Genus by David Peter Jameson

Author:David Peter Jameson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, horror, adventure, mystery, fantasy, college, elves, genus, heterosis, neplusultra
Publisher: David Peter Jameson

Chapter 23: Memorabilia

Johnny twirled the spaghetti around his fork and popped it into his mouth. He chewed silently, looking at Kelvin and Audrey enjoying their dinner on the opposite side of the table.

“So,” he asked nonchalantly. “How was Marco?”

Kelvin put down his fork and didn’t reply.

“You think I wouldn’t find out?” Johnny asked, dabbing a napkin to his mouth. “Carson’s a small town, Kelvin. I know everybody here. I know what goes on.”

“Dad...”

“He don’t look too good, does he?”

Kelvin nodded and absently scooped up a bite. “He’s been better.”

“I know. I remember when he was little. But,” Johnny put down his fork and started talking to Audrey, “then the drugs got him. First it was the steroids, then came the pills, then the toking, then the meth. Everyone knows ’round here. Marco is bad news, and you should know it. He’s got a record, ya know.”

Johnny shook his head and pushed his chair back from the table. “He’ll be dead before he’s thirty.”

“That’s sad,” muttered Audrey.

“Yes, it is,” Johnny replied, turning to Kelvin.

“Now, Sean ... he’s a good kid. He’s responsible, he’s clean, works hard.”

“He’s funny, too,” Audrey offered.

“Yeah,” Johnny smiled. “That too.”

“I know, dad.”

Nobody was eating anymore, so Johnny stood up and took the plates into the kitchen. He whipped up a batch of cocoa, while trying to listen to Kelvin and Audrey murmuring softly in the dining room.

He came out of the kitchen with cocoa mugs in each hand and one tucked in the crook of his arm. Audrey stood up and reached to take a cup from him, but a bit of the cocoa spilled and burned his skin, causing him to grimace.

“Ouch! Let me help you.” she said, taking the cup tucked in his elbow.

Johnny handed a cup to Kelvin, and then sat down in his chair.

“Thanks,” he said. “I’ve never much been the domestic type.”

Audrey sipped her cocoa. “Mmmm. Kelvin told me. You never remarried?”

Johnny paused, mid-sip, and glanced over to Kelvin.

How much has he told her? he wondered nervously.

“Ummm, yeah. After his mom,” he shifted in his seat and looked back at Audrey with a shrug. “I never really found anyone. ’Course, round here, this small town, there’s not much of a selection.”

Kelvin and Audrey shared a small laugh, and Johnny smiled, hoping he’d closed the topic.

“Yeah, anyway, Audrey’s from New York.” Kelvin interjected.

“Mmmm. Yes. Upstate, really, though I’ve spent a lot of time in the city.”

“Sounds nice. So how’d you two meet?”

Audrey smiled. “He tried stalking me...”

“No...” moaned Kelvin. “We share a class together - European History.”

“Oh, that so? I consider myself a history buff of sorts, and I was glad that Kelvin took it even though he’s going to med school.” Johnny thought up a pertinent quote. “‘Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it’ - right? Why’d you take it, Audrey?”

“It’s a requirement for my major - political science.”

Johnny cringed sarcastically.

“Really?” he said.

“I already told her about your political theory, dad.”

Johnny looked at his son with pride.

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