Second Chance, Book 07

My thanks, as always, to ErikThread, who stuck with me and this story to the end. Lots of rewrites and fixes and discussion about what was missing or awkward, but in the end, we got there. It goes without saying, any errors or omissions are mine alone.

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Second Chance: Ch.28

Bonnie Simpson and Brent Gordon were married in the Lutheran Church in Castlegar on a bright, sunny, warm day in late summer. It was the only venue available for the date they wanted; the last Saturday in August. It took a little convincing of the minister, since neither he nor Bonnie was Lutheran. A generous donation to the church's building fund obtained the man's agreement.

Scott was named Best Man, Andrea, Maid of Honor, and Tim, the ring bearer. Tanya volunteered to be the flower girl. She was also elected unofficial sister to Andy, Scott and Tim. The women wore gold dresses instead of gowns. The men wore navy blue blazers, tan slacks and a gold tie matching the women's dresses over a white shirt. Sam Fiorento was designated official photographer, and as the results proved later, was a brilliant choice. The newlywed's album would be full of excellent pictures of the wedding party at the church, and the reception afterwards.

Bonnie's parents came from Calgary for the much anticipated wedding of their only daughter. The Verriers were invited as well, and stayed on for a few days as a vacation. Their son, Nicholas, roomed with Tim at the Gordon's. Their airfare was provided by Brent and Bonnie. It was the least they could do for them considering all the care the Calgary family had provided for Tim in years past.

Brent's parents were also there, of course, but almost unexpectedly, the O'Learys accepted the invitation. It was one of those happy moments that made both Brent and Bonnie feel very good. Brent was delighted to see Kevin and Kelly again, and the three did a lot of catching up over the days before the wedding. The O'Learys were very kind and supportive of Bonnie as well. The grandparents wanted to spend some time with Andrea and Scott. They marveled at just how much Scott had matured in the past months.

Henry, Lloyd and Johnny all came with their wives. Adam was unable to attend when his father fell ill and was hospitalized. "The Castlegar Gang" as Charlie called them, attended in force. Altogether there were over fifty people stuffed into the aging, wood-frame church. The service was mercifully short as the temperature was quickly rising toward triple digits in the crowded space.

The lively reception was held in the Forester's Hall near the church. With perfect late-summer weather, most of the guests gravitated outside to enjoy the sun's warmth and the afternoon breeze from the mountains. Mrs. Dubrinski had organized the food preparation, so it was a given that there would be more than enough. The crowd didn't disperse until it was almost dark. Bonnie and Brent had long since said their thank-yous and goodbyes. They were driven to the airport by Scott, with an escort of Andy and Tim.

The two newlyweds enjoyed the late summer weather on the sandy shores of Canon Beach and the luxury of the Inn at Otter Bay. They took day trips to Tillamook, Newport, Astoria, and the surrounding back roads, relaxing from the excitement of the past weeks. It was the break they needed before starting their married life as a working couple.

When they returned from their honeymoon, they began the task of preparing Bonnie's sales career. A company lease car, laptop, laser printer, cell phone, digital camera, and corporate credit cards had all been arranged in their absence. It only remained for them to find a suitable place for Bonnie to live during the week. It would prove more difficult than at first expected. Apartments for rent were few, particularly in the downtown core and surrounding area. In addition, the ones in the heart of the city were hideously expensive.

They decided on a six week rental at the Residence Inn, City Center. It would be expensive, but it would give Bonnie time to look for something more affordable and permanent. She would have until the end of October to find a suitable apartment.

Bonnie began her new job with enthusiasm. She met with Tom Blanton, giving him her card, and telling him where she would be staying for the next six weeks. She let him know she was looking for an apartment to rent, and if he heard of anything, please let her know. In the meantime, Tom had two jobs for Bonnie to quote, both for windows and kitchen cabinets.

Her evenings were usually filled with laboriously taking down the details from borrowed plans, then e-mailing the specifications to the estimator in Castlegar. If nothing else, the work helped keep her from becoming too lonely. Every evening, shortly after dinner, she would phone home and talk to Tim and Brent. Each Friday afternoon she would board the plane to Castlegar with pleasant thoughts of her being reunited with her new family. On Monday, she would kiss them goodbye at the airport, pushing away thoughts of the coming four lonely nights.

Brent planned to be in Vancouver once a month, and would stay with Bonnie. It was their only continuous time together, and they would make the most of it. They seldom went out to dinner, preferring to stay in, watching some TV before they retired.

If Brent were honest, he didn't need to be in Vancouver that often. Bonnie had launched her new career with polish and professionalism. She was indeed, a natural. In the first month she had established five significant contacts with architects and design houses. She had arranged plant tours for two builders, one of them from Whistler. When Brent was in town, they called on their key contacts together. They were building on the new relationships and cementing the V.C.M. logo in the customer's mind.

It was near the end of September and Bonnie was calling on Tom Blanton to present her quote on a new home that was to be built the next spring. She had found him where he always was, on the jobsite.

"Hi Bonnie, how are you," Tom called affably.

"Great. I brought you the quote on the Azanabi house," she said, handing him the manila envelope.

"I'll have a look at it tonight. I don't expect any problems though. These people seem to have little concern for the cost. As long they get what they want, it should be a lock," he said confidently.

"That's terrific," she smiled.

"By the way, have you found a place to live yet?" he asked.

"Not yet. To be honest, I haven't had a lot of time to look. I'm going to have to make time, I guess," she said.

"My wife reminded me that some friends of ours have a place in Park Royal that's empty right now. The fellow that owned it bought a house that we renovated and moved in a few years ago with his new wife. He kept the apartment as an investment, but no one has lived there in the past year. I think he's pretty fussy who he'll rent to. Would you like me to ask about it?" he offered.

"That would be great. Park Royal would be fine for a location. Is it a two bedroom?" she asked.

"Yes, on the eighth floor in that big concrete building behind the North Mall. I hear it has a great view."

"That would be perfect for me. Thanks again for thinking of me," she enthused.

Two days later, Tom called Bonnie.

"Bonnie, the Inhalt's are willing to rent the apartment we talked about, but they'd like to meet you first. Like I said, they're careful about who they rent to," he reminded her.

"Fine, should I call them?" she asked.

"Yah ... I'll give you their number, and you can take it from there. Good luck," he said.

"Thanks, Tom. I really appreciate your help," she gushed.

"No problem. Glad I could help. Let me know how it goes," he said, signing off.

The next evening, Bonnie met with Steve Inhalt and his wife, Ingrid Solberg at their home in West Vancouver. Steve was a financial consultant, and apparently a very successful one. Ingrid was an interior designer. They both worked out of their lovely home, high on the mountainside, overlooking English Bay. The trio met over a glass of wine while Bonnie told them a little about herself and her new job.

Ingrid was interested in the products Bonnie represented, and the two women agreed to meet later that month to see what might fit the designer's needs. Steve sat quietly while they talked, absorbing the conversation between the two. When Bonnie described briefly how she had met her new husband, he smiled in recognition of the circumstances that had put him and Ingrid together.

Within a few minutes, Steve had decided that he would rent the apartment to Mrs. Gordon. By the sound of things, Ingrid had also made another contact, and possibly a new friend.

"Something you should be aware of, Mrs. Gordon," Steve interrupted. "There isn't much furniture in the apartment. You'll need to buy or rent some, I imagine."

"I have my furniture in storage, Mr. Inhalt. I'm sure I've got enough for the apartment with the exception of a work station," Bonnie replied.

"If you need to buy anything, check with Tom Blanton's wife, Jenny. She works at the furniture store in the village. Tell her I sent you and she'll likely get you a discount," Ingrid suggested.

"That would be great. Thank you very much, both of you," Bonnie said genuinely.

"Well, I think we can be on a first name basis ... Bonnie," Ingrid said.

"Thank you Ingrid ... Steve. You've taken a big problem off my shoulders. I didn't know when I was going to get the chance to look for a place. But I guess there is one more thing ... I forgot to ask how much the rent would be," she smiled.

"Fifteen hundred per month," Steve said without hesitation. "But before we get carried away, you haven't seen it yet. We should take you down there and you can have a look before we seal the deal," he smiled.

Bonnie followed Steve in her car, and Ingrid rode with her. As they drove, Ingrid asked more questions about how she had met Brent and what it was like to be apart each week. By the time they had arrived at the apartment building, Bonnie felt that she and Ingrid had become friends.

It took Bonnie about one minute to decide that this was the ideal place. It wasn't just the view, but the layout of the unit was perfect. In the back of her mind, she would someday ask Ingrid why Steve would be willing to rent it so cheaply. She had seen units with no view and far less appealing layout and cleanliness listed for two to three thousand per month. This was more than just a bargain. There was nothing to do but move in. She couldn't wait to tell Brent.

Chapter 29:

Bonnie called Brent the minute she got back to The Residence.

"Guess what," she bubbled. "I found an apartment and it's wonderful."

"I'm glad to hear that," Brent answered with what seemed to be controlled enthusiasm.

"You don't sound glad. What's wrong?"

"I had a call from the school counselor today ... about Tim," he said quietly.

"Oh ... oh dear ... what was it about?" she asked, worried.

"I guess he hasn't been making much of an effort to get involved so far. I know it's only been a month, but Mrs. Paget, the counselor, said he was very withdrawn and uncommunicative. She wanted to get to the heart of the matter quickly before it became a bigger issue," Brent concluded.

"What's he been like at home?" Bonnie asked.

"Fine, as far as I can tell. I have a suspicion that he's lonely. Andy is away, I'm gone part of the time, and Scott is just getting going at Selkirk and is busy in his room most nights. I think he truly misses you and his friend, Nick," Brent offered. "There's no one here for him to connect with."

"What should I do?" Bonnie asked.

"Don't you mean we?" he asked.

"Sorry ... of course ... but ... what should we do?" she tried again.

"First, I'm going to meet with Mrs. Paget at the school tomorrow afternoon. Then I'll have a talk to Tim and see if he'll tell me what's bothering him."

"I wish I were there. He's never had a problem before, Brent."

"He's never been yanked out of his social environment before either. Adding to that, his mother is only home three nights a week. I don't think it should be a surprise that he's struggling a bit. I agree with Mrs. Paget ... we want to nip this in the bud," Brent stated.

"He must think I've abandoned him," she mused.

"Maybe, but I've been through this with and Andy and Scott. They adapted because that's the way things were going to be. However, I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. I think my meeting with the counselor tomorrow will give me some ideas of what we might do. I already have one, but I'll save it 'till I talk to Tim.

"I'll call you tomorrow, dear. I want to hear all about your meeting. Can I talk to Tim please? I won't say anything about this to him, OK?"

"Fine. I don't think he knows anything about Mrs. Paget's concerns. Keep it light, and then we'll see what happens tomorrow. Goodnight, love. Take care. We can talk about the apartment later," he said, then called Tim to the phone.

Afterward, Bonnie sat in her chair with her thoughts completely focused on Tim. Had he sounded down on the phone, or was that just her imagination? Was he headed for trouble, or could this be intercepted early? It was the first time that she had ever had any problem with Tim. She hadn't even been aware of it. Brent seemed to be handling it well. It was a blessing that he felt so responsible for a boy he was just getting to know.

Brent met with Vanessa Paget just after four the next afternoon. He was ushered into her office and she closed the door behind them.

"Thank you for responding so quickly, Mr. Gordon," she began. "I don't like to see young people have problems this early in the school year and not deal with them. They don't usually solve themselves."

"Yes ... I agree. Can you tell me what you are seeing?"

"His teachers report that he doesn't participate in class during discussion, even when they ask him for his opinion or ask a direct question. He's very quiet. It isn't distracting behavior, but it is a concern to them and to me," she explained.

"And to us," Brent stated. "As you know he's new to this area. His mother and I have just married. I don't know a lot about him yet, to be honest. Do you have his school records from Calgary?"

"Not yet. I've requested them, so I expect they'll be along soon. By the way, congratulations. I know this is new to you, but do you have any other children?" she asked.

"Yes, Andrea is at U. of Lethbridge and Scott is just starting Selkirk College," Brent said proudly.

"Scott? Scott Gordon is your son?" she asked surprised.

"Yes, he graduated last year."

"Oh, well that explains why we haven't met. Scott was a terrific young man. Never a moment's problem and a good student. He was always willing to help others ... he's going to turn into a very fine citizen. You must very proud," she exclaimed with a big smile.

"I'm proud of all my kids, Tim included," he said quickly. Tim's never had a father until I came along, and that was only this summer. Andrea and Scott lost their mother three years ago. They had to cope with that as well as their wobbly father," he smiled.

"Oh my, I'd forgotten all about that. You have had a struggle, haven't you," she said sympathetically. "Well, let's see what we can do about getting Tim on his way in grade eleven. Is he interested in sports?"

"I don't know to be honest. I'll have to talk to him and find out exactly what he is interested in before we can figure out what to do. Right now, he doesn't have any friends and I think that's what's making it difficult for him. His mother is away during the week, so I'm the only parent at home. Scott's still living at home. He and Tim get along great, but Scott has a big workload at Selkirk and doesn't have the time to spend with Tim. Besides, he's got a girlfriend who takes up a lot of his spare time," Brent concluded.

"Is he still seeing Tanya Dubrinski?"

"Yes. They are going to college together."

"So Mr. Dubrinski lost the battle then," she said with a smile.

"He was never going to win, Mrs. Paget."

"Good. You don't know what a good influence Scott was on Tanya. He kept her on the "straight and narrow" if you know what I mean. I think almost every boy in the senior class last year was in envy of Scott," she finished.

"Well, let's see what we can do about getting Tim going then. I'm going to talk to him tonight. I have an idea that I want to talk to him about and get his OK. That may be the start for us. Then it's up to me to find out what makes him tick, and what we can do to help. How about I call you next week and let you know how I made out?" he suggested.

"Fine. Good luck! I'm sure you'll find a way, Mr. Gordon. You've already got a pretty good track record," she smiled.

Chapter 30

Brent and Tim sat at the kitchen table after the dinner dishes were done. Brent had asked him to stay. There was something he wanted to talk to him about.

"Tim, we don't know each other very well yet. I guess that's my fault. I've been so busy with your mother ... well ... anyway, I haven't spent much time with you," he confessed.

Tim nodded, looking a bit wary, wondering where this conversation was going.

"I wanted to ask you a very important question. Something you don't have to answer right away. Something I want you to think about before you decide," Brent paused. "I would like to adopt you as my son," he started again, carefully. "I want us to be a whole family that you are a part of, just like Andy and Scott. My question to you is ... is that something that you want too?"

Tim was looking straight at his step-father, and then sighed and sat back in his chair.

"I've never had a dad. I mean one who lived with us. You're the first one I've ever had to live with ... you know ... in the same house. You think this is a big deal? I mean, me being your son?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes ... I think it's a very big deal. I never liked the term step-father, or step-son. You are a part of this family, and I want you to be equal with everyone else. I would be proud to have you as a son," he said solemnly.

Tim looked misty-eyed at that point and then pushed the chair back, rose and walked slowly toward Brent. As he stood before him, he held out his hand. Brent looked at it and looked up at Tim, seeing the single tear slide down his cheek. He ignored the offered hand as he got up from his chair, stepping forward to embrace the young man in a firm hug.

"In this house, we don't shake hands, we hug," Brent grinned. "Can I assume you'd be OK with me adopting you?"

Tim nodded, as he stepped back from Brent. "If you're OK, I'm OK," he said with a slight smile. "What about Mom?"

"Why don't you tell her tonight? I'm willing to bet you that she'll be pretty happy too," Brent said confidently.

Brent was right. Bonnie was in tears as Tim told her about Brent's desire to make him his "official son." When they had finished a long conversation, Tim handed to phone to Brent.

"Darling, I can't tell you how much I love you. You are so incredible. Tim is a very happy boy, I can tell you. Why didn't you tell me you wanted to adopt him?" she asked finally.

"I thought it should be his decision, not something that we adults just decided for him. I didn't think I could start to direct him until we had a solid relationship. This was a start toward that goal. I'm glad it worked out so well for us. I asked him to take his time to think about it, but he didn't seem to need it."

"Of course not! How could any kid resist a dad like you," she bragged. "You will get a big reward when I get home on Friday, I promise," she said happily.

"I'll look forward to it. In the meantime, I had a talk with Mrs. Paget this afternoon, and she asked me some embarrassing questions."

"Like what?"