Good Gravy

By Roger Arsht

Read previous episodes here.

     The evening couldn’t have been more pleasant. Richard was in great spirits and Alex played his well-practiced role as the younger brother with gusto. Annie learned a great deal about Richard as Alex shared story after story about their childhood. The only downside was the occasional mess that Lina produced on the deck and on people’s laps. Everyone eventually asked Cathy and Annie to stop apologizing for not getting a mat where the puppy could learn to do her business or a kennel so that they could confine her. 

     “Which reminds me” Alex said with a wry smile. “Someone else had a problem with having accidents when he was a child.” 

     “Don’t do it,” Richard said emphatically. “I can share just as many embarrassing anecdotes about you.” 

     Annie left the brothers to settle their differences. She went into the galley and pulled a lasagna from the oven. Richard and Alex raced like lemmings to find the origin of the delightful aroma.  

     “What is that?” Alex asked excitedly. 

     “It’s one of my family’s favorites. It’s a lasagna made with sauteed mushrooms, deep-fried eggplant, ricotta, fresh herbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and my family’s famous gravy.” 

     “You did all that since you got back?” Richard asked. 

     “No. I taught Cathy how to make the gravy,” Annie said with a laugh. “Give me a couple of months and I’ll teach her to make incredible Italian cuisine.” 

     “What the hell is gravy?” Alex asked. “Are we having turkey?” 

     Annie rolled her eyes. “It’s what Italians call marinara sauce. We rushed it a little. It could simmer for a few more hours.” 

     “I’m sure it’s going to be great.” Richard’s interjection was intended to stop Alex from asking any more embarrassing questions. 

     “We’ve also got meatballs made from veal, beef, and pork.” Annie said while shooing the men out of the galley. “I’ve got to grille some romaine and then we can eat. You two go set the table and pick out a bottle of wine.” 

     Alex and Richard looked at Annie with puzzled expressions. “We…” 

     “Tonight you’re going to help.” Annie said firmly. “Ed and Cathy are joining us for dinner. They’ve worked hard all day. You two know how to set a table. Now go do it. You weren’t always a famous author and you weren’t always a Manhattan lawyer.” 

     Annie could see that Richard wasn’t smiling when he left the galley, and she was sure he was even less amused when she yelled that the two brothers needed fill everyone’s water glasses.” 

     The dinner conversation was spirited as Ed and Annie discussed what ship functions they thought could and couldn’t be fixed at sea. Cathy and Ed shared their experiences in the Navy and what types of repairs they had made on the fly. The conversation was going so well that Cathy forgot about Richard’s sensitivity to stories about storms. She described how a series of wind gusts ripped a communications mast off her destroyer. Richard stood suddenly and excused himself from the table. Ed rose to follow Richard. Annie politely asked him to sit down and finish his dinner. Annie followed Richard downstairs to his stateroom. She caught up to him just before he was going to close the door. 

     “What are you doing?” Annie asked him as she pushed the door open and followed him into the stateroom.” 

     “I need to be alone.” 

     “Why?” Annie asked with a twinge of skepticism in her voice. 

     “Cathy’s story…it’s upsetting. It causes me to remember…” 

     “It was her ship that suffered damage, not yours.” When Richard didn’t say anything, Annie continued. “Are you sure you weren’t more upset that the conversation had little to do with you or your writing. Tonight, you and Alex needed to sit on the sidelines and listen to others tell their stories. Which by the way, were quite interesting.” 

     “This is a yacht. Cathy and Ed are paid to perform their duties. They don’t need you fixing a thruster or its control unit. They aren’t paid to have dinner with us. They aren’t paid to go on road trips to buy a dog.” Cathy could see that Richard had been passively assembling a list of grievances. 

     “Are they paid to care for you when you are having a depressive episode? Are they paid to help you when you can barely walk? Do you realize that you’re exhausting at times?” 

     “They’re caring people.” 

     “Exactly. They go above and beyond what is expected because they’re good people. They want to help you. They want to see you recover from the trauma you endured.” 

     “I do my best writing during those depressive episodes. They also know that my books pay for this yacht and their salaries.” 

     “You think they give a lick about what they make. There are a thousand yacht owners who would hire them in a minute and pay more. They’re extremely competent. That’s a rare quality.” 

     “You have an answer for everything.” Richard looked at her with anger in his eyes. “You’re changing things. Alex and I don’t set the table and we don’t fill water glasses. Cathy and Ed are paid to…”  

     “I’m not doing anything. You created this abomination masquerading as a rich man’s paradise. It could be wonderful but that depends on you. You can start engaging with people or you can continue being aloof. I don’t think anyone has challenged you for so long that you think you’re always right.”  

     With that last admonition from Annie, Richard found himself looking at the closed door of his stateroom. “Not since the last time you told me I was wrong.” Richard mumbled to himself. 

     Cathy, Ed, Alex, and Annie sat quietly and finished their dinners. The situation was awkward because none of them knew how Richard was going to do react. Ten minutes after he left, Richard returned to the table and began eating again. “Cathy, you were telling us about a storm that damaged…what was it…a communications mast.” 

     “Yes, that’s what it was.” 

     “I’m sorry. I interrupted. Please continue.” Cathy was about to begin when Richard stopped her. “One more thing. When dinner is over, I think you should all have dessert and coffee on deck. Alex and I have got the dishes tonight.” Richard said with a smile that was clearly directed at Annie all the while ignoring the protests coming from his younger brother.