Elliot Diesing’s deep voice crackles over the intercom “Shirley? Come on up.”
Shirley presses the button to talk “You’re not even going to check that I’m not an ax murderer El?”
There’s a booming laugh and a big long buzz. She pulls the door open and walks to the elevator.
At door 305 she poises to knock as Elliot opens the door and grabs her in a hug “If you were going to murder me, you’d have done it a long time ago. Come on in. Keith is just lying down for a bit.”
Shirley hugs Elliot warmly “How’s he doing now?”
Elliot steps back looking pained “It’s getting tougher. He’s losing his grip….”
Shirley sighs “Does he still know you?” She takes off her coat and hangs it up on a coat tree behind Elliot.
Elliot pauses on answering and ushers her into a small living room. He’s shrunken a bit and slightly hunched, now in his nineties. When he was young he stood about 6 feet tall with his sleek black hair in a long braid down his back and his earring on the right ear. The earring is gone and the hair is short now but still pushed back and his striking facial features still make him a very handsome older man. Shirley became smitten with him when he was her Anthropology professor at UBC. He taught every class on the Haida Nation and it’s history in British Columbia, both his cultural heritage and education making him one of the province’s and Canada’s experts. They had a scandalous affair that turned into to marriage and raising a daughter together. That was until Elliot confessed he was in love with another professor named Keith, the Keith he was still married to until this day.
As they sit Elliot nods “Most days. Some bad days, I’m not sure. But you called me wanting to talk about something Shirley. What’s up?”
Shirley frowns “I’m not sure this is the time with what you two have going on….I don’t want to add any stress El….”
Elliot gives her a worried look “Are you ill? Is Roberta? The children…..please just tell me…”
Shirley holds up a hand “Oh no no…it’s not like that. Everyone’s healthy, everyone’s fine.” She takes his hand “Do you remember when I told you I was pregnant with Roberta?”
Elliot smiles “Happiest day of my life. Is Roberta pregnant again? I thought she and Brad sealed that deal?” He makes a snipping motion in the air with his fingers.
Shirley laughs awkwardly “They did. No. Alright, I just need to say it. Around the time she was conceived….you weren’t the only man I slept with. We were….new, and not committed and…well I had some unfinished business with…”
Elliot meets her gaze “With Fred Sewid? Shirley I know. I knew when you told me you were pregnant. I did the math. Doe he know? Does Roberta?”
Shirley gasps “You KNEW? You just let me tell you it was your baby and didn’t question me?”
Elliot shrugs “I figured he rejected the idea if he knew because of how you came to me with it…and I wanted kids. I’m not mad, and I love her as a daughter.”
Shirley reels from this a bit and then concedes “You and Fred both did the math. I didn’t figure it out until later. They’re both colour blind but I didn’t know about his before she was diagnosed. He knows. Roberta doesn’t but I’m going to tell her this Christmas. You and Keith aren’t going to Nova Scotia are you?”
Elliot exhales and winces “You’re going to tell her before or AFTER dinner? And no we’re not but I almost wish we were now. Keith is hard to manage with travelling now. I could see if the eldercare service could send someone to check in on him and get some home care?”
Shirley looks even more awkward now “I’d love it…Roberta might….um….but I’m bringing Fred. He….well I don’t know…”
Elliot has a look of dawning “I best not then. Fred didn’t reject you…..you left him for me? Why?”
Shirley’s eyes fill with tears “I don’t know. You were safe….he didn’t want kids. I was a mess and I needed stability. I’m sorry El, so sorry, I’ve screwed up everyone’s life. Fred and I reconnected at the winter formal in Alexandra.”
Elliot takes her hand “Shirley, you didn’t screw up my life, at all.” A grin spreads across his face “You reconnected? You got laid didn’t you?”
Shirley squeezes his hand back and then blushes “No!!! God no….Elliot! We….well we spent the night together but not like that…”
Elliot lets go of her hand and throws both of his up “Well shit…one of us has to.” He laughs.
Shirley swats at him and laughs and then says seriously “I don’t want Roberta to hate me.”
Elliot shakes his head “She won’t. She might be pissed though so be ready for it. You know her temper.”
Shirley sighs “Yes, it’s the same as Fred’s.”
Elliot snickers “Well that would explain it at least. Listen, you two go and talk to her. I’ll put Skype on if you need me OK? I’m here for you, both you and Roberta. You can tell her that. And kiss the grand kids for me. Gosh they gotta lot of Grandpas now eh?”
Shirley smiles a bit “I hope that’s how they see it too. Thank you Elliot.”
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