Pretend You're Someone Else (Chap14) 1/3

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ID: 1727540   (Rated: 18+) Pretend You're Someone Else  A man hides a secret from his family and has no clue that his son has the same secret. by KAT26/Adrian--Published!

Chapter Fourteen is divided into three parts. This is part one.

Part Two

Chapter Fourteen

May-1992

Avoy, Georgia

Part 1/3

         Peter pushed open the French doors and walked out onto the balcony of the hotel room. Pausing at the rail, he gazed down on the heavy Atlanta traffic. For the first time in seventeen-years he craved a cigarette, the stress of the reunion was literally killing him. Thankfully, he left the habit, along with his occasional drug use back in the seventies where it belonged.

         Gazing behind him into the bedroom his eyes rested on the overnight bag lying on the bed. Zipped-up inside of it held his future. He prayed everything would work out for the best.

         Back home in Avoy, Robert had the job of keeping house. He would be staying and taking care of Peter's home for the weekend. Erich was given the most important job though. Taking him aside, Peter handed over the key to the real estate office and told him to preside over the customers until his return on Monday. His son's eyes literally lit up with shock and happiness as he took the key and slipped it in his pocket. Peter knew one day he would make a great businessman.

         All of this happened because Peter finally worked up the courage to call his mother. The only way he had to reach her was the main number on the reservation. The last time they spoke happened to be at Erich Anderson's funeral in '76. His mother called him a disappointment and a failure. A few drunken cuss words were tossed in for good measure. Peter replied by telling her she happened to be a 'queen,' the 'Queen of all Drunken Bitches."

         Refusing to even acknowledge her newborn grandson, she took her money and left. Now, seventeen-years later he needed her.

         Peter remembered how nervous he felt when dialing the number. The operator answered on the third ring. He asked for Lilly Anderson. When she wanted to know who was calling, Peter closed his eyes and whispered, "Her son."

         After a long pause which made Peter wonder if tracking down the number years ago happened to be such a fantastic idea, he heard the operator say, "One moment please."

         Somehow they connected. When his mother whispered, "Peter," over the line he almost broke-down.

         In a rush the words tumbled out. His daughter lay in a coma, his son wishing he had been born a girl, Robert, Joy, everything. He never gave her the opportunity to speak. When he finally stopped jabbering silence greeted him on the other line.

         Fighting back tears that threatened to fall because he believed she had hung-up--then her voice:

         "Peter? My beautiful, Peter!"

         This time tears came, but for another reason. His mother wanted to see him in person. They agreed to meet in Atlanta the following afternoon. Peter would buy a suite at The Hilton for the weekend.

         Arriving hours early, he deposited his bags and decided to roam the nearby streets; that's when he saw the store on Peachtree Road.

         Pushing open the familiar door, he walked in and immediately welcomed like a member of the royal family.

         "Good morning, sir. How may I be of an assistance? May I offer you some wine while you browse?"

Remembering the words his mother said to him the following night, right before their goodbyes, "I love you dear and I want you to be happy," Peter knew what he had to do in that little store.

         Two hours later the early, scorching, summer sun beat down on the city. So hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk. Peter kept his eyes trained on the taxis that would periodically turn into the driveway of the hotel, his mother would be arriving in one of them shortly.

         His mother whom he had not seen since the summer right before he turned eighteen. The last time they spoke they had purposely tried to hurt one another. Looking back, Peter painfully regretted calling his mother that horrible name. He always felt she would pass away before he had the opportunity to apologize.

         As the years quickly melted, she never called, or wrote. Peter doubted she kept a photograph. He knew she didn't have the slightest clue as to what her two grandchildren looked like. Thankfully, after their emotional conversation, she agreed to visit him in Atlanta for the weekend. Lilly didn't want to visit her old town because of the bad memories, so they agreed to the city.

         Nestled under the balcony canopy sat a wicker table with two matching chairs. Tea and scones had been prepared and currently awaited them.

         With a deep intake of breath, he glanced down and saw her---his mother! Lilly Anderson stepped out of her taxi, grayish, black hair tied behind her in a green scarf. Behind her a porter loading her suitcases on the trolley. Tears spilled over his eyes and ran down his face. He never imagined this moment would ever come. She arrived and wanted to talk to him.

         Peter caught his mother's eye when she looked up in his direction. He could tell she had been crying as well.

         With a small wave, he turned towards the hotel room.

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ID: 1754303   (Rated: 13+) Pretend You're Someone Else (Chp.14) 2/3  (This chapter is divided into 3 segments.) Peter and Robert take a look back. (1992) by KAT26/Adrian--Published!