House Guest by Ron Dawes

“Uncle Rick? This is Tommy Bowers. Michael
Bower’s son?”
    It took Rick a moment to place the name.
Michael Bower’s was Rick’s step-brother, and he remembered that he
did have a couple of kids. Rick’s mother had married Michael’s
father when Rick was a teen-ager, but Michael had lived with his
mother, so they had only seen each other a handful of times, the
last time being at the funeral for Michael’s father, some ten years
ago. He’d probably met Tommy before, but couldn’t remember.
    “Oh, hello Tommy. Good to hear from you.
What’s the occasion?”
    “I just graduated from college in South
Carolina, and have an internship for the summer here in Dallas
before starting on my master’s degree at SMU this fall. My dad told
me that you lived in Dallas, and were family, and that I should
look you up and say hello.”
    “Well, I’m glad you did. How is your
dad?”
    “He’s doing great, and mom too.”
    “Why don’t you plan to come over tomorrow for
the afternoon, so we can get to know you. It’s been a very long
time.”
    “Sure, what time?”
    Anytime is good. Come over after lunch, and
plan to stay for dinner. We’ll be here. Give me your phone number,
and I’ll text you the address.”
    “Okay, how about I come over around
3:00?”
    “Perfect.”
    Suzi and Rick tried to remember Tommy, but
their pooled recollections came up blank. They just couldn’t
remember anything about him.”
    “Well, if he’s a young kid all alone in a new
town, it’s nice that he’ll have some family nearby,” Suzi said. “I
know if Ronnie were in the same position, I’d appreciate family
reaching out and staying in touch.”
    “Yeah, that’s what I figured too,” Rick
said.
    Rick couldn’t believe his eyes when he opened
the door. Tommy was startlingly good looking. He was about 6’3”
with wavy dark hair, perfect skin, a brilliant, white smile, very
narrow waist and broad, strong shoulders. He offered a massive
hand, and shook Rick’s hand firmly as he looked him in the eyes. He
had a deep voice.
    At twenty three, he was everything a parent
would want his son to be. As they talked, it became obvious he was
a good listener and engaging conversationalist. He always looked
adults in the eye, something that all twenty somethings don’t
always do. He deferred to his elders, talking when asked, listening
otherwise.
    They spent the next hour and a half talking
about his family, his childhood, and his studies. Tommy politely
asked about their family.
    “Ronnie is our oldest,” Suzi said. “He’s
twenty seven, married to his high school sweetheart, and living in
Chicago. They had a baby girl eighteen months ago, so we try to
visit as often as we can. Our youngest, Jason, is twenty one, and
he’s going to school at UT. He’s spending this summer off-shore on
the oil rigs, trying to make some money. So it’s just us. How old
are you, Tommy?
    “I’m twenty three.”
    “Hey Tommy, we have a couple of hours before
dinner. You want to hit the pool for a while? It’ll feel good on
such a warm day,” Rick said.
    “That sounds great, but I didn’t bring a
suit.”
    “That’s okay, we’ll find one that fits you.
Might be a bit short for you, but with the elastic waist it should
work. I’ll just get one of Ronnie’s old suits out of his closet.
You can change in the bathroom.”
    Rick found an old suit and gave it to Tommy,
directing him to the bathroom to change. Meanwhile, Rick and Suzi
went to put on their suits. Suzi picked out a relatively modest
bikini, one that she would feel comfortable in around her own boys,
and they went out their bedroom door to the back patio.
    Tommy was already in the pool, leaning his
back against the pool edge, covered up to his neck. Suzi grabbed a
visor to protect her face, and sat in her favorite chaise.
    “Do my back before you get in, please,” she
asked Rick, handing him the sunscreen.
    After he finished, he wiped off his hands and
jumped into the pool, while