After Seth had given him the tour and introduced him to everyone who worked in the store, Liam suggested to Dave that since it was still early that he go back to his hotel to change into more informal clothes, and for some downtime before going apartment hunting, which Dave gratefully took advantage of. The first thing he did when he got back to his hotel room was to call his father.
"So how'd it go?" Cam asked, leaning back in his chair.
"It went well. They want me to take the job. They hired me on the spot, dad! They're giving me time to get stuff in order back home and they're even helping me find an apartment out this way," the young man said, disbelief in his voice.
"You're going to do great, Hon," Cam replied proudly, "we all have faith in you."
"There have to have been other people more qualified than I am," Dave answered thoughtfully, "People with more experience. Yeah, I did OK in school but... I don't have any real practical experience. Selling tires and car parts aren't the same as selling clothing, or anything like convincing people to order the chicken when they were in the mood for fish," he joked.
"Is that why the fish wasn't selling?" Cam replied with a smile in his voice.
"I hate fish!" Dave exclaimed, wrinkling his nose, "How can I suggest a dish I wouldn't eat myself?"
Cam laughed. "So tell me about the store and the people. What were they like?"
"Everyone was... really nice. I mean, really nice. It was like... well it was almost like being home. Liam, the store owner, is a lot like George. Really outgoing, friendly, funny... well they were all so much like all of you guys back home. The tailor, Marco, and his wife Magda are like you and Lissie. They have a big family too, and these beautiful, thick Italian accents... I can't get enough of it when they talk." he laughed. "And the store... it's beautiful. Neat, organized, clean."
"So what's the hold-up, Hon? It sounds like a wonderful place. It sounds to me like you'd be happy there."
"But then I'd be away from you all. I already miss all of you and it's only been a day. I feel like... well..."
"I'll say it as many times as it takes for you to believe me, hon. You deserve a life," Cam replied softly. "You need to try new things, go new places, meet new people. We'll always be here for you. It's not like we'll never see each other again. And," he continued, "Lissie has already reminded me three times to tell you to call at least once a week and visit as often as possible, or else."
Dave couldn't help but laugh. He could imagine Lissie coming to the city with her big wooden spoon if he didn't do as he'd been told.
The anxiety he'd been trying to keep at bay attacked again, and his laughter faded.
"What's wrong, Dave? Talk to me." Cam said quietly.
"It's just that... what if they don't like me once they get to know me? What if I turn out not to be what they expected? What if..."
"What if you do a great job like you always do?" Cam interrupted softly. "What if everyone there sees you the way we see you, and love you as much as we do? First impressions are important, and they've only just met you. They obviously want you to take the job, and you said yourself that it was like being with family."
Dave didn't answer, worry and guilt weighing on his chest like a stone. He took a breath in an attempt to reply but couldn't find the words he was looking for.
"David," Cam said gently, "It's ok to love other people besides us. It's ok to be friends with other people. You're not losing anyone here. We love you wherever you are. You belong to us, no matter where you live, whether it's a few minutes away, or across the country. Understand?"
Dave sighed in relief. Although he'd known Cam and George and the others for years, he'd still felt as though he were abandoning them, and worried that they'd forget him, or hate him for leaving. Cam's words put some of those fears to rest for the time being.
"Thanks, dad," Dave said gratefully. "I'm still a little scared."
"That's natural, Dave. You've been here all of your life and it's a big step that you're taking. But it's a step that you need to take if you understand what I'm saying. Leave the past behind and start your new life fresh. It's a dream that many men have and few obtain."
"Would... would you and mom go to my apartment and start packing my stuff?" Dave asked hesitantly. He'd replaced quite a few things that had been lost in the fire, and his friends had given him more, but it was still a chore that he wasn't looking forward to doing. At least not alone.
"Did you find an apartment out there already?"
"Liam, the store owner, and Seth, the guy who is slated to be the new store manager when Liam retires next year, gave me a few leads. So did the tailor, Marco, and his wife. I called and followed up on a couple and I have meetings with the landlords tomorrow before I leave. One apartment is only a few blocks from the store so I can either walk or drive, depending on the hours I work, which is why I'm already leaning toward that one."
" Magda, Marco, Liam and Seth all gave me recommendations, and I still have copies of the ones you, George and Marve wrote for me, so it looks like it might be a done deal before I even get there. But, I'm not going to count my chickens just yet," he reassured his father.
"Good boy. Just take things one day at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow 'til tomorrow, ok?"
"Ok, dad. Thanks." Dave said shyly. He loved calling Cam 'dad', and had even begun to call Lissie 'mom' at her insistence. He had long ago stopped thinking of Damien and Azriel as his parents.
Cam's heart swelled with love for his son and he felt a tear threaten to fall. He took a breath to get himself under control before he spoke. "I love you, son. Drive safely."
"I will. Bye, dad." Dave replied, nearly losing his own fight with tears. "I love you too."
They hung up and Dave took a sip of the beer he'd bought on the way back to the hotel. He knew he still had to meet his prospective landlords so he reigned himself in and only drank two, even though his mouth watered for more.
After he hung up, the phone rang again. He picked it up, wondering who would be calling him.
"Dave, it's Liam! How are you, my boy?"
"Fine," Dave smiled, "Thank you." Then his smile faded. What if Liam were calling to tell him they'd made a mistake and he wasn't needed after all. His stomach knotted up.
"Wonderful!" came Liam's exuberant reply. "I've made reservations at a restaurant for tonight to seal the deal."
It took all of Dave's self-control not to release the breath he'd been holding in a loud whoosh and he grinned.
"I'll pick you up at 6:45, our reservations are for 7:30, and you order anything on the menu, understand?" the older gentleman said firmly.
"Yes, sir. Thank you. Ah... how should I dress?"
"Casual dress, Dave my boy. It's dinner, not a funeral." Liam joked.
Dave laughed despite himself, mostly from relief. "I'll see you at 6:30 then sir... I mean, Liam. Thank you."
"My pleasure." the older gentleman said. "Goodbye, for now, son."
"G'bye," Dave replied distractedly before hanging up. The man had called him 'son'. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. As though allowing Liam to say that made him somehow disloyal to Cam, but he shook the feeling off. He only hoped that Liam felt the same way after he had been working for him for a week or two.
He took a shower, shaved even though it wasn't necessary, and then picked out casual dress pants and a blue henley shirt that Lissie had given him for his last birthday. He looked as though he were getting ready to go to work at the restaurant, and homesickness hit him in a wave.
He felt the pressure of tears behind his eyes again, took deep breaths until it passed and finished dressing. Looking at his watch he realized that he had plenty of time so he sat down to watch television for a while. He had started to doze off when he heard a knock on his hotel room door. He opened it to find Liam in chinos, a polo shirt, and a blue cardigan.
"You look great," the gentleman said with a smile. "Ready to roll?"
"Yes, sir. Liam." Dave smiled.
He was surprised to see everyone at the restaurant when he walked in. Seth was there. Marco and Magda. Meg, the manager of the women's department and Jean, her assistant. They all converged on him, patting his back and welcoming him into the family as they led him to their table.
Even though Cam and Lissie weren't there he almost felt as though he were home. He smiled broadly and laughed when Seth pulled out a chair for him.
"Our guest of honor, ladies and gentlemen!" he announced.
Marco picked up his glass of wine and said, "Salud!"
Dave picked up his glass and saluted back, “Salud, cent’anno!” He grinned when he saw the looks of pleasure on Marco and Magda's faces that he had spoken in Italian.
The others raised their glasses as well and repeated the words, even though most of them had no idea what they meant and some mispronounced them. Everyone laughed and took a sip before picking up their menus and began comparing what they would like to order.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
The next day Dave woke early, excited about the prospect of a new apartment. He arrived at the first complex in record time, and once again parked his car out of sight. Granted it was in good condition, but it was so old that people had a tendency to stare, and it made him self conscious. He decided he'd buy a new car as soon as he could. Something newer at least.
He visited three prospective places and had politely turned them down. The rent on one had been 1,500 a month, utilities not included. He knew he'd be making better money at the store but still thought that was a bit too high.
One property owner was so sanctimonious that he knew he wouldn't be able to deal with her on a daily basis. She'd been very abrupt and condescending, and when she'd told him about the random apartment inspections, whether he was home or not.
He was pretty sure that random inspections without the tenant being there was illegal, but wasn't sure. Also, he'd never considered himself to be a terribly messy person but he didn't want anyone walking into his apartment and judging, and who knew what else. He imagined people going through his dresser and closet. After that, he'd had no problem with withdrawing his application.
He was disheartened when he drove up to the third apartment building which looked as though termites had been feasting on it for years. He knew that it was rude, but he didn't even bother to stop to look around.
The fourth stop was more encouraging.
He walked into the building and looked around. The entryway had a beautiful mosaic floor, the doors and walls were of polished oak. The mailboxes were inset brass and each opened with their own key. He looked at the mailboxes for the name he needed and then rang the appropriate doorbell.
"Yes?" Came an accented voice.
"Mr. Polaski? My name is David Ferraro. I'm here about the apartment for rent?"
"Ah! Mr. Ferraro! Yes, come in, please," the man said delightedly.
Dave nearly jumped when he heard a buzzing sound and realized that the main door was locked to outsiders unless someone let them in. He smiled and opened the door, only to be greeted by an elderly man who popped out of his apartment like a cuckoo from its clock.
"Come in, come in!" the old man said in a friendly manner, opening his door wider. It led into a somewhat narrow entryway which had Dave's stomach knotting. He hoped it wasn't going to be like the first place he'd lived, but once he was inside he was pleasantly surprised. The entryway led into a spacious living room which then led to a kitchen that was twice the size of the one at his current apartment. To the left of the door was a staircase, and Dave's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"That leads to the bedroom and upstairs bathroom." Mr. Polaski explained with a smile. He closed the door and pointed to two more doors behind it. "This is a coat closet, and this here," he said, pulling open the second door, "Is a half bath."
"Wow," was all Dave could manage to say.
Walking across the living room into the kitchen, Mr. Polaski grinned and said, "Please, come sit and relax. Would you like some coffee?" he asked, taking a handful of coffee grounds and putting them into a cup before adding some freshly boiled water.
"Thank you, but no sir," Dave replied. "I drank about a half a pot of coffee this morning," he explained so that he wouldn't seem rude.
Mr. Polaski nodded, accepting Dave at his word and pulled out a chair for the younger man to sit on. "Yes, I'm the same way. I drink a good bit of coffee every day myself. Please, sit," he encouraged.
"Thank you, sir," Dave replied with a smile. This was the second time that anyone had ever pulled out a chair for him, not counting the few in grammar school who had pulled chairs out from under him when he'd been about to sit, but no one had ever shown him this kind of hospitality before.
"You don't need to be formal with me, David. Call me Jerzy, or Gerry if it's easier. I'm very looking forward to you accepting the apartment. You have excellent references, and Magda couldn't say enough good things about you and she'd only just met you. But keep in mind, you'll be the youngest person living here. I don't normally rent to young people. You'll have to keep your music to an acceptable level."
Dave smiled and blushed a little. He'd liked the little Italian woman very much and was grateful that she would use her pull to help him find an apartment on such short notice. "Don't worry sir... Gerry, I use headphones when I'm listening to music or watching TV. And please, call me Dave."
Gerry grinned and nodded. "Dave it is then," he said, spooning some sugar into his coffee and stirring thoughtfully. "Look around now, and see. All of the apartments are set up like this, except the ones on the left are mirror images, set up the same way but in reverse, if you understand me, and some are family units with more than one bedroom."
Dave nodded and looked around from his chair. The apartment was set up more like a small house than an apartment and he already loved the wood floors and the big living room window, which looked out into a tree-lined and grassy courtyard.
"That door there," Gerry said, pointing to the one in question to the left of the sink, "Brings you down into your basement."
"I have a basement?" Dave asked in surprise, which earned him an understanding smile from the old man.
"Yes, full basement with hook up for washer and dryer, and the door that leads out from the basement leads into the back yard which has several clotheslines. You may have to share the clotheslines with other residents but rarely do two people need to use them at once... and no one uses them in the winter," he laughed.
"Now, come with me and I'll show you your apartment."
Dave stopped himself from repeating what the older man had said. An upstairs? A basement?
He stopped short to avoid running into Gerry who had turned to look at Dave again.
"I don't like laundry being done or left to dry in the apartment," he warned. "and smoking isn't allowed in the building," he said sternly. "There is an area out back where the smokers can go to get out of the cold and rain. There's a very strict policy regarding where to put the remains once they're done. Oh, and there are no illegal substances allowed either. If you're caught with drugs, just like anyone else, you will be given three days notice to evacuate."
"Yes sir, Gerry." Dave agreed.
"Then follow me, my young friend," Gerry said with a smile. He took a large ring of keys out of his pocket and led Dave out into the hallway and took a left. Dave noticed that he didn't lock his apartment door.
"Nothing to worry about here." Gerry reassured the young man, "People here mind their own business. Not that they're not friendly, it's just that they respect each other's privacy and expect the same in return."
"That's good to know."
Once again, Gerry nodded, apparently pleased that Dave was so amenable, and led him three doors down from his own to an end unit. "This will be your apartment", he said as he opened the door for Dave and gestured him in first.
"You've seen the downstairs, more or less, yes?" Gerry asked. At Dave's nod, he led the young man up the polished hardwood stairs.
"This door to the right is your upstairs linen closet, and beside this is your bedroom. He opened the door and showed Dave another good sized room, with a large walk-in closet, and more large windows offering another view of the courtyard. The room wasn't as large as the one in his first apartment, but bigger than the one he was living in now. The hardwood floor gleamed and Dave made plans to buy large rugs to protect that golden shine.
"And this is your upstairs bathroom."
Dave looked inside, fearing the worst, but it was definitely big enough for comfort with a bathtub and shower. The walls were covered in with what looked like marble tiles.
"You'll have to wipe down the walls after your shower," Gerry said conversationally, "so that they won't get mold and mildew that way. Zrozumieć?"
At Dave's puzzled expression, Gerry laughed at himself and translated, "I asked if you understand, unfortunately, I asked in Polish. You... don't speak any Polish by any chance?"
"No sir, but I'm willing to learn." Dave grinned.
"Gerry." Gerry reminded him.
"Yes, sir... I mean, Gerry."
"Very good then." the older man smiled back. "Now, the neighbor on the other side of you is Ms. Hibbins. If you're as quiet as you say then you shouldn't have a problem with her. She's very sensitive to noise, especially after 9 o'clock at night." Gerry said, grimacing.
"Ummm... if it's ok to ask, how old is she?"
"Not so old, really." Gerry replied, "She's in her late sixties and is basically a prude out of the 18th century." he laughed. "She keeps trying to get the other residents to lobby for better soundproofing between apartments, but we could put her in the cone of silence and she'd still complain it was too noisy," he joked.
Dave smiled uncertainly, understanding the concept but not the reference.
"Ah, sorry, I like to watch old television shows, and one of my favorites is Get Smart. I'll explain it all to you later, that is if you still want the apartment?"
Dave blushed a little. "I was wondering... we never talked about... how much per month?" His stomach knotted again with anticipation of what the rent would be. The other places he'd checked out had been demanding outrageous rents for less room. He had his heart set on this apartment now that he'd seen it, but it had to be more expensive than the ones he'd looked at the day before.
"Six hundred and fifty per month," Gerry replied. Seeing Dave's expression he added, "But electricity, heat, and water are included in the rent, so it's a very good deal, all things considered. All you have to pay for is your cable and phone. If you want the apartment, it'll be first month's rent and security deposit."
Dave's eyebrows rose in surprise. He'd thought for sure that a place like this would run over a thousand dollars and he smiled as he thought how much money he'd be saving and grinned. He hoped that Ms. Hibbins wasn't going to be a problem. He'd had his fill of crazy neighbors and wished again that Connecticut would change its rules about selling or renting houses to people under 25.
"Gerry, if you don't mind my asking... why is the apartment so inexpensive? I mean, I'm not complaining! Honestly! It's just that... I'd have expected a place like this to cost a lot more."
The old man grinned sheepishly, "Well," he said, "I had to tell you anyway... it scares some people away though, and you seem like a very nice young man..."
"Tell me what?" Dave asked nervously.
"Well, these apartments have been around for a long time, as you could probably tell from the entryway, and, rumor has it that, well, that many of the apartments are haunted. There has been a lot of life and death here in the last 100 years or so."
"Is mine one of the haunted ones?"
The man shrugged, "From what I've been told, they're all supposed to be haunted. All I can tell you is that I've been caretaker here for fifty years and I haven't seen a ghost yet."
Dave felt a little shiver of apprehension crawl down his spine at the thought of some invisible 'what' watching him, but for $650 a month, he'd thought he'd have to be insane to turn it down.
He held out a hand to Gerry to shake on the deal. "Will you take a check?" Dave asked tentatively.
Gerry smiled. "Normally I'd ask cash but I know you're good for it.
Dave wrote out the check and handed it to Gerry. "Thank you," he said.
"My pleasure młody człowiek," Gerry said, shaking Dave's hand once again. "Now it's time for you to get back home.
(young man)
As soon as he got into his car he called Cam. "I found an apartment!" he crowed.
"Congratulations, Dave!" Cam replied, happy for his son and yet a little sad that his Dave was moving to a new city. "Tell me about it."
Dave excitedly described the apartment and even Cam had to admit that it was a great deal.
"As soon as I get settled in I want all of you to come over for dinner."
"We're not waiting that long," Cam laughed. "We'd planned to help you move all of your stuff in and Lissie has already come up with a menu for that night. Now it's just a matter of packing your things. When will you be back?"
"I'm heading home now, so I'll be there in less than an hour, depending on the traffic," Dave replied.
His chest hurt a little with the thought that he would no longer be calling West Haven his home, and that while it wasn't far, he couldn't help feeling as though he were going to be living in another country altogether.
"We'll be waiting for you at your apartment. Oh, Dave, does the apartment come with utilities?"
"Fridge and stove, but I'll have to get my own washer and dryer. But don't worry," he said hastily, "I can cover that. I'll just get used and refurbished. They don't have to be new, just do the job they're supposed to do," he laughed. "And please," he added, "If I know you and Lissie... mom... are going to want me to have new and go out and buy them for me. Please don't. I'll be fine. Promise?"
After a moment's hesitation, Cam said, "I promise that Lissie and I won't go out and buy you new ones."
Dave sighed in relief. Cam and Lissie had done so much for him over the years, and he knew there was nothing he could do to repay them, especially now that he was moving away. Not that they'd ever demanded repayment. They had in fact, assured him that he owed them nothing. Ever. The same had gone for George, who had been like a crusty old uncle to him. His throat tightened up at the thought that he was going to be leaving his family. He knew he couldn't drive like that, so he took several minutes to get himself under control, and headed back home for the last time.
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