful. “Breakfast is ready.”

He took the plate and carried it to the table in the breakfast nook bathed in sunlight. I sat down across from him. “How’d you sleep?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Fine.”

“I was thinking we could unload some of the boxes today.”

“I guess.”

“Crazy how warm it is here, huh?”

He looked outside. “I suppose.”

“It’s supposed to be in the high fifties today. That’s t-shirt weather back home.”

He nodded, grunted, and ate a piece of bacon. “I’m going to need new shoes.”

“We can go to the mall later.”

“I can go by myself. I don’t need you to take me.”

I nodded. “Maybe we can drive around town.”

“Or maybe you can just buy me that car you promised me.”

I dropped my fork. “Look, I know this is difficult, but I promised you a car when you could prove you were responsible enough to handle one. Your behavior back in Minnesota did not prove that. This is your chance to show me you can handle a car.”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

I took another bite and decided to change gears, steer the conversation back to neutral ground. “So, I was thinking about picking up a hobby or something. I’m already feeling a little stir-crazy. I’ve never not worked in my life.”

He gave me a look. “Fishing?”

I smiled. “Actually, I was thinking about taking some classes.”

“Like college?”

I nodded. “Yes, like college.”

“To be what? Aren’t you a little old to go to college now?”

“You’re never too old to learn. I have time on my hands. That is something new for me. I’d like to do something that fulfills me.”

“Do whatever,” he said getting up from the table and taking his plate with him.

I watched him walk away. A few seconds later I heard his bedroom door slam. I sighed, disappointed that I wasn’t making much headway with the kid, but knowing it was going to take time. I just hoped it didn’t take too long. He was certainly trying my patience.

I tossed the remains of my breakfast into the trash and put the dishes in the dishwasher. I couldn’t resist the allure of the backyard and headed out, following the path past the row of tall privacy hedges that separated our yard from the neighbor’s and made my way down to the dock.

It was a little chilly, but it felt good. I sat down on one of the benches and stared out at the lake with the water smooth as glass. I mulled over the college thing. What did I want to study? I had never really had dreams of necessarily being anything, but I did want to learn more. I liked reading nonfiction about almost anything.

With my mind made up, I headed back to the house. I was going to go to the university to talk with an advisor and see what my options were. I had done a little research last night and I knew they were just wrapping up their first semester. It was perfect timing to enroll.

I went up to Olin’s room and knocked on the door. “What?” he called out.

I opened the door, popping my head inside. “I’m going over to the university. Do you want to come along?”

“No.”

“It’ll give you a chance to check out the town,” I offered.

“I don’t want to go. I’m fine here.”

I nodded, knowing there was no point in pushing the matter. “All right, put those dishes in the dishwasher please.”

I closed the door and headed downstairs. It was a fine line between advising him as a parent and pushing him to the point he really hated me and stormed out. Carlie had been an expert at keeping him in line while remaining on good terms with him. I was still searching for that balance.