After the kids are finally asleep, Jeff Russell tiptoes to the hallway, meeting Erica partway to the computer and kisses her sweetly before saying "Hey I was going to make a Skype call for a bit if that's ok?"
Erica kisses him back and nods "Lemme guess? Ziven? Say hi for me. I want to go....Netflix and chill. Join me after?"
Jeff gives her one more little kiss and then moves towards the makeshift office "Of course."
They diverge and Jeff settles into the office chair and opens his Skype. He finds Ziven's name and clicks to type first:
JeffRussell82 "Hey Man are you free? Just talking about you tonight at the MILs. Been awhile."
Ziven is simply relaxing a bit on a Saturday night and looking over YouTube videos. His Skype pops up and he smiles and actually says aloud "Oh my god!" and laughs, typing his reply
DoctorZ-1stNatDMV "OMFG It has! Fuck yea I'm free for you!"
Garrett is at the sink washing the last of the supper dishes. Ziven cooked, so it was only fair. He turns and blinks at Ziven when he hears him exclaim and then shrugs and smiles and goes back to scrubbing.
JeffRussell82 "LOL OK calling..."
Jeff slides on his headset and then clicks to call causing the familiar Skype ring sound.
Ziven has a basket by one of his loungers filled with various things, one of which is his own headphones. He slides them on, plugs them into his laptop and answers the call. In the background can be seen what appears to be a rustic cabin, but not the rustic hut he is usually found in nor is it the trailer he is occasionally known to use when he is on the mainland. He sees Jeff in the window and smiles. "Dude! Long time!" he greets. "So you're trying to set me up with your mother-in-law?" he sounds incredulous. "You still desperate toget me laid, huh?" he tends to use huh instead of eh. At the end of the day his American upbringing shines through.
Jeff laughs "Hey Ziven. I don't think I could handle hearing you talk about Judith as a lover. She's like a second mom.... And she...." He looks at the open office door and can be seen getting up to quietly close it "Met a guy her age...actually you know him, or he knows you. Hank Stanley, the fire chief from Alexandra island?" He squints at the background around his old friend "Hey man, where are you?"
Garrett hears Ziven's side of the conversation and raises a brow but still looks amused as he dries a pot.
Ziven chuckles. "But it would truly give a whole new meaning when you called me a 'motherfucker'." he smirks. Then he gapes, still smiling big. "Really? Your mother in law is dating Hank Stanley? Hell yea, I know him. Used his big ol firetruck to get up on top of their town hall when a mama falcon decided their roof was a good place to make a home for her babies." he glances around. "I am at my weekend practice in Cedar Point. Took it up a few months ago. It came with a house attached to it. How are Erica and the girls?" he wonders.
Jeff shudders "Fuck man, seriously..." He laughs "and MY mom is WAY off limits. But that's cool you know the guy. He seems alright. It's nice to see Judith happy. Erica....." He looks at the door "She's still getting used to the idea of a man in her mom's life." He nods "I knew you had a practice now, but I didn't know about the house. The girls are awesome. Penny's all about the horses still, jumping now. It's scary to watch her do it but she's a natural. I'm mean they're little so it's not like big hurdles. Maisy's in a bit of a biting phase." He laughs "Got her sister today, daycare worker a few weeks back. What's new with you?"
Garrett turns back around. this is clearly someone Ziven hasn't talked to in awhile if the house here is new. A friend he has not met.
Ziven chuckles. "Oh, so I can't date your mother? And I called you 'bro', man." he looks mock insulted. Still smiling he goes on. "As long as the house likes her and she hangs on, she should be fine. And I know you get in daddy mode thinking the horse is going to throw her and come back and do some RCMP stomp dance on her prone little body, but ... not very likely, my friend." and then he winces. "Oh, so this is one of those calls whee you ask me to give your toddler rabies shots so you're covered if she bites a non-relative?" he jokes. He leans back a bit. "I am wonderful. My practice is doing great. Falcon Island is doing good. My many side jobs with rescue and the like. All keeping me pretty busy." he drones on and suddenly looks like he remembers something. "Oh, yea. And I've fallen head over loincloth in love."
Jeff makes a face and then nods along "I know. And the instructor is great...just you know...nerves watching my babies." He laughs "I don't think she's rabid but I'll keep you posted." He listens to the rest and then beams at the last point.
Garrett laughs in the background about the head over loincloth comment but also blushes.
Jeff hears a male laugh and pretends to look around "Fuckin awesome....is that him? Is it a him laughing? Is he in the loincloth or is that what you wear to get him going?" He teases.
Ziven chuckles and looks towards Garrett. "It IS a him laughing. And no, we don't play racial games. I just walk around with my stethoscope around my neck and its all over." he rolls his eyes, unplugs his headphones and reaches out towards Garrett. "Want to meed my friend, Master Chef?" he looks at Jeff. "He's a sushi chef. YUM!"
Jeff snickers "Sushi. Nice catch Ziv..." He cranes his head as if looking for the new beau "Hellooo? I'm Jeff."
Garrett walks over and leans in by Ziven with a dish towel over one shoulder "Hi Jeff. I'm Garrett." He says, smiling shyly.
Jeff waves with a goofy grin and asks "So where do you sushi Garrett?"
Garrett answers proudly "A little place called Sakura's in Cedar Point. Best sushi in town...well the only...but we're still the best."
Ziven smiles. "Oh yea .. when I cast my hook ....." he puts an arm around Garrett's waist. "You ARE the best, baby. And your cooking ain't too bad either." he winks and waggles his eyebrows. Then he points to the screen. "Jeff here ... didn't I mention he's the one got married on Falcon Island."
Garrett slides his arm around Ziven's upper back and smiles "Oh hey yeah....my sister and her fiance doing the same thing. Ziven suggested it to them."
Jeff grins "Best spot to get hitched evah! Ziven really made it all work for us. It's sort of half of how I met him. Got called in to consult and help set up their kitchen and rentals business end and then....well shit happens. Erica and I were engaged already. Her Dad got a death sentence from his oncologist so we decided to bump up our date and Falcon Island was so nice I asked Ziven if we could book it there fast. So your man knows the lot of us now." He gives a crinkle eyed smile "He'll take good care of your family too on that island."
Ziven smiles. "It'll be beautiful." he agrees. "And our kitchen still works." he teases. "Even when guests blink at how rural it all is." he shakes his head. "You'd think they'd be happy we actually have decent wifi, right?"
"Some people like toilets Ziv." He teases. He could care less himself but Erica was not a fan of outhouses at all.
Garrett had to agree "I know right. I can deal for a day or two though..." He kisses Ziven on the top of the head "It was nice to meet you Jeff. I'm gonna finish in the kitchen and let you guys catch up."
Jeff waves again "Cool man. You too."
Ziven rolls his eyes. "They have privacy, what more do you need? Most animals could careless, but humans..." he rolls his eyes. Watching Garrett move off he looks at Jeff. "I cook when we're here. He does it all week long, so I give him a break."
Garrett yells back "Privacy is NOT overrated!" As he runs the tap again and rinses a pan.
Jeff laughs "You guys are very sweet. I'll have to lend your man that book Eric gave me "How to Shit in the Woods" for our backwater fishing trips." Jeff's own father had died when he was 6 and Eric formed a close bond with Jeff almost immediately, filling in some emotional gaps that growing up without a father had left. Ziven would well remember how hard Jeff took it when his father in law passed away. He has also met Eric at the wedding, since it was Eric who officiated after getting a fast marriage commissioner's certification.
Ziven laughs at both of them. "It's all natural." he argues and then cants his head. "How are YOU doing with a new man in your mother-in-laws life?" he asks, softly.
Jeff sighs and shrugs "I had to process it but it's what Eric wanted for her. He never wanted her to mourn him forever and be alone with it." He opens one of the desk drawers and pulls out a handful of thumb drives "I just backed all these up again from my old hard drive....he made these videos for all of us. He knew, somehow he knew Judith would meet a guy someday. I mean she's pretty awesome so he's not dumb. So there's one here for Erica, Judith of course, me....I watched already even though he told me to wait..." He laughs "And one called For a Man who loves my Judith." He turns it in his hand "Maybe that's Hank. They seem like they've been together for years even though it's less than a month. So now....how long do I wait it out? Erica doesn't even know about these. Eric made me the caretaker of them..." He swallows hard and then blinks.
Ziven puts his headphones back on as Jeff begins to speak. "Wow ....." he replies, considering. "To the man who loves MY Judith." he winces. "Well, sounds like she's someone else's Judith now." he pauses. "The Spirits seem to have guided them to each other. She's been alone for .. what is it now? Seven years? Good mourning period. Of course Hank could just be the one who made it to meeting the family." he arches his brows. "Well what did his to YOU say? Cause I didn't really know your father in law so I don't know if a talk to her new boyfriend is gonna be full of something that might piss the guy off, you know. Who wants to compete with the dead?"
Garrett senses Jeff is talking about something personal and the headphone go back on. He respects the privacy and space and tunes out the one side of the conversation. He finishes up the dishes and then settles into a comfy chair, putting in his own earbuds as he listens to music and reads a bit on his phone.
Jeff considers everything Ziven is saying and replies on Judith "I think Hank's the first one she's dated since Eric. I mean maybe she had a date or two...but nothing real. This does seem real. I mean he spent the day with her babysitting our kids....the girls adore him even." He chuckles a bit "Eric's to me was bittersweet. Lot of good advice about life, and fishing..." He laughs "Telling me not to take anything for granted, including my friends." He gives Ziven a purposeful nod "I don't know what he would say to a new guy. do you think I should preview it? Do you think that's prying? I have no idea how easily offended this Hank guy might be. I only just met him. He has those burns, maybe it's a sore point, pardon the pun, but you know confidence wise. Judith and him are very affectionate so I don't get the impression they bother her at all."
Ziven considers. "I would." he replies. "I've had lovers who would leave messages like 'you're second best and always will be. But enjoy getting this far with my mate.' or something." he nods. "Those are old scars and I know the Chief is a pretty calm dude in the face of fire ... but .. shit." he shrugs. "I love animals. They're predictable. All but humans. Humans can be cruel and still call themselves helping somebody. I vote listen to it. Listen to it as if it was a notice from Erica's dead lover you never met but only knew she once loved him more than anything." he advises.
Jeff cringes "Awkward, but you're probably right...and I should probably tell Erica if I think it's safe to pass it on because...as much as he just wanted me to take care of it, maybe he's underestimating Erica and Judith....I don't think he would be unkind though...."
Ziven shrugs. "I'm not trying to insult him, Jeff." he pauses. "Just .... I'm glad it's not me." he chuckles. "But then again, I'm that cynical bastard that doesn't trust anyone's motives to be pure." he winks.
Jeff sighs "I know you're not...it's just making me question it a bit too. He's not unkind but he's also not perfect, no one is. God...if I was dying...and I had to think about Erica with someone else...I don't know if everything I'd say would come out nice...."
Ziven snorts. "And why would you feel the need to say anything to anyone in the FIRST place?" he shakes his head. "I don't know man. I cannot tell you how much I do NOT envy you now." he laughs. "Maybe its just a list of her favorite colors and foods ... but Judith probably told him that already, you know?" the whole thing is bizarre to him
.
Jeff deflates "Maybe I'll just keep them in the drawer..." He chuckles. "Maybe it was a mindset....maybe he had to do it for him to cope with going....I dunno...it seemed sweet at the time, especially the one for our kids before we even had them. I will preview it...I hope he doesn't get too weird...or too personal.."
Ziven shrugs. "Well. If your mom and her new boyfriend seem serious. You mentioned that they look like they've been together for a long time, even when they haven't been..." he rubs at his temple. "See .. this is what happens when you befriend a vet instead of a shrink, man." he laughs.
Jeff laughs "So I should just give them all catnip and then all the fuckin awkward home movies from the beyond?" His joke is a little creepy but he knows Ziven can take it of all people.
Ziven laughs. "Well catnip TEA, sure." he shakes his head. "He put a lot on you, man. I mean maybe not the tapes for everyone else but ...." he sighs. "Want me to call my mom about some peyote?" he offers with another laugh.
Jeff snorts "Yeah just what I need, to be tripping out and making decisions....like this. What if...what if Garrett had someone from his past that had something like this for you. Would you want to know...good or bad?"
Ziven chuckles until Jeff turns the question around. "No." he answers immediately. "First of all, what that person had with him is what THEY had with him. And what I have with him is possibly very different." he pauses. "My relationship with my lover is no ones business but me and my lover. No matter how many exes that lover might have or how much they were once loved." he takes in a deep breath. "What is it is very sweet and says Judith loved me so much and now I want her to love you as well. The man is dead. How is this any of his business? Worse, what if it says "I would have felt bad if shed bee with another man" and Judith decides that now she must be alone because her dead husband doesn't approve?" he looks frustrated. "Am I making sense?"
Jeff shuts them all back in the drawer "That's the last thing I want. It's not how he presented it, but if this Hank guy bails because it creeps him out than I would feel responsible...."
Ziven considers. "Maybe you should talk to them together in person with their videos." he suggests. "Let them decide as a couple, because they ARE a couple." he pauses. "Erica is OK with this? Her mom having a lover?"
Jeff shrugs "She's less horrified than she was but not totally happy about it yet. All in all, I think I just need to sit on these videos for another year, for any of them.....I don't want to mess with anyone. We're finally all level again, ya know? Anyway, enough about my peeps. Talk about you?"
Ziven nods. "Yea. I think I get it." he grins and looks to his left, at Garrett and then back. "I ... got blindsided, and ... am so glad I did."
Garrett is quietly singing along with REM's Man on the Moon so not listening to Ziven's conversation at all.
Jeff raises a brow and grins "Blindsided? Can you tell me or is he listening?'
Ziven looks over at Garrett again with soft expression. "I bought him a drink in a bar because I thought he was cute ... and you know me. I told him. And he was open to friendship but .. is mostly straight. So I was thinking ... OK .. just friends or I can be the great bi experiment. And then .... " he pauses and smiles. "Then I am in love ... I mean like ... never before in love." he chuckles. "Stupid, I know."
Jeff looks delighted by all this "NOT stupid, fuckin awesome. He must make pretty great sushi..." He teases.
Ziven laughs. "The best. And he isn't ready to make the complete roll ..... know what I mean?" he wonders and scoffs. "And I found out I don't care."
Jeff has to laugh at Ziven's reference "The complete roll......god you kill me...well if you're his first guy...I kinda get it. But maybe he'll come around, better if there's no pressure. I mean what do I know....I've never slept with a guy either." He smirks.
Ziven chuckles. "Maybe, but I don't care if he never does. I will take him as is." and he narrows his eyes. "My fantasies don't count?" he winks and waggles his eyebrows again. "Cause when we met ......."
Jeff blushes and puts a hand on his heart "Oh my...." He winks back but Ziven knows it's all in good fun "I won't tell Erica if you don't." He jokes.
Ziven chuckles. "It's a deal. She'd beat me up of sic the baby on me." he snorts. "Now when are you getting your children pets so I can see you on a regular basis?" he demands.
Jeff smirks "Doesn't a biting baby count for fuck all these days? If you won't see her...I'll have to call the circuses...." He jokes and then looks serious "Judith mentioned that hotel chain, the mariner's just changed hands. Erica and I might apply if they're restructuring....be a little closer to your regular haunts if that goes somewhere."
Ziven laughs. "I respect biting children. Most of my patients babies bite." he points out and then nods. "Go for it. Cedar Point or Alexandra, you'll see me more then you do now. And .... maybe you guys can work together again?" he grins. "Make some more babies?"
Jeff shakes his head "Yes on working....but I got the snip after Maisy Mouse so no more babies for us. Two's a good balance for this family. We'll see what happens. Weird rich guy that Marakesh Meera. I was just reading an article on him...he owns a peacock..." He laughs "Ever treated that bird?"
Ziven mock winces. "Ouch." and then he nods. "Horace. I see him on a regular basis, actually. Meera pays extra for house calls." he rolls his eyes. "So I get to Alexandra pretty regular, plus I come to pick up their strays so they don't get overwhelmed."
"His name is Horace? Oh my god....what am I getting into? It's like a Twilight Zone. But Erica hates The Waterfront. Who knew.....they're fuckin morons." He sighs "And I'm spinning my wheels with the Holiday Inn so let's shake it up."
Ziven grins. "Well ... the peacock doesn't go into the hotels, if that helps." he offers. "And Alexandra has its quirks, but its really beautiful." he grins. "No handsome sushi chef, but .... more for me." he winks. "If you're going to work, then damn it, you should love it."
Jeff smiles and then suppresses a yawn "Eyep...sorry...kids are turning me into an old man...or maybe it's the job..." He chuckles "It was really great to catch up man. Let's not wait so long for the next one eh?'
Ziven smiles back. "Probably both." he suggests. "And yes. We need to talk more, for sure. Bring the kids to the island. We don't have horses, but they might be interested anyway. Now I will go and have myself a Saturday night befitting a childless home. You go sleep .... working Dad."
Jeff snorts "Rub it in ye lucky bastard. Goodnight Ziven." He clicks off and wanders down the hall thinking about taking a page out of Ziven's Saturday night plan and finds Erica fast asleep on the couch in front of the TV. He knew better than to wake her after a day like she had today and instead covered her with the blanket from the back of the couch and lightly kissed her sleeping face before padding down the hall, peeking in on his angels and getting ready fro bed himself.
Garrett was still humming along to his music and reading his Facebook with a chuckle at some Trump memes, because what else was there to do on social media really.
Ziven closes the program, puts his headphones away and moves from one lounger to the one with Garrett on it, planning to distract his love from the likes of Trump.
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