Keith’s mood did not improve much over the weekend. In fact, it got downright nasty on Saturday afternoon when I suggested we swing by John’s place.

‘I thought you enjoyed their company,’ I said, watching his reaction.

‘Well I don’t!’ he replied shortly. ‘I have nothing in common with John.’

‘And Danny? Don’t you have anything to talk to him about?’

‘No.’

‘You got on well enough the last time I checked.’

‘Is that what you do, check up on me all the time?’

‘OK, what’s going on with you two?’

Keith ignored the question and snapped. ‘Can’t I be myself without you assessing me? What am I – some kind of … Ow!’

He yelped as I spun him around and smacked him on his behind. ‘What?’ he demanded, rubbing his hand on the sore spot angrily.

I took his hand and pulled him with me. ‘Sit down.’ I pointed to the sofa.

He threw his hands up, as if he could not imagine how unreasonable I was being, and sank down into the sofa in a huff. He folded his arms tightly across his chest, a sign that warded off unwanted questions, and that said clearly he was in no mood to communicate.

I, on the other hand, was extremely eager to communicate. In fact, I was determined to get to the root of the problem.

‘All right, tell me what’s going on? Hmm?’

Keith shrugged and folded his lips firmly together.

‘We are going to talk about this, Keith,’ I said, still patient. ‘If it were a simple problem at work I would leave you to it. But its not, is it? Look at you, snapping and jumping down my throat the whole weekend. I want to know what’s bothering you.’

‘I don’t ask you what’s bothering you at work, Dusty!’ Keith pointed out, irrelevantly I might add. ‘So why don’t you just get off my back?’

‘And I don’t come home from work in a foul temper nor take it out on my partner. I am not stressed to the point of being incapable of behaving in a civil manner whenever I mention a certain name. If I did, you certainly have every right to be asking me the same question, and I would certainly be sharing my problems with you.’ I looked at him severely and he ducked his head. ‘Now – one more time, young man. What is bothering you?’

Keith shook his head mournfully, but he seemed to be losing the battle with himself, and finally blurted out. ‘I think I’m gonna quit.’

‘What?’

‘Well, don’t ask if you are gonna get mad at what I tell you!’ Keith snapped as he jumped to his feet. ‘I knew you would not understand!’

I snagged his wrist as he tried to worm his way past me, and pulled him back. He growled and tried to shake my hand off so viciously that I smacked him a couple of times on his butt to get his attention. It did not work.

‘Stop that, Keith! I mean it. Stop it right now!’ I said in my sternest voice. Another two hard smacks and this time he stopped struggling and stood with his head down, looking miserable.

I sat down on the sofa and pulled him down on top of me, cradling him as he choked out his next words. ‘I thought about it, Dusty. Since Friday, I’ve thought about nothing else. And it’s not going to work. Its not. Really its not. I am going to tell Kathy I’m quitting first thing Monday morning.’

‘Whoa there, slow down.’ I slid him off my lap so that I could turn him around. ‘Why don’t we start at the beginning, huh? Tell me first - what is it that is not working.’

‘The job… I don’t know. The work … it’s … you know …’

‘No, I don’t know, honey. Keith, you were doing fine. Just last week, you told me you enjoyed what you were doing. You were excited to be included in that project. All that time you spent researching and writing up the report … ‘

Frankly I was stunned. I had not seen this coming.

‘Yeah, well, last week … things were better. I mean different. Look, I don’t want to discuss it any more Dusty. You asked me what’s bothering me and I told you. End of subject.’

I managed not to smile at that remark – it sounded too much like me when we were in one of those arguments that had gone on much too long, and I had to pull rank on him to shut him up.

‘Oh no, not end of subject, my boy! And since when do you decide whether or not it’s the end of the subject? Isn’t that always my job to decide, hmm?’

I could not get a smile out of him. ‘Come on, darling, why don’t you tell me what is really making you this unhappy?’ My tone was soft and coaxing.

Keith laid his head on my shoulder. ‘It’s not worth it if some people get mad at you for doing a good job. I never meant to hurt anyone. I was just doing what I was supposed to do. I can’t help it if Kathy likes my work.’

‘Ahhh …’ I said. ‘By someone, you don’t happen to mean Danny, do you?’

Keith sighed unhappily. ‘He is such an asshole.’

I tapped his thigh warningly.

‘Well he is!’ Keith insisted. ‘He can be so unreasonable. All week, he had been taking shots at me. At first, I thought my work sucked and I tried harder. I thought he was my friend. I have done everything I can think of. I even asked him for advice.’

‘And what did he tell you?’ I stroked Keith’s head, kissing his temple.

‘He said … he called me a phony!’

I frowned. I did not like that. But it would not help to fan Keith’s wrath at that moment, so instead I asked. ‘And why would he say something like that? Did you do or say something to give him that impression?’

Keith looked up in surprise at me, a little hurt. ‘What do you think, Dusty?’

‘I’m sorry, I had to ask.’ I held his face in my hands and kissed him lightly. ‘Its not that I don’t trust you, sweetheart, but that doesn’t sound like Danny at all. I wanted to see where he was coming from. Did you two have a fight?’

‘No, well, not at first. But he kept criticizing me, and passing nasty remarks, when we were alone and even sometimes during group meetings. I could tell even Kathy was surprised. Then when she reprimanded him, he got really mad.’

‘And what happened then?’

‘I asked him out to lunch.’

‘And?’

‘He wouldn’t go. I didn’t know what else to do. He wouldn’t talk to me. It didn’t feel right working with so much …. animosity. The last thing I wanted was for Kathy to think badly of him. I wasn’t trying to show him up or anything, Dusty. I wanted to do a good job, that’s all. How could he say …. ‘ he trailed off.

‘My poor darling.’ I murmured sympathetically. ‘I’m so sorry you had such a hard time of it. What did he say actually?’

Keith took a deep breath. ‘He accused me of being unprofessional, short of saying I was sucking up to Kathy to get ahead. I hated him for saying that!’

‘Was Danny having problems at work then?’

‘Don’t think so. I mean, he never said anything, and Kathy always treated him the same like anyone else. It was only when we went into this project that he became so …. strange. So competitive. Before that he was fine.’

‘OK, I get the picture. Anything else that you think might be important for me to know?’

‘Why?’ Keith sat up in a hurry, eyes narrowing. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘Relax. I just want to know the facts.’

‘You are going to call John, aren’t you?’ he said accusingly.

‘Look Keith, obviously Danny is upset with you, and from what you have told me, for all the wrong reasons. The least we can do is to find out why he is so angry and jealous – yes, Keith, it sounds like he is jealous or envious – and try to work this out with him.’ I paused, letting that sink in. ‘And I think we should go over to John’s place because I believe that is where Danny is over the weekend.’

‘Oh please don’t, Dusty! I have already decided that I am going to quit. I don’t need to work anything out with Danny, believe me, I don’t need to and I don’t want to. Please don’t ask him about this, Dusty. Please don’t!’

‘Is that how little you value his friendship, Keith? You would just leave this hanging and never see him again?’

‘YES!’

I sighed with exasperation. ‘No, Keith. That is not how we treat our friends. I know, ‘I held up my hand as Keith opened his mouth to protest, ‘I know, he has not been fair to you. But I am talking about how YOU treat your friends, how WE treat our friends, not him. And there’s no way I am going to leave this unsettled. John and I are not about to hang our friendship out on a limb just because of this. We are not going to stop seeing one another or being friends just because of this little misunderstanding. OK? So we are going to go over and sort this thing out with …’

‘No! I won’t go! I am not the one who started this. He did. He is the one in the wrong! Why do I have to go over to him now, like I need him. I don’t! He can go to hell for all I care. I don’t need his friendship and I don’t need this job. I told you, I’m quitting!’

‘Keith Fenton!’ I said sternly.

‘He does not want to talk to me, don’t you understand? He won’t speak with me!’

I had not seen Keith this worked up in a long time. I caught hold of him and trapped his hands in between mine. ‘Keith, first of all, you are NOT quitting. No way are you doing that! You don’t quit just because of one little bump along the road.’

‘But I don’t need the job, Dusty. I don’t need the money, I don’t need this crap!’

‘It’s not about the money. Never was. And you know it too. Now, calm down and listen to me. I won’t make you come with me if you don’t want to. I’ll go alone. Just to talk to Danny and see why he’s upset. In fact, I think it might be better for me to go talk to Danny alone first and try to find out what’s bugging him.’

Keith still shook his head at me, getting more and more cross at not getting his way. ‘Don’t go,’ he muttered. ‘Please?’

‘I want you to stay here, and get yourself under control. I understand how frustrated you are, but like I said, this is just a misunderstanding. I want you to think this through rationally. We’ll work it out, but first we need to understand things from Danny’s point of view. Since he won’t talk to you, maybe he will open up to me. OK? Are you listening to me, Keith?’

‘I don’t understand why …’ Keith squeaked suddenly, his voice breaking. He began pummeling me with his fist and his eyes were suspiciously bright. ‘Why can’t you just let it go? Why can’t you …’

I fended off his punches; Keith was a strong and they hurt!

‘Don’t make me have to spank you before I leave, Keith.’ I said somberly and he quieted down at my tone. ‘Enough tantrums young man. What did I just tell you?’

When nothing was forthcoming, I repeated sternly. ‘Stay here. Wait for me. Calm down. No more tantrums. Understand?’

He sniffed and turned away. I sighed, laid my chin on his head and said softly. ‘Baby, don’t do this to yourself. You enjoy the work, you love the job. Don’t quit just because of this one hitch. Lots of things are going to go wrong in our lives. We can’t quit every time something goes wrong, can we? Hmm?’

We sat together for a few minutes longer, then I got up. ‘I’m going to call John and tell him I’m coming over.’

`Go ahead!’ he said spitefully and I restrained myself from smacking him again.

I went into the study to make the call. John answered wearily. ‘Hi Dusty, I was about to call you myself.’

I grunted. ‘Danny been spilling his guts?’

‘Something like that. Pair of brats, that’s what they are! What are we going to do about them?’
‘I thought I would come over and speak with Danny. Is he around?’

‘Sure, come on over.’ John invited readily enough. ‘I’ll be glad to talk to someone sane AND civil around here.’

I laughed. ‘Be there in fifteen. See ya!’

Keith was still sitting on the exact spot where I left him, staring moodily at the floor. He shrunk further into himself as I came back into the room, indicating clearly his displeasure.

‘Sweetheart, I’m going over to John’s now.’

‘I can’t stop you, can I?’ he asked tragically.

This time I rolled my eyes. ‘Is this really necessary?’

‘Don’t expect me to be here when you come back.’ A direct challenge.

I stopped in my tracks and waked purposefully back to the sofa. I reached down and gently lifted Keith’s chin up with a finger. ‘Listen to me, kiddo. If you are not here when I get back, or if I find that you have stepped out of the house while I was gone, you are going to be extremely sorry.’ His blue eyes stared into mine. ‘Do you understand me?’ I asked softly.

I felt him tremble and finally give a small nod. ‘Yes,’ he whispered.

‘Good.’ I said, in a tone which indicated how serious I was. I hesitated about leaving him alone, but I knew that staying back would mean I had played right into his manipulating hands. Instead I gave him a long look for good measure, hoping it would suffice to keep him in place, before I silently let myself out of the house.


* * *