"No cellphones at the dinner table, dammit, Adam, you know the rules," Merila Teymourian-Doherty said sharply, and she flashed her family a tight-lipped smile, one that let them know in no uncertain terms that she meant business. At home and at her downtown office, Merila liked to run a tight ship, and anyone around her had to take it or leave it.
Merila's husband Matthew Doherty shot her a borderline reproachful look, but returned her smile, while their son Adam rolled his eyes and put away his cell phone. It was his first time home from Ryerson University where he'd gone to study Computer Systems Programming. Already Matthew was starting to miss his quiet apartment located close to the campus. At least over there he made the rules.
"It's good to be back, Mom, I've missed those draconian rules," Adam Doherty replied, and he finished tucking his cell phone into his pocket, then looked at his parents. Matthew clapped his son on the shoulder and nodded at his wife, silently telling her to lighten up. They hadn't seen Adam since September, and he was home for the Christmas vacation. Why spoil it with a petty disagreement over rather small things?
Matthew Doherty and his wife Merila Teymourian-Doherty had been going through something of a rough patch lately. Like a lot of couples in their age bracket, they were suffering from empty nest syndrome. On the surface, everything seemed alright. Matthew worked as a logistics director at the Ottawa International Airport, and Merila worked as a team lead in the auditors division of the Canada Revenue Agency in downtown Ottawa.
To the outside world, Matthew and Merila appeared to be living it up. They lived in a nice townhouse in a new section of the opulent Barrhaven neighborhood, not far from the local Wal-Mart, and a nearby condominium complex. When they went to church together, they were always smiling and holding hands. They volunteered at local soup kitchens once in a while. They donated to the right charities and rubbed elbows with the city elite at events like fundraising galas held at the National Arts Center. Yet they lived in their own private hell.
Matthew and Merila tried everything, from going to couples counseling to taking regular weekend outings to places like Vancouver, Kingston, and Montreal, whenever they had the time. There was a growing gulf going on between the once-happy couple, and Matthew was at his wits end trying to figure out why. He sincerely hoped that having their son Adam home would thaw things between him and his wife Merila. Indeed, he was starting to forget what her smile looked like...
"You two, play nice, I'm going to say Grace," Matthew said, and he looked at his wife, then at his son, and cleared his throat loudly. Adam rolled his eyes and Merila shook her head, then nodded. Closing his eyes, Matthew began to pray loudly, thanking the Lord for his family's safety, and their son coming home, and asking for the Lord's help in the days ahead. The whole prayer last five minutes, then Matthew opened his eyes and smiled.
"Let's eat," Adam said enthusiastically, and looked at the platters of traditional Iranian food prepared by his mother. Merila had outdone herself in honor of her only son coming home. Traditional Zereshk ( barberries ) fluffy rice and chicken, plus a serving of Western-style dishes like lasagna and meatballs, Shawarma-style sandwiches with hummus, plus lots and lots of orange juice.
"I figured my favorite guys needed a pick-me-up, it's been so quiet here," Merila said, and she sipped some orange juice in a crystal cup while looking at her husband and son, her light gray eyes growing moist. Matthew, who was about to take a bite out of a forkful of meatball put down his utensil and laid his hand on his wife's arm, nodding gently at her.
"I've missed you both, I had fun on campus at Ryerson but it's really good to be home," Adam said, echoing his father's thoughts, and Matthew beamed at his son, nodding in appreciation of his words. Matthew took a good look at his son Adam, who was his spitting image, for lack of a better term. My lad is definitely all grown up, Matthew thought with pride.
At twenty, Adam was six-foot-one, three inches shorter than his father, but much taller than his mother, who stood only five-foot-seven. His skin was light brown, and he had light gray eyes like his mother, but inherited his father's kinky dark hair, and strong chin. The young brother had his father's penchant for business and his mother's talent for deep analysis, hence why he majored in the IT field while studying at Ryerson.
"So, son, any young ladies at Ryerson you want to tell us about?" Merila asked, and Adam positively blushed while Matthew pursed his lips and looked away. A few months ago, Adam called his father after a drunken night during which he confessed to breaking up with his long-time girlfriend Shari...and admitting to a stunned Matthew that he was sexually attracted to both women and men. Yup, Adam was apparently bisexual...
"Um, there's a lot of hot girls at Ryerson, but I haven't been feeling them since Shari and I split, but, ahem, there's this guy named Josh, we are more than friends, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm bisexual," Adam said hesitantly, and he looked at his father, who nodded, while his mother dropped her fork which clattered loudly on the floor. Adam looked at his mother, and a somber, wrathful look came over Merila's lovely face.
"Adam, you are my son, and I love you, so what if you're bisexual? I still love and support you, just be safe and wrap it up," Matthew said, and he gently laid his meaty hand on Adam's shoulder. Adam looked at his father and smiled faintly, then turned to look at his mother. Merila sat there, silent as ever, and a weird little smile crept into her face.
