Boreal Springs

Roman Anderson has fulfilled his goal of making a name for himself besides simply being an ‘Anderson’; now he simply needs to ensure that Gregory can fill his shoes and carry on what he started.  Cara is a bit more of a ‘feeler’ than her husband and knows there’s more on Gregory’s mind than businesses and family expectations.

Gregory is barely home a day before the grilling begins.  Roman doesn’t waste any time asking his son what’s going on with this Lydia business.

“If you’re not getting married, why does she still have the ring?”

Cara knows better than to jump to Gregory’s defense, so she sits quietly, waiting.  Gregory is silent for a moment.

“Well,” Roman insists.  “What’s going on, then?”

“It’s complicated, but I’m working on it.”

“Sweetie, you can’t force someone to marry you.  That’s not how it works,” Cara says, not quite understanding the issue.

Gregory shook his head, “I just need to talk to Lydia.  That’s all.  I’ll take care of it, just… give me some time.”

“Ha, time!  If only we all had such a luxury.” Roman sighed.  “Just make sure this mess is taken care of.  I don’t need our good family name drug through the mud because of Emma Davis.”

Despite Roman’s claims that he would be patient, Gregory knew better.  He was forced to go to all his father’s businesses and help him ‘clear his mind’.  While there, several high-society women around his own age just happened to be there, too.  Gregory was uninterested.  He would politely excuse himself and then get back to his duties.

One day, Roman left him alone at one of his newer businesses.  The employees were good and knew what to do, so Gregory was bored.  He wandered upstairs and started shooting some pool when he was joined by another.

Gordon Saunders hadn’t expected to find Gregory here.  He’d been looking for Roman.  The two had never actually met before, so Gordon was pretty sure that Gregory had no idea who he was.  He decided to play this to his advantage.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“No,” Gregory said, not bothering to look back.  He was racking up the balls.  “But I warn you, I’m a bit good at this.”

Gordon chuckled, “so am I.  Years of practice.”

“You first, then.  Let’s see what you’ve got.”

When it was finally Gregory’s turn again, he was beginning to regret letting the mysterious stranger go first.  He’d sunk nearly half of his stripes in mere moments’ time.  A tiny slip-up allowed Gregory an opening, thankfully.  He leaned against the table, sucking in a breath, checking his possible moves.

“You seem troubled.”

“A bit,” Gregory replied, distracted.  He had one good shot, but it was going to take all of his skill to execute it.  “The usual ‘young love goes bust due to a misunderstanding and an overly amorous friend’ scenario that literature and movies seem to favor so much now.”

“It isn’t always a misunderstanding.  Sometimes, the man is just trying to have his cake and eat it, too.”

Gregory laughed, “Emma will always just be a friend, that’s it.  Just a friend.  But… Lydia…”

“Not so good at talking while you shoot, are you?  Perhaps you should concentrate more,” Gordon offered, grinning behind him.  This was turning out more informative than he’d planned.

“I’m just getting frustrated thinking about it.  She knew about Lydia, I confided in her, and she used it against me.  I don’t even think I can consider her a friend anymore, especially if she’s turned Lydia against me for good.”

“Maybe you should try talking to her… Lydia, that is.  Perhaps she’ll listen.  It’s been enough time now, hasn’t it?”

“I suppose… and I’ve tried.  I mean, I’ve gone over, but never been able to actually knock.  I always leave.  I’m a coward, I know, but it’s complicated.”

“Of course it is,” Gordon said, propping himself up with his pool stick.  “It’s always complicated.  That’s the simple way of ending it, isn’t it?  It’s complicated, so I can’t be bothered.”

“Th-that’s not what I meant at all!”

“Then why haven’t you done anything about it?”

Gregory lost his shot, the cue ball smacking violently against the edge of the table and rolling useless by the ball he had intended to sink.  He sighed, closing his eyes.

“Look, kid, if you want to get through life with even a scrap of your soul left, you’ve got to be a fighter.”

“You’re not, and that’s why you’re going to lose this game,” he continued, calling his shot confidently.  He aimed it up and nailed it.  “Consider this a new beginning.  From now on, you fight to win.  You want something?  You get it.  You want this girl–this Lydia?  Then you go after her.  If she didn’t love you, she wouldn’t still be waiting, would she?  Forget about Emma.  She’s my problem.”

Gregory blinked, “what?  I didn’t mean–”

“She’s my granddaughter, Gregory.  I’ll take care of her.  She’s been running a bit too wild for my tastes, anyway,” Gordon said, putting his stick back on the rack.

“B-buh…” Gregory felt like a sudden weight had fallen on his head, “G-Gordon Saunders?”

“Have a good night,” he said, turning to leave.  “And good luck.”

Despite the fact that the pep talk came from his father’s worst enemy, Gregory found himself suddenly filled with new-found determination.  He called Lydia and lucky for him, Rosa answered.  She wasted no time putting her sister on the phone.

“Lydia, wait, before you hang up… just listen to me,” Gregory pleaded, hoping she hadn’t already thrown the phone at its cradle.

There was silence on the other end, but no dial tone.

“I just want to talk to you.  If you don’t agree and hang up on me, I’ll just come over to your house and everything will be awkward.”

She hesitated before saying, “we can meet in Aperture.”

They met at a small, scenic park in downtown Aperture.  The city was growing and had recently begun a revitalization project that involved beautifying and improving on parks and scenery.  Apartment buildings were going up all over the place as people scrambled to move into the newly renovated city center.

Lydia’s apprehension was written all over her face, but beneath it there was something else, too.  They hadn’t seen one another since University.  It was ridiculous the amount of time that had passed since then.

“I was surprised when you suggest Aperture.”

Lydia gave a small shrug, “I can’t live with my parents forever.”

Gregory tried not to let that remark sting too deeply, “are you hungry?  We can get lunch, there’s a cafe nearby…”

Lydia was hungry, so she followed Gregory to the small cafe just beside the park.  It was just as scenic, with a little deck and pond behind it.  Odd to see in the middle of downtown, but pretty all the same.

“Lydia, I’m sorry about University–”

“I’m over that,” Lydia confessed, facing him for the first time since they sat down.  “I mean, it was stupid.  I know it was Emma.  I feel bad for thinking otherwise, but, well… it’s Emma.”

Gregory felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.  He tried not to smile too much, “so, then, what’s the problem?”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think.  I care about you, a lot, but… is it enough?  I mean, if the Emma thing threw us into such a tailspin, then what next?  We’re from two different worlds.”

“Like you said, it was Emma.  Everyone knows your history with her isn’t that great.  That’s over and done with, though.  I’ll never go around her again.  I just… I don’t want to do this anymore, Lydia.  We were doing great and then, suddenly, I don’t know.  I just know that I don’t want to go through having you gone again.”

She sighed, “your father hates me, Roman.  You know he’s against us being together.  He probably thinks I want your money or something.”

“He thinks everyone wants his money.  He’s difficult, but he’s not a bad person.  Everything is just kind of crazy right now.  Once my parents are sure everything is fine, they’ll accept you.”

“I just don’t know, I don’t think I’m cut out to deal with all that… that stuff.  I wasn’t raised into it like you were.”

Gregory, taking a chance, pulled her closer and took her hand.  She was still wearing the ring.  He wasn’t necessarily surprised, but made a show of it anyway, “you’re still wearing the ring.”

“I… I didn’t want to lose it,” Lydia replied quickly, feeling a little embarassed suddenly.

“Stop making excuses, Lydia.  If you’re afraid, that’s fine… I am, too.  We’re been friends forever.  I don’t want anything to ruin that, but I love you.  I want you to be more than my friend.  At least give it… give me a chance to prove to you that it isn’t such a bad thing.”

Lydia paused, closing her eyes.  She gave his hand a squeeze and nodded firmly, “all right.  One chance, though, that’s all you get.  I’ll tell you right now, though, that I have no idea what all those forks are for.”

“Me, either,” he laughed, unable to help himself.  “I just go from the outside in.  Don’t tell my parents, though.  They’d be horrified at my lack of culture and refined learning.”

—————————–

Note from Mao: Yay, finally, these two have come together… AGAIN.  Let’s hope Gordon makes good on his promise to keep Emma otherwise engaged.  Speaking of that, Roman WAS watching one of Roman’s businesses.  He got bored, went upstairs.  Lo and behold, who should come onto the lot in the night but Gordon Saunders… who immediately joined him at pool.  Gordon has been practicing, apparently.  He kicked Gregory’s poor butt.

Given Gordon’s experience, general mindset, and overall nature, I figured it was only proper that he was telling Gregory to get off his butt and DO something.