GEMINI.
The tour of the Crestwood Greens was brief but impressive. Phillip Sinclair, the owner of the place—moved with an easy authority, pointing out the immaculate pro shop, the exclusive member's lounge, and the massive, glittering kitchen. The whole facility hummed with wealth, reminding me that every moment Percy is an adventure into the lives of the ultra rich.
When the tour was done, Phillip insisted we eat dinner right there in the almost-empty clubhouse dining room. A waiter, moving silently and efficiently, brought out an array of incredible dishes. As soon as the food was on the table, Phillip's focus shifted entirely to making sure I was eating.
"Try this ahi tuna, kid. It's fresh today. And you absolutely must have some of the lobster bisque," he urged, gesturing to a bowl. He then spooned a generous helping of a complex-looking potato gratin onto my plate.
I just stared at the sheer volume of food being offered, a familiar feeling of bewilderment creeping in. I couldn't help but voice the strange thought that was nagging at me.
"Mr. Sinclair, I have to ask," I began, picking up my fork. "Is there a family tradition I should know about?"
He looked at his nephew first and Percy simply shrugged, indicating he had no idea what I was talking about before turning to look at me with a funny expression as he asked...
"A family tradition? Not that I know of, why do you ask?"
"Because I've noticed that the men in your family are absolutely hell-bent on feeding me. Pardon my language!" I added quickly when I realized what I'd said and Phillip threw his head back and laughed—a rich, booming sound that was quite infectious.
"Ah, Percy must've started you on that, did he? Well, it's partially a family trait, I suppose. My mother, his grandmother, believed the solution to all problems was a good meal. But in Percy's case. I think he just worries you don't eat enough on your own." he replied looking at me with a glint in his eyes and I immediately wrapped my hands around, becoming all self-conscious which only made him laugh and Percy just gave me a knowing smile.
He just suggested I'm skinny too, didn't he?
As we ate, Phillip seemed keen to learn more about me. "So, tell me, Gemini. How did you meet my grumpy nephew? Because I know he's not one for making friends easily." Percy didn't even react to his words which only made me chuckle. I'm really happy I get to recount this story to someone other than Ohio.
"It was actually quite awkward and totally unexpected. It happened shortly after I started at the university. I was in the library, excited about some books I found, and I accidentally woke Percy up—I really didn't know anyone was there." I paused, looking at Percy who nodded gently. "I apologized, ran away, and went straight to my part-time job. A few minutes later, Percy was just…there, in the store. I really thought he was going to hurt me, but he bought tampons, told me to wait for him after my shift, and then didn't say another word. Just left."
Phillip leaned forward, eyes gleaming with interest. "And that was it?"
"Nope," I continued, smiling at the memory. "He came back after my shift. I followed him to his car, where I met Penelope, and then we went to a restaurant. He just silently put a plate of food in front of me and told me to eat. It happened a few more times after that day. I thought, and I swear I thought this for days, that I was being fattened up for slaughter."
Phillip nearly choked on his water, dissolving into another fit of genuine, rumbling laughter. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, shaking his head.
"Oh, that is absolutely glorious! Fattened up for slaughter!" he managed to gasp out. "I can completely understand why you'd think that, my boy. That is classic Percy. He is utterly hopeless when it comes to expressing care verbally or, God forbid, exhibiting standard social grace. So, he defaults to acts of service—specifically, feeding you. He's trying to be a good friend, kid, he just lacks the necessary social software for it."
I felt a strange sense of vindication and understanding about what I'd been struggling with for weeks wash over me as I heard the explanation from a family member. It was exactly what I had suspected.
"So all the meals, the rides, the gifts like...a new phone and laptop, and now this job. It's all just his way of saying, 'we should be friends?' He takes care of his friends?"
"Precisely," Phillip confirmed, nodding vigorously. "And speaking of laptops, my son Mark. He's good with those, if you ever need help just let me know."
I felt my cheeks warm again. "Yeah, about that…I've already met Mark. He helped with my old laptop before Percy got me a new one."
"Oh, wow! Small world indeed," Phillip said, bewilderment evident in his voice. After a while he continued. "I'm really glad you two met, kid. Percy might not be much of a talker but I can tell he really care about you. Be good to him."
As we finished our meals, the overwhelming sense of being an outsider I'd walked in with vanished, replaced by a small feeling of being seen and understood—not just by Percy, but by his generous, food-obsessed family members.
The drive back to Percy's place after dinner at the Crestwood Greens was infused with warmth. Learning the complex truth about the Moore/Sinclair family, and finally understanding the strange reason behind Percy's generosity, had eased a massive weight from my shoulders. I no longer feel like the charity case; I was simply a friend being cared for in a very unique, high-end way.
The car was quiet, the darkness outside broken only by the passing streetlights. Percy, however, broke the silence with a rare, observational question.
"So," he began, his voice low. "You mentioned to my uncle that when we first met, you thought I was going to hurt you?"
I winced slightly, chuckling nervously. "Yeah, I did. I guess the truth finally had to come out."
He paused, then added, "You also mentioned you were scared of me."
I sighed, leaning my head back against the leather seat. It was time to be honest. "Truth be told, Percy, I was scared of everyone at the start of school. Especially people like you, Mark, and even Ohio, in the beginning. Everyone here seemed… richer, bigger, and just generally more intimidating than me." I turned my head to look at him, summarizing the root of my initial anxiety.
"I was terrified that I didn't know the social rules of a place like this, and I didn't know when or how I would offend someone dangerous. I heard a lot of rumors, and some turned out to be true. I was just trying to keep my head down and not make waves."
"But you're okay now?" Percy asked, his eyes briefly meeting mine before returning to the road.
"I am," I confirmed, a genuine smile forming. "And that's thanks to you, actually. You showed me that not everyone is as dangerous as they look. I realized that even people with a serious demeanor and tons of money can be…fun and kind, even if they don't express it the right way."
Percy was quiet for a bit too long. Then, his eyes flickered to mine, a dark, intense look I couldn't quite decipher. A slow, subtle smirk—something I'd never seen before—pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"That's where you're wrong, Gemini," he said, his voice dropping slightly, laced with an unexpected, humor, at least I think it's humor. "I'm exactly as dangerous as I look. You should probably run away while you still can."
I burst out laughing, completely surprised. "What? You? No way! You just spent an hour getting me a job and making sure I ate the fish you personally selected. That is not dangerous behavior, Percy!"
"It's deceptively dangerous," he countered, though the smirk remained. "Don't let the lobster bisque and the gifts fool you. I just happen to be selectively dangerous."
I continued laughing, my relief overwhelming the mock-threat. "Wow, Percy. You actually make jokes! I didn't know you could do that."
"There are many things you don't know about me," he replied simply, turning into the lane that leads to his house.
The rest of the ride home was light and nice, the atmosphere between us warmer than ever. Once inside the house, the new ease continued. We went through our nightly routine—I headed to the bathroom to freshen up while he got us a change of clothes.
Soon, we were both preparing for bed in the comfortable, shared silence of his bedroom. I slipped under the soft covers, and a moment later, I heard the familiar rustle as Percy climbed into the bed and I immediately felt his familiar body heat close to mine. The day had been long, but as I drifted off to sleep, surrounded by Percy's scent and presence, I felt safer and more settled than I had.