Different Circles

“No, not really,” he said, doing a little truth-fudging again. In reality, he believed that letting everyone who wanted a gun have one had been a mistake back in the beginning, but there wasn’t much that could be done about it at this point—not with a couple hundred million of the things circulating around the country. He was pretty sure that Joey would not be sympathetic to that point of view, however, and he did not want to debate the issue upon first meeting the man.

“Maybe we’ll go hit the range while you’re here then,” Joey suggested. “I’ve got two AR-15s, an AK-47, and a .44 Magnum in addition to all my hunting rifles. You up for that?”

“Uh ... yeah, sure,” Jake said, actually finding the idea of firing guns appealing on some level. “I’d appreciate it.”

“We’ll do it then,” Joey promised. “And then, when we’re done, I’ll teach you how to clean them.”

“Sounds good,” Jake said.

After finishing their second beers, Jake, Laura, and Joey went out to the Jeep and carried in all of their luggage.

“I see you brought your guitar with you,” Joey said as he hefted the case.

“Yeah,” Jake said with a sigh. “I was hopeful about maybe working on some new material while we’re traveling, but ... well ... so far I haven’t even opened the case a single time.”

“If playing your guitar is your job,” Joey suggested, “then maybe you shouldn’t be bringing it with you. I don’t go looking to drive a garbage truck around when I’m down in the city or out in the woods.”

“That is a good point,” Jake had to admit.

The room they were to stay in was tiny, smaller than the smallest guest bedroom in any of their houses. There were two twin beds and a dresser. There were a few posters on one wall—Celia Valdez was one, New Kids on the Block was another—and some watercolor paintings of landscapes and animals on another. There was a single window that opened out to the back yard. A bunch of stuffed animals were piled at the foot of one of the beds.

“I’m sure it’s not quite what you’re used to,” Joey said, “but it’s a place to lay your head.”

“It’ll be fine,” Jake said, wondering if they would be able to push the beds together. They sure as hell were not going to both fit in one of them. He then pointed to the watercolors. “Who did that?”

“Gracie painted those,” Joey said proudly. “She’s always been real good with sketching and drawing and painting.”

“They’re very well done,” Jake said.

“They should be,” he said. “She spends about all of her free time working on them. She’s very shy, our Gracie, as I’m sure you noticed.”

“I did,” Jake said. Grace had, in fact, not said a single word in their presence since they arrived.

“This is how she expresses herself,” he said. “I guess there’s worse ways to find an outlet, huh?”

Jake agreed that this was very true.

Joey’s oldest child, Brian, arrived a few minutes later, his new wife and baby with him. Brian looked like a younger version of his father. He had brown hair, wore a mustache and a goatee, and was dressed in jeans and a pullover shirt. His wife, Julie, was a tiny little thing, even smaller than Laura. She had reddish-brown hair and a pretty face. She too wore jeans and a pullover shirt. In her arms was a baby boy dressed in a warm, cozy onesie. Everett was his name and he had a dusting of copper hair that was almost as bright as Laura’s.

“Oh my god!” Laura exclaimed when she saw Brian walk into the room. “Look at you! All grown up and married now. The last time I saw you, you weren’t even walking yet!”

“I don’t actually remember you,” Brian said apologetically. “I’ve heard about you all my life, especially these last few years.”

“I used to change your diapers,” Laura said with a giggle. “Come here, give me a hug.”

He gave her a hug and then introduced his wife and child. Laura immediately asked to hold the baby and Julie handed him over without hesitation. Only then did it occur to Laura to introduce her husband to the newcomers.

“Nice to meet you,” Jake said, shaking hands with Brian.

“It’s incredible to meet you, Jake,” he said. “I’ve listened to you all my life. I’ve known that you were part of our family—you know, in a way—but I never thought I’d get to actually be face to face with you.”

“I’m just an ordinary person like everyone else,” Jake assured him. “Laura too.”

“He does put his pants on two legs at a time though,” Laura said, getting a laugh from all assembled.

“You’re not supposed to tell people that,” Jake replied.

Jake then shook hands with Julie. She did not seem quite as awed to be in his presence as her husband, but she did seem intimidated to some degree. Jake eased her mind with a little humor. “I think you might want to make it clear to Laura that she does have to give the baby back at some point.”

“No way,” Laura said. “He’s mine now. Look at these chubby little legs!”