Good readers, I present to you clueless Colton dude #2: Knox Sartelle. Not much nookie in this one, so please be patient – or go read another story if that’s your jam.
Knox
In the past 36 hours, my life has gone to hell in a handbasket. OK, so maybe that’s being a bit too dramatic, but it sure felt that way.
36 hours ago, my dad and I were in Moscow, doing his annual summer research. My dad is a historian. Next to the great John Lewis Gaddis, dad’s “father doctor,” and doctoral supervisor at Yale, he’s the premier Cold War historian on this side of the pond. Dad is a tenured, full professor at his alma mater, Colton College, in Maine. The name Prentiss Sartelle is well-known, and highly respected in academic circles. In truth, all his books have ‘A.P. Sartelle, IV’ on the spine. Dad’s is an old Virginia family, and in old Southern families there are five generations of guys with the same name. There was an Andrew Prentiss Sartelle V, my older brother, but he died after living for about an hour.
Colton has changed a fair bit over the past 5 years, and not all of it has been good. Dad has turned down several good job offers, and I know Princeton has made him a hell of an offer. I also know that we’re going to spend a good deal of time talking about whether he should take the job over the next 6 weeks while we’re in Moscow. Dad has friends in high places in the Russian government, so he gets special access to Kremlin archives as he researches his biography of Nikita Khrushchev.
It’s just my dad and I, now. My mom was killed in a car wreck 4 years ago, the summer between my sophomore and junior years in high school. Until she died, I attended a high-powered New England prep school. I’m a football player – a damn good one – I might add. I should have had Division I offers, but when I transferred back home and attended a county high school that played a lower division of football, any buzz that I’d created faded quickly. I’m not mad about that anymore. My dad and I are tight, and we needed one another as we grieved my mom. I get tuition remission at Colton, and started as a freshman. I’m an inside linebacker, and was a DIII All-American last year as a Sophomore. I led the nation with 138 solo tackles. Some of that is me, but the guy who plays in front of me, Trent Zetocha, had a big part in that as well. He’s a mountain of a dude, and loves eating double teams. That leaves me free to roam, ramble, and create havoc. When I was named an All-American, I took Trent to dinner in Portland and watched that dude eat so much surf and turf that I think there were villages in the developing world who felt the impact.
Going to Colton has been good on two fronts, but a total shit-show on another front. Academically, it’s a great school. My parents were both smart, and my dad’s a professor. School has always come easy to me, and I genuinely enjoy the work. Football has been a scream, and we’ll be salty as hell this upcoming season. Those have both been amazing.
The dating scene at Colton sucks, however. We have this “femi-nazi” as the VP for Diversity and Inclusion named Natalie Gilbert. She’s an absolute psycho. That “herself” is pissed at every biological male on the entire planet, though she claims gender is just a social construct. It’s absolute bullshit. She’s also the reason my dad is looking at other jobs. He loves the Provost, but this Gilbert psycho thinks history is something she can conveniently re-write as the whim hits her. As a historian, my dad has forgotten more legitimate historiography than that hack will ever know. Not only does she hate dudes in general, but she frowns on heterosexual dating. Hetero couples are made to feel like lepers if they’re seen together on campus. And forget about any public displays of affection. Being a straight dude on a campus full of smoking hot coeds is a shitty deal given Natalie Gilbert’s presence at Colton College.
As a historian, my dad is big on unintended consequences. We arm the Mujahadeen to fight the Russians in the 1980’s, and end up arming the Taliban in the 2000’s. Unintended consequence. An unintended consequence of all the dude hate at Colton has been “The Society.” It’s a group of hetero guys who are tired of being told they’re the root of all evil in the world. They’d like to pursue a lovely co-ed, but know it’s frowned upon. So, once a year there’s an “auction.” Guys bid on the rights for a particular girl. If he wins, the rest of the males on campus know to stay away from her. I thought it was total bullshit, and didn’t take part. That brings me to my second unintended consequence. There are two phenomenal women on campus: Grace Federspiel and Sara Jones-Easley. They’re smart, hot as hell, and shy. They’re also best friends with my good friend, Eden Adams. Eden and I have known one another our whole lives. She’s amazing. So, if these woman pass with Eden – damn skippy I’d ask them out. I’d ask either one of them out in a damn heartbeat, but two assholes have called dibs on them. Grace and Sara are the “property” of dudes named Chad and Isaac. Chad is a shit thrower, and a shittier defensive lineman. Isaac is a basketball player. But I’ve made up my mind while Dad and I have been in Moscow. Screw those dudes. When I get back, I’m asking Grace out on a real date. If she says no, I’ll ask Sara out. The Society can kiss my ass.
I figured all this out in a bizarre way. Dad has a colleague in Moscow, the archivist for the Kremlin, and he has a daughter who’s a year older than I am. Svetlana and I have also known one another our whole lives, and on a scale of 1-10 – she’s an ’11.’ Blonde hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones, big tits, and an ass that stops traffic. She’s also only two inches shorter than my 6’1.” My senior year in high school, our relationship changed. When I turned 18, we became friends with benefits – or whatever you want to call it. Every summer for the last 3 years, we copulate like rabbits. Given how shitty dating life is at Colton, I really look forward to my 6 weeks in Moscow every summer.
So, it’s Thursday night of our second week in Moscow. Svetlana and I are alone in our rented apartment, and her lovely blonde hair is bobbing up and down as she gives me the most amazing blowjob you can imagine. Full disclosure: Svetlana is the only girl I’ve ever slept with. Since we’re also good friends, we’ve always felt very comfortable giving feedback while we have sex. She knows exactly what I like, and what drives me crazy. Same thing for me. I now actually have some semblance of a clue when I go down on a girl. Tonight, for some reason, she’s pulling out all the stops.
Dad is at a Moscow University dinner, and then will be attending a faculty mixer. That means Svetlana and I have roughly four hours to have as much hot monkey sex as a 20- and 21-year-old can dream up. I don’t know about you, but this 20-year-old can dream up a shit ton of hot monkey sex. This is promising to be a damn good night.
And then my phone went off.
Dad and I have a code we use for when we really need to talk to one another. Since we’re on the same campus, he didn’t want me to feel like he was looking over my shoulder all the time. If he calls, and then hangs up – and then calls again – I know it’s for real. We need to talk, ASAP. Begrudgingly, I tell Svetlana to stop and answer my phone.
“Sorry to interrupt, Knox.”
“It’s OK, Svetlana and I are just sitting here hanging out,” I lied.
“Well, something has come up. We need to fly back to Boston tonight,” he said flatly.
“Shit,” I muttered. “Are you serious? We just got here.”
“Language, Knox,” said my dad, more amused than mad. “You’re in the presence of a lady, not in a locker room.”
He sighed, “I’m sorry. I know how much we enjoy our time here, but there’s been some serious changes at Colton over the past week. I need you to get us two seats on the red eye to Logan tonight. And Knox, we need to do that ASAP. When that’s done, start packing. I’ll excuse myself as soon as I decently can and come help you.”
“Wow. This sounds serious,” I said, my mind just now catching up with the fact that a beautiful Russian woman was no longer orally servicing my manhood.
“It is. It’s all really, really, good news,” he said. I could hear my dad grinning through the phone. He hated slang like “really, really” so whatever was going on was blowing his mind.
______________________________________________________________
“So let me get this straight,” I began. We were about half an hour outside of London Gatwick. Once we’d landed, we’d take the train to Heathrow, and then the flight on to Boston Logan. All told, about 15 hours of travel time. Figuring in the time change, we’d be getting into Boston at about noon local time. “Natalie Gilbert got her miserable ass fired. The AD, and men’s crew coach have been fired as well. The new AD is from the Groton School in Boston, and the dude taking Gilberts’ job was an officer in the Marine Corps? And, when all of this went down, the VP of Student Development resigned, and now an old friend of yours and mom’s is interviewing for the job?”
Dad grinned like a school kid. Or, like I did when Svetlana just went ahead and mounted me as soon as I got off the phone so we could have one last epic roll in the hay before I had to leave. Damn, I missed that woman already!
“Kimberly and Richard Carmichael were friends of ours. We met them in grad school. He was doing his work in philosophy, and she did her MBA. She went on to get an EdD in Higher Ed, and he got a PhD in philosophy. They were our next-door neighbors in married student housing at Yale. They moved to Memphis, and were at different schools. She was the VP for Student Development at Rhodes, and he was at Memphis – which has an outstanding philosophy department. Six years ago, he took a president’s job at a small college in NYC, until the trustees ran him off. In the aftermath, Richard had a total nervous breakdown, and had an affair – with a married couple,” dad explained.
“So, wait – he was carrying on with both the husband and the wife?”
Dad nodded his head.
“The whole thing was very public and very,” he paused, “awkward. Kimberly didn’t fight him when he asked for a divorce, and she took what was little better than an entry-level job at Stanford. She was totally overqualified for the position, but their oldest daughter Katherine had just been accepted there, and taking the job was a way to lessen the financial impact of the divorce. Last I heard, Richard was doing some freelance fundraising for various institutions in NYC, and both girls have been in California with Kimberly. I understand that all three are coming this weekend to visit the campus, and then Kimberly’s interviews begin on Monday morning.”
“By the way Knox, their plane gets in an hour after ours does. By the time we clear customs, and claim our bags, their plane should be arriving. The school is sending the new women’s athletic team bus to pick us all up. We’ll unpack and have a nap and then take the three Carmichael women out to dinner tonight. Provost Adams has made a 7 PM reservation for us at Via Paloma. We’ll need to dress appropriately.”
“That sucks,” I said sourly. “We’ll be dead on our feet, and we’ve got to put on a dog and pony show for three visitors?”
“All that I’ve just told you – and I mean all of it – is tremendously good news for us. Particularly for me. If all that Gloria told me in her email is true – and I have absolutely no reason to doubt that it is – it means I can stay at Colton as long as I please. I don’t need to tell you how many memories – good memories – of your mother are in our house. I was dreading the thought of leaving our house and that campus. I may leave Colton one day. I may date again, and even remarry. But I’ll do those things when I choose to do them – not out of protest – and not because some two-bit revisionist hack runs me off.”
Dad had gotten teary, and all I could do was nod. If all this made my dad happy – or at least not sad – then dammit, I was gonna nut up and do what needed to be done. It was the least I could do.
_____________________________________________________________
Dad neglected to tell me that Kimberly Carmichael was a stone-cold fox. I mean, if you looked up MILF in the dictionary, her picture would be in the entry. If that was not enough, she was attracted to my dad, and I wasn’t the only one who was catching what she was throwing down. Her two daughters were also damn fine, and they were not-so-coyly looking back and forth to one another as we were all catching the “first date” vibe our parents were giving off at radioactive levels. The entire two-and-a-half-hour ride to Colton was spent with my dad grinning like a kid at Christmas, and Kimberly touched his arm so many times I lost count.
Prentiss keeps himself in fighting trim. He cycles, and does some light weights. He’s always watched what he eats. Dr. Prentiss Sartelle is a classic Sartorialist (his term, not mine) so, when he drops some serious coin on an Anderson and Shepherd bespoke sports coat, or a Harris Tweed jacket, he wants to make sure he can wear his “commissioned pieces” for as long as possible. Showing some discipline at the table, and getting his ass moving on a regular basis are both good for that. Plus, dad loves to hike and sail. Put it all together, and my dad is one buff 48-year-old. He’s still got all his hair, and he has made the Colton Sororities’ lists of best-looking-male professors several years running.
I say all of that to say this: two ridiculously good looking, middle-aged people were seriously digging one another for the entire ride. And you know what? I wasn’t even pissed. I was happy for my dad. He smiled, and laughed more on that bus ride than I’d seen him smile and laugh in the past four years. Hell, I was ecstatic. And I wasn’t alone. The Carmichael girls were pleased as punch, too. Their dad had done a real number on all of them, and seeing their mom being doted on, and treated with respect by a good-looking dude who could sling $3 words with the best of them was freaking cat nip.
Did I mention that the Carmichael sisters were easy on the eyes, as well? Kate was older, taller, with one dimple. Caroline was 2 years younger, bustier, and had dimples in both cheeks. Neither of them is as tall as Grace Federspiel, or Sara Jones-Easley, so I was content just to talk to them and play it cool. No need to get distracted by two new entrants in the Knox dating game. I’d had a couple of years of practice at just being a plutonic safe space for co-eds. I could play that game with the best of them. Plus, they were genuinely interesting people to talk with. They were both smart as hell, and as overwhelmed by their mom’s possession of game with the opposite sex as I was with my dad’s. I had to give it to Prentiss, he was scoring points left and right, and I wondered how soon before I’d stumble downstairs one morning to find Kimberly Carmichael wearing one of the old man’s Brooks Brothers button-downs as she turned on the coffee maker, sporting mussed-up hair and a smile.
“So, mom tells us you’re a football player,” said Kate with a tone in her voice. I wasn’t quite sure what the tone was, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
“I am. We’ll have a good team this year, so I’m looking forward to fall rolling around. How about the two of you? Do either of you play a sport?”
Caroline smiled, “I row crew, and Kate is singer-songwriter. She’s got an EP up on Spotify and Apple Music.”
“Wow. Congratulations. You must be good.”
Kate blushed. “Our dad is an accomplished guitar player. He taught me. Mom has a great voice, so I guess I got that from her. When,” she paused, “when things got bad between them, I almost quit playing. Mom insisted I keep it up. It became a kind of therapy for me.”
“That’s what football was for me when my mom died,” I said softly. Shit. I’d never said that to anyone. Not even my dad. “My maternal grandfather played at West Point, and then my mom was one of four girls. Pops Dodd loves to watch college football, so my mom was always encouraging me to play. When she died, it became a way for me to honor her memory. I’d like to believe she’s proud of the player I’ve become.”
“So, you’re good?” asked Kate.
I nodded. “I was an academic and Division III All-American last year as an inside linebacker. I led the nation in solo tackles. We lost in the first round of the playoffs, but it was the first time in a decade we made the playoffs. We’ve got just about everyone coming back this year.”
“Caroline is awesome at crew,” said Kate. “She has a full ride to Washington, which is a total crew powerhouse. Mom wasn’t going to consider it because of the academics, but when dad tried to forbid her from going there, suddenly mom loosened up,” she grinned.
“Man, I’m sorry about your dad. That sucks,” I lamented. This was not just well-intentioned BS. I meant it. My parents doted on one another. Divorce was a word I’d never even heard mentioned in my house. I know it would have rocked my world if my parents had decided to go their separate ways. My mom’s death had devastated both of us.
“Thank you,” said Kate with a smile on her face. “I don’t think some of our friends understood what a crummy deal it was for us. For being a major metropolitan area, New York City felt like a very small place when the gossip was flying. And it was even worse for our mom. I, for one, am glad to see her smiling and laughing with your dad. It’s been too long.”
I nodded. I was feeling the effects of the time change, and the air travel, and trying to catch a few winks in an airline seat. We weren’t flying in the back of the plane, but we weren’t flying first class, either. Dad’s 185 lbs. fit much better than my 220 lbs. He got his 40 winks on the flight home; I watched a couple of movies. I was damned tired. Before I knew what was happening, I had nodded off.
___________________________________________________________
“Knox! C’mon son – boots and saddles!”
My dad woke me up with the customary Dodd family greeting. Major General Franklin Dodd was armor, by God. My mom grew up a military brat, and spent lots of her growing up years in Europe. Armor ruled the world during the Cold War (well, that and nukes), and Pops Dodd was at the top of the food chain. He was a “hard-charger” and possessed command presence. His second daughter – my mom, Kristine Dodd Sartelle – possessed the same attributes. Mom had been a hospital administrator, and a damn good one. She commanded the Maine Medical Center (now Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital) the same way her old man had commanded Abrams A1 tanks. Firm, fair, and right down in the muck with every other swinging dick. And both father and daughter were beloved by the folks who served under their commands.
I noticed the pool of drool on my sweatshirt, and slowly disembarked from the new, totally kickass ride the ladies’ teams were now sporting. We grabbed our bags, and made our way into our house.
“Looks like we have new neighbors,” observed my dad. My eyes were bloodshot, and my head was full of cotton, so I didn’t particularly give a shit at the moment. I only wanted to collapse in my bed until it was time to shower and get ready for dinner. A couple hours’ sleep, and I just might feel like a human being.
Three hours later, and we were doing the same thing all over. But this time, as I staggered into the shower, my dad hung around.
“Knox, I’d like to talk to you if I may,” began my dad. “Normally, I’d wait until you were done with your shower, but, well…”
“Dad, I get it. You and Kimberly were giving off some serious vibes on the ride home. It’s been four years. Mom would want you to move on, and Kimberly seems awesome. Her daughters are cool, so aside from the fact that I’d have to be staring dudes down who were trying to chat up my stepsisters, I don’t see a downside.”
Dad laughed. This was a laugh I hadn’t heard in a long time. I was suddenly very thankful for Kimberly Carmichael.
“Thank you, Knox. Your approval means more to me than I think you’ll ever know.”
“So do we need a codeword or something?” I stuck my head out of the shower and grinned at the old man. “If there’s a sock on the front door handle, I’ll know to go crash at Trent’s place?”
Dad laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? It’s been a long time, and your old man is rusty. Bush the Elder was President the last time I dated a woman not named your mother.”
“You got game, Prentiss,” I observed. “I was afraid the two of you were going to start making out on the bus. I believe the lady is willing. Were you that shameless when you put the moves on mom?” I asked grinning.
He grinned back. “Son, how do you think you came into this world?”
“Wow. Suddenly I’m very awake. And very nauseous.”
“Listen, we need to take two cars this evening,” dad began. “And if it’s not too strange, Kimberly would like to ride with you to the restaurant. I’ll drive the two girls in the Mini. After dinner, would you mind showing the girls around a bit? You could show them Portland, and hit the Dairy Barn if you feel like it.”
“Why do I suddenly feel like your wingman?” I cracked.
“Because on this occasion, you most definitely are,” he deadpanned back to me with a shit-eating grin on his face.
______________________________________________________________
“Knox, thank you for riding with me,” began the uber fox Kimberly Carmichael. “I know it may seem a bit unusual.”
I only smiled, and shifted my trusty Toyota Land Cruiser. She was a classic, and I loved that damn truck. My grandpa Sartelle had found her in Virginia, and Pops Dodd drove out from Kentucky the summer I turned 16. Franklin Dodd could wrench on anything with an engine, and Gramps Sartelle was a deft hand as well. Together, the three of us put Miss Betsy to rights, and then drove her home to Colton. Those three weeks are one of the highlights of my life – especially since my mom was killed two weeks later.
“I’d like to talk to you about two things: one of them is personal, and the other has to do with my interviews here at Colton.”
“Yes, to the first one,” I said grinning. “I’m not sure what your daughters have to say, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Prentiss smiling and laughing like he was today. My mom would want to see him happy, and moving on with his life. He’s grieved her for four years. It’s time for him to be happy again. From what I could see before I passed out on the ride here, he’s happy with you. I’m on board.”
Kimberly laughed. “Thank you, Knox. I wasn’t sure how to broach the topic, but my daughters informed me that we weren’t exactly discreet. Your mom was one of my best friends. I grieved her death, too. Not like you and your dad, but I did grieve. I missed her so much when Richard came unglued and destroyed our lives. Kristine was one of my rocks, and a very wise woman. I needed her – badly. To not have someone you love and need when you desperately need them is a harsh reality. But I’m sure you know that.”
“She was one of a kind,” I said softly.
We were silent for a moment, and I was thankful that it seemed like we understood one another.
“Knox, please tell me about Colton. Not the ‘my dad is a professor’ version, but the real version. You’re a BMOC, so I need to hear the truth.”
“Well,” I thought. “You asked for it.” As we pulled into the parking lot of Via Paloma, I was wrapping up my skinny on Colton College – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
“Two things, Knox: first, thank you for your honesty. Second, nothing you’ve told me is a surprise. Gloria Adams is also a friend – through your mother, nonetheless – and Gloria painted a very similar picture.”
She leaned over and kissed me on my cheek as the valet was coming to open the door for her. I rolled my window down to talk to the dude who thought he was going to drive Miss Betsy. I slipped him a $20 as I told him how the world was going to work.
“She’s temperamental. If you’ll show me where you want me to park, I’ll put her there myself.”
He nodded, and I followed the guy pulling dad’s green Mini Countryman into a space. As I parked, I noticed a car belonging to a friend of mine. Eden Adams’ Volvo wagon was three spots away, parked next to a badass Toyota Tacoma. I locked her up, and was heading into the restaurant as I saw Eden walking toward me.
I mean, I knew it was Eden, but then again – I didn’t. She looked different. Not different – bad. Rather, she looked different – amazing. Eden is a beautiful woman, and now her beauty was turned up about 10 notches. The woman glowed. She was wearing a summer dress that looked like it had been made just for her. It accentuated her height, and her curves. Since she possessed both those things in spades, the effect was stunning.
“Knox! I heard you and your dad were coming back early,” she smiled at me as she hugged me and kissed my cheek. “How was Moscow? But you spent a week in Kentucky first, right? With your maternal grandparents?”
I nodded. “Damn, Eden. You look amazing. I’m not trying to be a creep here, but you look stunning. You’re absolutely beautiful.”
She blushed and giggled. Not sure where that came from, but not hating it either.
“Thank you. It’s kind of you to notice. The past three weeks have been – eventful. We have lots to catch up on,” she paused. “Listen, I need to grab something from my car. Wait for me and walk me in? There are some folks I want you to meet.”
I smiled and nodded.
“So, what brings the Adams crew out on a Saturday night?” I queried as she took my offered arm and we walked towards the restaurant. For some strange reason, this felt really right.
“My roommates and I are having dinner with our parents to celebrate Grace’s engagement,” she said smiling.
Her words stopped me dead in my tracks.
“Grace Federspiel?” I choked out.
She smiled and nodded, and then she saw the look on my face. Shit. The whole damn planet was suddenly very unstable.
“Knox, what’s wrong?”
“Grace – your crewmate Grace?” I asked in utter astonishment. “Tall, smart, Asian – that Grace Federspiel?”
Eden stopped and looked at me. “Yes. She and Sara are both engaged. It’s all happened rather quickly, but like I said, the last three weeks have been eventful.”
“Sara is engaged as well?”
Eden smiled kindly. “Yes. In fact, she and her fiancé bought the house next door to yours. They’re your new neighbors.”
Thankfully, there was a bench nearby. I sat down and felt the fatigue of the past 24+ hours kick the shit out of me. I had no idea at the time, but my dad’s world was getting rocked just as hard as mine had been.
Prentiss
“Dr. Sartelle, I’m afraid we’re running behind this evening,” said the Maître D kindly. “We’ll gladly comp your party in the bar, if you would be so kind.” He held his arm out for us.
I smiled, and then followed Kimberly and her girls into the bar. I saw that a party larger than ours was already in this dining purgatory, and I recognized some familiar faces.
“Prentiss!” declared my old teammate, Sean Adams. Sean also happens to be married to my boss, Dr. Gloria Adams. Sean and Gloria are old and dear friends. Gloria gave the eulogy at Kristine’s funeral, and Sean was a pallbearer. One of the major reasons I had not taken any of the Ivy’s up on their job offers was my long friendship with the Dr’s Adams. They have shown my little family fidelity in their friendship, and reciprocating seems like the only decent thing to do.
I handle the introductions, but of course, Gloria and Kimberly already know one another. With the initial pleasantries handled, I begin to scan the room. As I get to the far corner, my train of sight stops. I did a double take. I caught the gaze of Sean Adams, who was grinning madly at me while nodding his head.
“No,” I whispered to Sean. “I know it can’t be him, right? He’s been dead now for almost 20 years.”
“Let me introduce you to Dave and Jenny’s son, Andrew,” grinned Sean. “He and his soon-to-be-wife are your new next-door neighbors.”
I excused myself from my guests, and went across the room with Sean. As I got closer, the strong resemblance to his father only got more pronounced – except for his mouth – Andrew DeGroat has his mother’s mouth. I realize that I know his fiancé. She was a student in my ‘World Since 1945’ course. Sara Jones-Easley is a rising junior pre-law major at Colton. She’s a brilliant student, and a very attractive young woman. As a father, I would have been quite thrilled had Knox brought a young lady of her caliber home to meet the old man. Sadly however, this impressive young lady was clearly ‘off the market,’ as they say.
“Pardon the interruption, but an old teammate of mine needs to meet all of you,” said Sean affably. “Prentiss Sartelle was an outstanding switch-hitting second baseman back in the day when yours truly and Andy’s dad played for the Fighting Camels baseball team,” he paused. “He now chairs the History Department at Colton, and is one of the preeminent Cold War Historians in the world. Prentiss, please meet Gina Jones, and her fiancé Thomas Shaw. I believe you know Gina’s daughter, Sara Jones-Easley. And the rather familiar looking young man standing next to her is her fiancé, Andy DeGroat.”
I was rather dumbfounded at the moment, so I smiled and shook the offered hands of Andy and Thomas. Before I could find my voice, Eden came rushing into the bar.
“Dr. Sartelle. Daddy. I need you to come outside please. Something is wrong with Knox. He just vomited all over the sidewalk, and his color looks awful.”
“Yes. If you will excuse me?” I said as calmly as I could. I paused on the way out the door to inform Kimberly that I needed to step out, but would return as soon as possible. Sean was whispering something to Gloria, so I knew the Carmichael ladies were in good hands.
I tried to put on a cool façade, because inside I was screaming. My wife Kristine and I had already lost a son. Andrew Prentiss Sartelle V was alive for one hour before he died. His death and burial were, I thought, the most devastating thing a human being could ever live through. As it turns out, I was wrong. Having my wife killed by drunk driver 4 years ago was a thousand times worse.
I know that doesn’t make sense. Losing a child is supposed to be worse. But, when Andrew died, Kristine and I had one another. When Knox came along 5 years later, it made his entry into the world that much sweeter. When Kristine died, it was just Knox and me. I’ve never felt more bereft in my entire life. I silently prayed that Knox had just fallen victim to some bad airline food.
Knox
“Knox, please talk to me. You’ve gone pale as a sheet. What’s wrong?”
I vomited. Not figuratively, but literally. A concerned Eden ran into the restaurant, and returned with my dad and hers. Great, an audience for my undoing. Dr. Adams put his hand to my forehead, and checked my pulse.
“Knox, have you ever had a panic attack before?” he asked kindly.
I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’m just tired, and a bit shocked at the news that Grace, and Sara are engaged. I was…” I stopped before I said something stupid. “Really, I’ll be OK.”
Dad nodded to Dr. Adams, and he and Eden went inside to join their party.
“Alright son,” began my dad firmly. “Talk.” One glance at his face told me this was not a request.
So, I did. I told my dad everything. I told him about The Society, and my recent determination to tell them to bugger off. I was going to ask Grace and/or Sara out when we returned from Moscow. They are amazing women, and all the dumbassery needed to end. To have not said or done anything, and then to come back to find them both engaged, well shit – it wrecked me.
“Knox, I’m so sorry,” said my dad softly. “This whole thing is unfortunate. If you like, I can politely beg off for the evening, and we can get you home. It was a tall ask given all the travel we’ve been doing.”
“It’s OK. I’m going to head down to the pier and try to clear my head. I may call Pops Dodd and talk to him a bit? You should stay and enjoy your evening. I’ll check in after an hour or so?”
“That’s fine, bud. Just please stay on the pier below the restaurant?”
I nodded. Slowly, I got up and wandered down to a bench near the end of the pier. The cool breeze felt astonishingly good. After a bit, I dialed my grandparents’ home in Kentucky. They still had a landline, and I was not surprised when my granny answered.
“Hello Knox, dear, how’s Moscow? It must be the middle of the night there,” she said sweetly.
“We came back early, granny,” I said softly. “We’re home now.”
She must have heard something in my voice, because she immediately said, “I’ll get the General.” I heard her call for her husband of 51 years. There was a quick, muffled conversation, and then Major General Franklin Dodd commandeered the receiver.
“Hello Knox, my boy,” he said brightly.
“Hey Pops,” I replied flatly.
“Well, you best tell me all about it,” he said firmly.
I did. I told him everything. I told him about the damned Society, and my regard for Grace and Sara, and the fact that everything was now shot to hell. I told him I wanted what my mom and dad had, and I thought either one of those women would be a good start for such a life. I told him Sean Adams thought I’d just had a damn panic attack, and I’d vomited in front of a very attractive young lady, who just happened to be a childhood friend. Pops listened, and when I was done, he blew out a breath.
“Knox, I’m going to say three things to you. First, I’m ashamed of you,” he paused. “You’ve been raised by as brave and honorable a man as I’ve ever known. If Prentiss knows all this, I’m sure he’s very disappointed. You stood by and did nothing. That’s a deplorable kind of cowardice. You know how to deal with bullies, and you did jack shit.”
I knew he was right, and could not even begin to respond.
“Second, you’ve just learned a hard lesson. There’s never a good time to do the right thing. Now, I know others will say that your mother had been killed, or that you were looking out for your father with your silence, and such a lapse can be excused given your circumstances. But let me ask you: does such a thought bring you any comfort?”
“No sir,” I said softly.
“I’m glad to hear you say so. Third, and finally: Knox, please know how much I love you. Your granny too. You’re a good man, and you made a mistake. Learn from it and move on.”
“How do I do that?” Dammit if my eyes weren’t burning and tearing up like crazy. I was a total wreck at the moment. Pops knew it, too.
“First, get some sleep. You sound like you’re about to fall over. Second, go to your friends and apologize to them. Tell them you knew about that ridiculous group, and yet you did nothing to speak up for them or defend them. Own it, son. That’s what a man of honor does. He owns his mistakes.”
“Thank you, Pops,” I said quietly. “And I’m sorry. I’m sorry I acted this way.”
“I know you are, son. And Knox, this will feel worse before it gets better. I wish I could tell you differently, but I’d be lying to you. Now, go home, and ring us when you get there. We’ll talk tomorrow afternoon. Deal?”
“Yessir,” I said. “Please give granny my love.”
“I will indeed. I love you son,” he said somberly.
“Love you too,” I replied. The line went dead.
Before I could stand up, a guy I’d never met came up to me. He was tall, and really, really, ridiculously good looking. I’m not sure why a Derek Zoolander quote popped into my head, but damned if he didn’t. He held out his hand. On instinct, I stood and shook it.
“Knox, my name is Andy DeGroat. I know we’ve never met, but I’m Sara Jones-Easley’s fiancé, and your new neighbor. I hear you need a ride home, and your Land Cruiser is a temperamental stick shift. My truck can be the same. I’ve been sent by your dad to give you a ride home.”
I nodded. Something about this dude made it impossible to say ‘no.’ I stood up, and walked with him toward the parking lot. As we got near Miss Betsy, I handed him the keys. He unlocked my door, and I got in and laid the passenger’s seat all the way back. Andy got in, fired her up, and deftly found reverse. Damn. This dude handled my beloved vehicle almost better than I did. We were on the road and at my house before I knew it. He shut the vehicle off and set the parking brake.
“I’ll walk you in,” he said calmly. Again, this was not a suggestion, but it was kindly said. I nodded.
We went in, and he followed me up to my room. He pointed to the bed, and said, “Sit.” So, I did. Andy slipped the Bass Weejun loafers off my feet, and helped me out of my sports coat. He went to the closet and hung up the jacket. I laid back in the bed, and he left the room, turning out the light as he did so.
“Andy,” I called out.
He stuck his head back in the room. “Yes?”
“Thank you. How will you get back?”
“You’re welcome. Eden followed us. She’s worried about you. She’ll give me a ride back,” he said softly.
I nodded. “I’ll be OK. Please be good to Sara. She’s an amazing woman. You’re very fortunate.”
He smiled and chuckled. “Yes, she is; and yes, I am. Get some sleep. We can talk tomorrow.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
“Knox, please know my roommates think very highly of you. That’s saying something,” he paused. “Rest well. Like I said, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
He left the room, and 30 seconds later I think I passed out. It was not until the next morning that I realized our entire conversation had been conducted in Russian.
_________________________________________________________
Andy DeGroat walked out the front door and walked to the driver’s side door of Eden Adams’ Volvo wagon. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she put a brave face on things.
“Alright little sister, why don’t you scoot over, and I’ll drive,” he said, smiling as he spoke softly to her.
She deftly did as he asked, and Andy slid the seat back and got behind the wheel. He adjusted the mirror and smiled at Eden as he backed the car out of the driveway. As he headed down the street, he noticed his grandfather’s Range Rover across the street at the home of John Moses.
“Andy, did he say anything while you were driving him home?” asked Eden in a concerned voice.
Andy nodded. “I’m not sure how much I should divulge. He was pretty out of it, and not even aware that he was speaking, I’m afraid.”
“He just…” she paused. “I mean I thought he would be happy for Grace and Sara, and then he’s puking right in front of me.”
“Two things we need to talk about here, Snips,” said Andy in his command voice. “First, I trust the four of you will believe me now when I tell you that the male population of Colton will be flocking around all four of you as thick as thieves. I’m glad that psycho bitch is gone, but it will make your lives considerably more complicated. It’s open season on beautiful coeds. It will get better – eventually. But initially it will be both awkward and unpleasant until Colonel Taylor, and John Moses police up the knuckleheads.”
Eden nodded. “Is that what this is about? He’s interested in Grace and Sara?”
“Let me put it this way, several guys who have since shown themselves to be stand up men, went along with something they knew to be total bullshit. Now granted, they didn’t participate, but they also did nothing to stop it. What ‘The Society’ was doing was wrong – pure and simple. There’s no way to polish that turd. Think about what would have happened had Knox, Gus McLeod, Cooper Hughes, Ethan Ross, and Jacob Glass stood up and said ‘nope, we’re not doing this, and neither are you.'”
Eden nodded again.
“Knox is the first guy to figure out exactly what his silence and inaction cost him. It cost him an opportunity to ask out two of the most amazing women I’ve ever met. He knows that now. Regret and guilt are a bitch to live with,” Andy said knowingly.
Eden sat silent.
“Here’s the second thing: if you have feelings for Knox Sartelle, you need to sort those out. Don’t string Ethan along while you do so. You’re too good a woman to do that to a good dude like young Mr. Ross. I know all this is new to you, so please let me look out for you on this one. I love you, Eden. I commend your taste, but please think about their feelings in all this too.”
“What if I don’t know, Andy? I’ve known Knox for literally my whole life. He’s been a great friend. When his mom was killed by a drunk lawyer asshole from Boston, I was crushed. She was such a great lady, and a wonderful friend to my mom. She and Dr. Sartelle are both Colton alums, a little younger than our parents, I think – but roughly the same vintage.”
“You talk to Ethan, Snips. Be honest with him. It will suck, but it’s better than stringing him along only to drop him and then turn around and get hot and heavy with Knox,” said Andy firmly.
“It was easier when I thought I was going to be Eden DeGroat,” she said softly. “I mean, I’m happy for you and Sara, you know that.”
Andy turned to look at his friend. “I know Eden, and you honor me. You’re easily the most loving person I’ve ever known, and one of the bravest. But there’s so much baggage there – it would not be fair to anyone involved. Especially not you and I.”
“Andy, how did I never know this? That I might have feelings for Knox, I mean?”
“You’re childhood friends, right?”
Eden nodded in response.
“Good friends are hard to come by – male or female. You probably both thought it wiser to put the other in a ‘friend box’ and keep them there. What if you had dated and then it didn’t work? Was a high school dating relationship worth risking an old friendship?”
Eden nodded again.
“You’re got an amazingly high EQ, Snips. I’ll always give you the benefit of the doubt on that front. Then, with your mom and his dad as a part of the toxic Colton culture, you were both looking out for them by not dating and risking pissing off Fraulein Crazy Bitch,” he grinned. “I get it, little sister.”
Eden had tears in her eyes, and then gave a cry-laugh. Andy looked at her in concern.
“Captain Rex, would you mind holding my hand until we get back to the restaurant?” she asked shyly.
“It would be my honor to do so, Commander Tano. I’ll hold your hand for as long as you need me to.”
She sighed, took his offered hand, and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder.
“I love you little sister, and I hate Knox’s guts a little already,” he said grinning.
“I love you too, Droobie. Thank you. I had no idea I’d need a big brother this badly, but I’m glad I have the best one when I need him,” she said kindly.
To be continued.