This is a follow up to 'Tis the Season. It has all the same characters, just a different storyline. Reading the first part might help bring you up to speed.
*
"The fuck you say. Sandy Claus. Me? Maxwell, if I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times, for a smart guy, you sure are a dumb prick."
"Come on Raj. I need your help buddy. It's just for a couple of hours at both parties, and you know that the kids will love it."
"Love it? Let me tell you something Max, they're a bunch of snot-nosed, stunned cunts. And do you know how I know? Let me tell you why. Because if you're a stunned cunt and you marry a stunned cunt, there is very little doubt that your kids will follow in your footsteps."
"Does that include me and Rebecca?"
"Well yes, and no. Yes, if the two of you were stunned cunts. No, because at worst, you're just a stupid prick. And that's what saves your ass boss, sometimes."
"Thanks for that, I guess."
"Just because I'm brown doesn't mean that I don't celebrate Christmas. Hell, I love it, but tell me how many Indian Sandy Claus's you've seen, and I don't mean the ones that piss their pants in Time Square."
"What if I promise you that Trini will sit on your lap and give you her Christmas wish list."
"Fuck that bitch. She can suck my brown candy cane. I'm still on probation for joking that I was going to sniff her chair when she wore that mini skirt with no panties last summer."
"It wasn't what you said. It's what you did."
"Fuck you Max."
"Buddy. You waited until she wasn't looking, took a picture of her snatch and then showed everyone and claimed that she was flashing you."
"Yeah, yeah, I remember, and should I forget, there is a little letter on company letterhead that's in my file to remind me. Cunt."
"Who, me or her?"
"Both. Now fuck off."
"I will, as soon as you promise me you'll be there."
"Go fuck a goat. I'll be there, but even brown kids don't think that "Santa" is brown." Raj made quotation marks above his head to get his point across when he said Santa. He had always said "Sandy Claus" for as long as I could remember, and it was unlikely to change at this stage. I kissed my buddy on the forehead and thanked him for being a team player.
"Fuck you, you goddamn homo. You better remember your promise about Trini." I was already walking away from his desk, but I took the opportunity to shoot him the bird anyway.
"You're a cunt Maxwell. A real fucking cunt. Oh, good morning Vanessa."
"Good morning Mr. Patel. I see that your anger management classes are helping."
"Yes. Yes, they are. Only 87 more hours of therapy until I'm cured. I'll be a new fucking man. Just you wait and see."
With the exception of my new job, nothing had change. Raj and I still got caught fucking around daily. Raj did have a one small indiscretion on his record, but other than that he was a good worker and much liked by the cliental that he worked with. So, many of the complaints about vulgarities were swept under the proverbial rug.
Rebecca was waiting for me at the door when I got home. In her arms was our little bundle of joy. Emma Rose Cole was born at 4:12am the morning of September 26
th
. She was expected, and on time. Rebecca's OB/GYN had picked the day early in August, and she wasn't wrong.
When spring had hit the city, the trees as well as Rebecca's belly started to bloom. It was time to find a new place for our growing family. Benjamin had suggested a small reno to his daughter's apartment, but Rebecca and I both wanted a place of our own.
Between us we had the money for a good apartment, but Beth and Benjamin wouldn't hear of their youngest child living more than a few blocks away. The Williams personal real estate broker took us apartment hunting and after narrowing it down to five potential places, we went home to make our decision.
The Williams are a tight knit family and spend a lot of time together to celebrate birthdays and holidays alike, but they are private. So, it was very much a surprise to Rebecca and me, when her parents showed up at our apartment unannounced.
I poured some wine, some bourbon and a glass of water for Rebecca and sat to talk. Both Benjamin and Beth had been to my apartment before, and not once did they comment on its size or location. I knew full well that their maid's quarters were larger than my home, but they refused to look down their noses at it.
Pulling out a portfolio, Benjamin handed both of us a folder filled with a number of property listings.
"Ralph Trucks has been working in real estate for as long as I can remember. He told your mom and I all about the places that you viewed. He took all of your dislikes and likes and threw them all into his magic computer and came up with these five properties. I know that the mortgage is a little more than you are prepared to spend on rent at this point, but Beth has some thoughts on why you should, as an investment opportunity, consider these options."
Beth started, "It's just that the places that you looked at are only 2 bedrooms. These others are 4. That way if you decide down the road that you might want a second child, you have the room. Plus, you will have a guest room."
Rebecca and I looked through the pages. We had seen these listing before, while we were in Ralph's office, but if I recalled they were not rental options, and they were way out of our price range. But currently, there wasn't a listing price to be seen anywhere.
"Mom, Max and I appreciate the generous offer that you and Dad are making, but we want to try and do this on our own. If we have to rent for a few more years and save up for a better place, we will."
Ben spoke up immediately.
"It's not a generous offer. It's a business deal. I will hold the mortgage. Max will pay it back in weekly increments. It will add up to 10% of his yearly salary."
"Dad, that would have to be the worst business deal that you ever..."