CHAPTER SIXTEEN 2003

“Mom, I have a thing going with Marlene and the pep squad this weekend. I know da—Uncle David will understand,” said Jenna. Her mother nodded. This would be the fourth time in the past several months that she had missed her weekend with her Uncle David. Stacey was concerned about him going off on her. She was sure he was going to blame her or Ronald for Jenna’s neglect. But, she was certain that it was her ex-husband’s whininess and depressed state that was driving a wedge between him and Jenna.

“Okay, okay, but your uncle is going to be upset; I hope you know that,” said Stacey.

“No he won’t, mom. I’ll call him and explain things to him. Okay?” said Jenna.

“Okay, I guess. I’m not going to force you to go, but you best call him like you said,” she said.

“I will, I will,” said Jenna.

******

The call from my daughter was short, to the point, and hurtful. I was beginning to get the message that she wanted to be with me less and less. Gee, I wonder why that might be! The obvious answer to why was my exes’ influence, my ex-wife’s and my ex-brother’s. I think they actually despised me and no doubt wished I would just disappear. I was sure she was thinking that way if not him. But, I was not going to disappear. I was at the least going to be a thorn in their collective sides for the duration. Oh yeah. I was about to call her and tell her what I was thinking and what I intended to do about it, but, then she took matters into her own hands: she showed up at the warehouse, at lunch time.

“Whaddya say, David, let me take you to lunch?” she said. I stared at her as at an apparition, a ghost. There’d been a time when she would show up at the warehouse at lunch time maybe once every couple of weeks, and I’d be taking her to lunch. It was always a small surprise, her showing up, and a pleasant one. This one figured to not be a pleasant one, but she said she’d be payin’ and what the hell, a free lunch was a free lunch.

“Yeah, sure if you’re payin’,” I said.

“Let’s go. I’ll drive,” she said.

“We’re going to Denny’s?” I said.

“Whatever,” she said. Denny’s used to be our lunch destination of choice. I was sure she’d moved up in class since she’d dumped me and married my rich brother, but as to that maybe not.

We were able to get a booth at the back away from the foot traffic if not the buzz from the lunch crowd.

“Been a long time,” she said.

“Yes, that’s so,” I said.

“We should do this once in a while,” she said. “I mean if you’d be amenable.” I didn’t respond, to her offer.

“Why are we here, Stacey? I mean besides to have lunch,” I said.

She sighed. Just then the waitress came up with the menus and asked what we wanted to drink. The interruption was timely, I guess, from her point of view. We ordered our ice teas and took up the menus to scan for what appealed to us.

Menus down. She folded her hands in front of her and gazed purposefully at me. “We need to get along, David. This endless cold war we’re engaged in isn’t useful,” she said.

“Why?” I said.

“Why what?” she said.

“Why do we have to get along? You’ve gotten Jenna to almost write me off. I know it’s you. She doesn’t even want to come to my place anymore, that’s obvious,” I said. “You’ve got her brainwashed, you and my asshole ex-brother. The way I see it, you’ve won. Be happy.”

“Goddamn it, David, we have not brainwashed or tried to brainwash Jenna. You are right about one thing though; she really isn’t thrilled to go to your place anymore. But it’s you not us that is causing her reticence! Get that, big guy. It’s your doing!”

“Oh yeah, right,” I said. “You’re not plying her with an endless parade of goodies. You’re not taking her places I could never afford. You’re not enticing her with memberships in country clubs and who knows what else. You’re buying her and spoiling her, Stacey, it’s so obvious that it should be embarrassing even for you!"

“Oh, and I’ll have a patty-melt and a double order of fries. I mean if you can afford it,” I said.

“No problem, big guy. I can afford it. I’m rich as you keep reminding me,” she said, more or less sarcastically. I smiled a sardonic smile; I felt like I’d stung her, well, a little.

We ate mostly in silence. And, oddly it was more or less pleasant in spite of the tension between us. Lunch done she ordered us coffees. I smiled my appreciation.

“Lighten up when you are with her, David. She’ll want to be around you then. Just like in the old days,” she said.

“Except you’re trying to sell her on the fact that I’m only an uncle; kinda puts the kibosh on things getting back to anything like the old days. You know those days when I was a daddy!” I said, my voice rising a decibel or two. She looked away, and then she looked back at me. She seemed determined.

“David, it is what it is. You are in fact her blood, but her uncle, not her father. Why is that so hard for you to accept can I ask,” she said.

“Are you serious!” I said.

“David, we all love you. As far as I’m concerned you will always be a part of our family. But, things are different now. You can call yourself whatever you want, but the reality is what it is. If you could just get by your stubborn . . .”

“Fuck you, Stacey. I’m going.” I got up and marched out. I’d hoof it the mile and a half back to the warehouse. I didn’t want to stink up her fancy ride. And just like that I was no longer mellowed out.

******

The buzzer in the warehouse sounded as usual at 5:00PM. I had been thinking of the things my ex-wife had said at lunch. How it was my fault that I was losing my daughter. After my hard breathing and spit dribbling rage passed, I calmed down. I had to allow, grudgingly allow, that some of what she’d said might be so. I needed a second opinion. I headed for the Embassy.

I knew Madeleine’s shift ended at 6:00PM: she was the day manager anymore. Too old now, as she told me, to do the pole thing. For the record I disagreed with her assessment of her suitability to do the pole thing, but she’d just laughed when I’d voiced my more than defensible opinion.

“Well, well, well,” she said, coming up to me as I took my seat at the bar. I get off in half an hour. You here to take me to dinner big boy?”

“That would be a big ass affirmative,” I said.

“Well good. A half hour then. Want a drink to tide you over?”

“Just a coffee if you have any back there,” I said.

“Probably down to the dregs by now, but I won’t charge you for them. Be right back,” she said.

She delivered the coffee; it wasn’t too bad just a little strong. She wandered off after that to do her shift closeout.

We were on the road less than thirty minutes later. The Holiday Inn, the same one Nathan Ferguson and I had met at was our destination of choice. The buffet was going to be just what the doctor ordered, so Madeleine assured me.

Entering we paid and made the gastronomic tour filling our plates with the night’s offerings.

We were half way through our meal, and well into the most mundane of conversations when I felt something strange, a presence. But, I couldn’t define or identify it. But there was something. Or, maybe somebody, yes, somebody watching us. That’s what it felt like. I looked around.

“David?” said Madeleine.

“I’m not sure, but I feel like we’re being watched,” I said. She looked around. Other patrons were talking, eating, consorting, but no one was apparently watching us; none that I could see at any rate. I gave up the search cursory as it was.

“My imagination,” I said. “Had to be.” My dinner mate snickered.

“Hmm, maybe,” she said.

“What are you doing next Saturday evening?” I said. Saturday was two days hence.

“Nothing. You asking me out?” she said.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” I said.

“Okay,” she said. “I haven’t been getting a lot of requests for my company in recent times. So yes.”

“Good,” I said.

******

“You’re kidding,” said Ronald.

“No, I’m not. Shocked me too,” she said. I was just leaving after having had dinner with Sarah Laughlin. She and I are almost done with the plans for the church fundraiser.

“Anyway, I, none of us, have seen her in a lot of years. I almost didn’t recognize her. But, she still looks good, just more mature. She looked to be sixteen when you were married to her.”

“Well, they’re both adults. Maybe she’ll let him get his rocks off. Might help him to lighten up about things,” said Ronald.

“Hmm, if only it were that simple,” said Stacey. “Let the wimpy little shit have some ego resurrecting pussy, and he stops his insufferable whining? What a delightful thought. Jenna is not the only one who’s tired of the whining.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he said.

“No guessing about it. Lately every time I drop her off at that place of his he gets in a little dig. Jenna picks up on it too. She’s told me that I should say something to him. I do that of course whenever I can, but I avoid her seeing me do it. I am at my wits end trying to not compound the problem,” she said.

“Yeah, I understand,” he said. “He’s still hurt real bad, and we hurt him, but he does have to get over his anger. I mean it’s been forever! I’ve decided, and yes it’s me doing the deciding here: we gotta let him keep his place as a daddy of sorts. It may not do any good, but it’s worth a try.

“I’ll talk to Jenna about it myself,” he said. She nodded. “I think she calls him daddy about half of the time anyway.”

“Yeah, I think she does,” she said. “I really did think that him switching roles with you would make it easier for her to see you as her daddy. I thought, I was afraid, that if we didn’t do it, switch roles, that you would always be second in line. I still think it could go that way if we blow it,” she said. “Ron, I don’t want you to be second in line. You deserve to be her dad, every bit as real a dad as David ever was. I know you suffered all of those years. It’s time for you to take your rightful place as her father, as you have as my husband.”

“I want that, Stacey, I won’t kid you; but, we’ve got to end this familial war first. It’s giving me ulcers for crying out loud, and I’m not kidding. I didn’t tell you, but I went to the doctor’s the other day. I’ve been having trouble peein’ and I do have the beginning of a peptic ulcer and maybe kidney problems. I know that at least the ulcer is stress related. Stress caused by our community nit wit!” he said.

She laughed. “Yeah, well he is pretty dumb when one gets down to it. He could be marginally rich if he didn’t have such an insufferable ego. Me dumping him hurt him; I completely understand that, and he had a right to be angry and all; but it’s long past the time for him to be getting a life and dumping all of the anger and bitterness that is ruining him and discomfiting the rest of us,” she said.

“I couldn’t have said it better,” said Ronald.

“This is how we’re going to do it,” he said. He laid out the plan and she smiled her agreement with him.

“Yes, I think your idea is likely the best we can do to get him to start getting with the program,” she said. “Anyway, it can’t hurt. He still won’t be happy with us, but he might lighten up a little, so we can all at least get along.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 2003

“I am dropping you at your daddy David’s, right?” said Stacey.

“Yes, yes, Mom I’m willing to see his complaintmanship this weekend. He’s taking me to the movies. At least I get to choose. Not much fun, but better than sitting around waiting for him to complain or ask stupid questions all the time,” said Jenna.

“Jenna, don’t be that way. It’ll be relaxing for you. You could use a little of that, time to relax. You and those friends of yours are gone too much these days,” said Stacey.

“Okay, mom, okay,” said Jenna.

“You’re calling him dad now aren’t you?” asked Stacey. “You know like me and daddy Ron asked you too.”

“Yes, yes, I’m calling him dad. He acts more like a kid brother though. Can I call him kid!” said Jenna, laughing at her own attempt at humor. Her mother gave her a look.

“Jenna, stop it. If you’re having problems with your unc—dad, tell him what’s on your mind. But for godssake stop all of the nonsense. Okay?” said Stacey.

“Okay, okay,” said Jenna. “I was only kidding.”

“Okay, get your stuff together; we’ll be leaving in half an hour,” said Stacey.

******

I saw her pull into the lot in front of my apartment building. That was usual whenever she delivered Jenna. What was not usual anymore was the fact that she was getting out and following Jenna up to my place. Usually she just dropped her and waited till Jenna got to my door before she pulled out and away. Well heck, that’s fair for sure because that’s pretty much what I did too.

“Hello, David,” she said. I looked at her. I didn’t scowl.

“Hello,” I said. “Something wrong?”

“No, I just thought I’d come up and say hello, maybe sit down with you for little bit,” she said.

“Huh? Sit down with me?” I said. “I mean our little lunch at Denny’s, not so long ago, didn’t work out so well. Why would you want to continue the game?”

“No good reason. Just thought it might be a good idea, and that was then this is now,” she said. She glanced over at Jenna.

“Dad, talk to mom, okay,” said Jenna. I nodded and stood back from the open door to allow them in. I did note that Jenna calling me dad did not seem to grate on my ex; I wondered about that.

The woman had never been inside my place before and only a few times as far as the door. I wasn’t exactly ashamed of my digs, but I knew they suffered majorly in comparison to where she was living now.

“Nice place,” she said.

“Have a seat,” I said. “Want a cup of coffee, a soft drink?”

“Coffee would be nice,” she said. “I mean if it’s already made. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“No bother, I said. I was playing this little tableau by ear. She and I had not had a civil, or at best, a barely civil word to say to each other in quite a while. But this, now . . .

Jenna disappeared down the hall. Putting away her stuff, I supposed. I headed into the kitchen. I did have to make a new pot of coffee. I started it perking and went back in to her.

“How have you been, David?” she said, as I reemerged. I had a really hinky feeling with her being so, something.

“Okay. The coffee will be a few minutes. I made a new pot,” I said.

“Dave, I know this may seem a little strange me being here, sitting here, given everything. But, I just wanted to see you, talk to you a little bit. It was a spur of the moment decision; I made it in the car on the way over.

“I have to say; I was afraid, well anyway, I decided to risk it,” she said. I had to smile.

“Really,” I said.

“You’re smiling can I count that as a good thing?” she said.

“I guess. But . . .”

“Yeah me either,” she said, reading my mind. “I mean I’m not sure how to act either.”

Yep, she was reading my mind. Well we had been married a long time. I guess she knew me even if, in the final analysis, that I hadn’t really known her.

“You’re going to the movies?” she said.

“Yeah, Jenna likes ‘em, I try to do things she likes when I can,” I said.

“Oh, okay,” she said. “Good.”

We talked for some little time. And yes, I did remember the coffee, and we did have a cup. Nothing we talked about was of any importance, but it was the first time in a long time that we’d communicated. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. But, point for her team, I guess. She’d gotten me to not go off on her.

“You and mom talked,” said Jenna, emerging from the back room, her room, for the first time since she’d, they’d, arrived. I had the thought that she’d hung back and listened in, but I didn’t ask or push it.

“Yes, a little, as you saw, I’m sure. Was that your idea?” I said.

“No. I was kinda surprised too, I guess,” said Jenna. I nodded.

Strange, the whole scene had been strange. Was there a thaw in our relations? Not really, it was kind of like opposing armies having a Christmas grog together but then going back to their respective trenches to continue the fight.

What was not so strange, though it would have been in the old days, was Jenna’s attitude toward money and the things that money could buy. Anymore, she was always showing up with some new trinket, machine, wardrobe item, something; “always” being the operative term. I couldn’t match the two cheaters’ financial resources, but I did try to do things with Jenna that she liked. I knew she especially liked chick-flicks so we saw a lot of them. Boring for me, but her thing, so we went to see them.

The one thing that bugged me was that damn phone Jenna had. It was state of the art of course, and almost always in use. I wanted to toss the thing into the deep blue sea, but it was the one thing that had almost religious appeal to her. And, her conversations with her friends were all but endless, secretive, and generally hilarious in content if the giggling and outright hysterics I was witness to on Jenna’s end were any indication. And, when I say I witnessed such demonstrations, I mean that I witnessed her hilarity in the kitchen while she was confabbing in her room; she was that loud. Well, at least she was happy when she was with me; I counted that as a good thing. Well, I had until five minutes ago.

I had gone to the store to do some heavy shopping. We were out of everything she liked. But, fate being fate, I had forgotten my wallet. So ten minutes out, I turned around and came back to get it. I wish I hadn’t. Jenna was on the phone, but in the living room. I’d come in through the kitchen door. She hadn’t heard me, but I’d heard her. Oh yes, I heard her.

“No Marlene, I’m stuck here for the whole weekend. Uncle David gets me one weekend a month. Boring, boring, boring but what can I do; he did raise me, I guess, so I’m stuck like I said . . . No, no, no we’re going to the stupid movies again . . . Yeah, next weekend I can do it. Tell Chester that he can have me next weekend . . . that oughta keep him hard for the week . . . Hahahahahaha . . .”



I was stunned. They’d, had my enemies, won. I no longer had a daughter, not in any sense of the term. Well, I had, but she had evidently dumped any semblance of me as a father to her. Uncle she’d called me.

My wife, my ex-wife, may have wanted, for reasons I could not guess, to soothe things over with me; but while I had momentarily considered softening my stance in that regard, I no longer did or would or whatever. I’d be talking to her, my ex when I took my niece home Sunday night.

My new awareness of what my daughter thought of me left me in a bad situation. I still loved her that would never change. That she apparently no longer loved or cared much about me was on her, and, them. I would just be there, out there, filling the role of an unappreciated relative. I would no longer be crying in my beer or continuing with the battle I’d been waging, since the court had come down on me, that to be my daughter’s daddy.

*******

We had gone to the movies, because that had been the plan; and, I had watched her more than the flick itself. She was indeed bored that was sure. Boy had I been operating under faulty assumptions.

We’d talked and eaten but had otherwise not socialized much. She apparently hadn’t noticed. Well, her phone had commanded the vast majority of her time and interest. I was just a bystander in the great scheme of her teenaged sentience.

I pulled up in front of their way too ostentatious digs and got out. Jenna looked at me.

“Dad?” she said. “You’re getting out?” I smiled, it was the first time in a while that I hadn’t essentially run off as soon as I delivered her; and I had even more rarely gotten out of the car even when Stacey had uniformly come down to collect Jenna and say a few words to me.

“Yes, Jenna, I need to talk to your mom,” I said. “Would you mind getting her for me?” I said. She gave me a look that spelled suspicion.

“Okay, sure” she said.

Jenna disappeared into the house. Two minutes later a, what, surprised Stacey came striding out and down the driveway to where I had parked. I was ready for her.

“David? Is everything all right?” she said coming up to me. I shrugged.

After I’d heard Jenna on the phone denigrating me, that’s how I thought of her words, I’d secreted my mini-recorder in her room to hear what I could hear of her next conversations, but more, so that I could have her mother hear what she thought of me. I figured it would save time.

“I have something I need you to hear,” I said. I handed her the device. “I’ll be going now. You can keep the recorder and listen to the recording at your leisure. Have a nice day”

I’d been home no more than fifteen minutes before I got the call. I’d considered not taking it, but I decided I better or I might have gotten a visit.

“Yes, hello,” I said.

“David, I am so sorry. I know she didn’t mean any of it,” said Stacey.

“Sure she did,” I said. “I’m just an uncle now, and as you heard not a very well thought of uncle. You’ve won, Stacey. She doesn’t need to visit me anymore. That’s what I waited around here today to tell you when you called as I knew you would. Have good life you and your asshole.”

“David please, listen. You can’t just cut her off like that. She’s your . . .” she started.

“She’s my what, Stacey,” I said. “Niece? Daughter? What were you going to say?”

“I was going to say daughter since you ask,” she said. I started to laugh.

“You almost sound convincing, Stacey,” I said. “I say almost.”

“Look, David, have you talked to her about this. Does she even know you’ve recorded her?” said Stacey.

“No. I did it because I happened to overhear her talking to Marlene earlier; that cued me to what she thought of me. So then I set it up to record her next calls so you could hear it too. I wanted to share the experience, the wonderful experience,” I said.

“What if she wants to come up to see you?” she said.

I shrugged, even though my ex wasn’t there to see me do so. “I won’t stop her, but I won’t be expecting her either. I’m done living in denial. She no longer cares about me, or not very much, so I’m not going to be trying to force myself on her. She can do what she wants."

“Oh, one more thing, and it’s not on that recording, but it was something she said to Marlene when I heard her that first time. There’s some kid, Chester I think is his name, who is getting into her pants or trying to. You might want to be watching out for that,” I said.

Her silence on the line was pregnant. I hung up.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 2003

She watched the two of them as they continued to go at it. She’d been standing there, not actually hidden, but not easy to see either if you didn’t look directly in her direction; they didn’t.

It was almost funny. She’d known he was a player, well, that he had been. David knew it too; he’d warned her about him at some point; she couldn’t remember when exactly, not at that moment, but he had. And here he was, her Ronald, proving the pudding.

“Uh, I hate to interrupt you two, but I need to get in here. I need some stuff,” said Stacey. The two naked individuals almost broke their necks turning to see the one interrupting their tryst.

“Stacey!” squeaked Ronald Carter.

“Missus Carter,” screamed a shocked, Julie Rumson, their nineteen year old housemaid.

“Stacey, I can explain,” said Ronald.

“No need for that right this moment. But we’ll be talking or our lawyers will tomorrow. Okay? But, I do need to get some things. So, if you two would be so kind as to take the action to another room. I’ll be out of your hair in short order,” said Stacey.

The two players in the unfolding drama had been racing each other to get their clothes on and arranged. Julie won the race and was high-tailing it out of the room before Stacey could get the two suitcases she wanted out of the closet.

“Stace, give me a chance, okay,” begged Ronald. She tendered him a smile that in other situations would have been oh so welcome, but in this one, not so much.

“A chance? Now why would I be wanting to do that, Ronald? You know, with all of his short comings, the two things I was sure of with David was his faithfulness and his honesty. Looks like, I made a mistake choosing you. I mean even after all of these years doing each other, being with each other, I catch you with that little piece of fluff,” she said.

“I’m sorry okay! It was spur of the moment. It’ll never happen again,” he said.

“Hmm, and why should I believe you,” she said. “And would it matter even if you were telling the truth.”

“It’s the only time in these almost sixteen years that I’ve done something like this,” he said. “I swear it.”

“You used to do it a lot in the old days, didn’t you, Ronald,” said Stacey. He looked down.

“Yes,” he said. “But, that was then and this is now. I’m older now.”

“Yes, but, still unbelievably immature. For the record, how was she, I mean before I interrupted your playing,” said Stacey.

“What? I don’t know. She was okay, I guess,” said Ronald.

“Hmm, I wonder what she would say if she heard you say that she was just okay,” said Stacey.

“It doesn’t matter what she’d say. She’s history. I will be sending her on her way as soon as I get dressed,” he said.

“No, no, we’re not firing her because you can’t keep it in your pants. But, she and I will be talking,” said Stacey.

******

I answered the door, and I could feel the smile crease my face. “Aunt Delia!” I said. “It’s nice to see you.”

“Well, thank you, David. Can I come in?” she said.

“Oh, oh yes of course. You startled me is all. I’m not conscious yet. Never am on weekends till around 10:00AM,” I said. “Yes, yes, do come in for sure.” I stepped back to allow my well-loved auntie to come in.

“How are you doing?” she said, putting her purse down on the sofa and taking a seat beside it.

“Okay,” I said. “I’m okay.”

“And you and Jenna?” she said. I sighed. She had to know the situation. She was here on a Saturday, at 8:00 in the morning. She knew I’d probably just gotten up.

“Well, as to that, it sounds like you already know,” I said. She smiled.

“David, do not get overly excited about the things teenagers say and do. They are not capable of thinking very deeply and Jenna is no exception to any of that,” she said.

“Stacey clued you didn’t she” I said.

“Yes, she was afraid you were on the verge of cutting her off, I mean Jenna,” she said. “So she called me to intercede.”

“No, no, I’m just at the point where I’m not going to be pushing it anymore. If she wants to be here the door is open. If not, well, that’s on her,” I said.

“She really got to you, didn’t she?” she said. “Hurt you, maybe a lot.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that would be a big affirmative,” I said. “I mean, a daddy thinks that his kids love him and then, well, they make it plain that they don’t; or, not very much. Whatever.”

“What is really the case, David, is that children take daddies for granted. It’s in the nature of the age group. They never see themselves as needing to reassure their parents, especially daddies, that they’re loved. They say and do disrespectful things without any thought or fear of retribution,” she said.

“I don’t know, Aunt Delia. Maybe you’re right, but the things she said were pretty hurtful, as you suggested.”

“Want a bit of advice?” she said. I knew what was coming, but, this was Aunt Delia; I’d have to listen and listen seriously.

“Okay?” I said.

“Don’t overthink what Jenna said. Just go with the flow. The time will come when you will be appreciated for what you are, a damn good and loving daddy,” she said.

“Okay, Aunt Delia. I guess you’re right. I won’t do any overthinking. It’ll be a test for me, but I won’t do it because you say not to. Okay?” I said. She smiled her satisfaction at my response.

“Good,” She said, “which is the response I’d expect from a real adult.”

******

She remembered a quote from her favorite politician, “Trust, but verify.” She was just around the corner in the hall when he pulled his bedmate from the day before off to the side to talk.

“Are you going to fire me, Mister Carter?” said Julie. She was clearly worried.

“No, no. Nobody’s getting fired, but yesterday was the one and only time. Got it?” he said.

“Yes sir, I understand,” she said.

“I have a whole lot of fence mending to do with my wife, and I am not going to risk my marriage in order to cool off my hot pants. I don’t blame you, Julie. It was my doing, and I’m sorry.

“One thing though,” he said.

“Mister Carter?” she said.

“Missus Carter is probably going to talk to you. She’s not mad at you; she’s mad at me. Just be up front with her. Hell, she knows it all pretty much anyway; I mean she saw us. So, if she asks you any questions, just tell it like it is, was, whatever. If you try to minimize it or exaggerate or anything, she’ll know then we’ll both be in hot water.

“God, I don’t even know what I’m talking about. Anyway, just cooperate with her. Then, well then, maybe we can put this behind us and get on with the business of getting on. Okay?” he said.

“Okay, Mister Carter,” she said.

“Good,” he said.

Well, at least he hadn’t thrown her under the bus, blame the little nymphet. And it was apparently a onetime deal, a spur of the moment thing, as he’d said.

Stacey Carter was more a less satisfied that she didn’t have to worry about him becoming a serial fornicator. But, she would indeed be trusting but verifying in the future regardless. Her husband did indeed have hot pants, but he would be cooling them off with her pussy and nobody else’s for damn sure; that is if he wanted his balls to remain attached to the rest of his sentient being.

She waited for the girl to make herself absent, before she came around the corner and pinned him.

“Stacey!” he said, his look clearly indicating his shock.

“That her that just left?” she said, wondering if he’d lie. She noted him swallowing hard.

“Uh-huh, yes,” he said. “I was just telling her that she wasn’t fired and that you might be talking to her at some point,” he said. She nodded.

“I will indeed be talking to her. But, okay, Ronald, you have a get out of jail free card this time around. But next time, well, don’t let there be a next time, understand?” said Stacey.

“Honey, thanks. I won’t let you down,” he said.

“Hmm, maybe,” she said. “You best not.”

“Where’s Jenna?” he said. “I haven’t seen her today. Shouldn’t she be home from school by now?”

“It’s only 4:30. She’ll be home soon. She’s a senior; she has interests, at the school,” said Stacey.

“Yes, and a few of them are boys. You know any of them, I mean what kind of kids they are?” he said.

“She’ll be all right. Our girl has a head on her shoulders. She’ll be all right,” she said.

“Hmm, I hope so,” he said. “You know, she’s seventeen now. I’ve been thinking about getting her a car. I mean what do you think?”

“I don’t know you and I have talked about it. But, I don’t know,” said Stacey.

“You just got done saying she had a head on her shoulders. This would be a biggee for her; it always is for teenagers, I mean their first rides,” he said. “I’m thinking it might get me, and her, to the place where she starts seeing me as her, if not her only dad, no worse than equal with David.”

She laughed. “You’re already equal and maybe more than equal with him. A car is nothing but an obvious outright bribe,” she said. “But, then again, she is old enough. It would be kinda natural for her to have one. Has she asked for one?”

“No, not per se. But, I’ve heard her talking to some of her friends on the phone,” he said.

“On the phone?” said Stacey.

“Yes, you know, about going places and such. She’s always apologizing for not being able to go or take others places that they want to go, that sort of thing,” he said.

She was nodding. “But, now, with a car, she would be saying yes to their, her friends’ requests,” she said.

“Yes. And, I think, if she does indeed have a head on her shoulders as you say, and I must say, I think that I agree with you there; she might be grateful enough to, you know . . .” he said.

“To think differently about you and maybe us too? I mean she long ago accepted the reality of things. I mean of me dumping David and going with you. But, yes, a car might just put the period on that sentence and put to pasture any doubts she still might be harboring about everything even if only subconsciously,” she said.

“So?” he said.

“Okay, do it. But, not something that goes a hundred miles per hour or that she or her friends would want to be doing any racing in,” she said. He laughed.

“All cars go more than a hundred these days, Stacey. But, I know what you mean. We’ll find something suitable that isn’t an obvious race car,” he said.

******

She exited from the big Ford pickup and came up the walkway to the house. Her mom was waiting for her.

“Who was he?” said Stacey.

“Just a friend from school. I stayed after today for pep-squad,” she said.

“Hmm, well you won’t need him to give you a ride anymore,” said Stacey.

“Mom?” she said. “He’s just a friend. His name’s Chester; he’s a senior. It’s a five minute ride from the school. There’s no problem.”

“Follow me,” said Stacey. Instead of going into the house, as the younger woman thought was going to happen, her mom led her around the side of the house, a good little walk, to where the four car garage was situated.

She saw her daddy Ron standing next to a new car. “Daddy?” she said. He smiled at her greeting this was working out better than he thought, and he’d thought that it was going to work out quite nicely.

“Yes, I am that,” he said. “You’ve got an appointment, the first of the week.”

“An appointment?” she said.

“Yes, for your driver’s license. Here’s the manual for the written test. Read it. Learn it,” he said.

“Daddy?” she said.

“Oh, and this is the car you’ll be driving once you get the license per se,” he said. He couldn’t help it. He broke out into a broad smile.

The young girl’s mouth dropped. “Huh?” she said.

It was a brand new Cadillac El Dorado. “Oh my God!” she said.

The scene that followed was little less than a riot of pandemonium and laughter and hysterics and joy and all of it!

CHAPTER NINETEEN 2003

I would go with the flow. Well, that’s pretty much what I’d figured to do anyway. Aunt Delia adding her thoughts to the mix just confirmed my own thinking. That she’d advised me to not overthink, think too deeply about it all, well, that was something else again; but, I would try to heed her advice; she was a lot smarter than was I.

It was my weekend coming up again. She was supposed to be delivered to me on Fridays’ of the third weekend of each month. Tomorrow would be the third Friday.

After my little talk with Stacey about what I’d heard, and, what she’d heard on the recording, I figured she’d try to get Jenna to be more attentive to me; that, in spite of my telling her not to bother. Hence, I was surprised when they, Stacey and Jenna, apparently decided to indeed not bother. She didn’t show up. I didn’t even get a call this time around.

I wondered if she’d call or just appear on Saturday morning, making her excuses at that time. Well, I had to make a decision of some kind, do something. I decided not to be available. I headed for the Embassy. At least I wouldn’t be bored. Maybe I could get me an impromptu date with Madeleine. Actually, I was pretty sure that I could.

“No, Dave, we don’t serve alcohol this early and Madeleine doesn’t come in until 11:00AM,” said Morton, the morning guy handling coffee and breakfast for the early comers to the club.

The Embassy, I‘d learned early on was a twenty-four-seven operation, but only served food and non-alcoholic stuff before 2:00PM. I looked up at the clock; it announced the time as 7:33AM.

“Okay, Mort, just coffee and a menu then,” I said. “I’m just gonna hang out if that’s all right. I want to talk to Maddie when she comes on is all.”

“No, that’s fine,” he said. “Would you like me to call Maddie and tell her you’re here?”

“No, no, let her sleep,” I said. “I just don’t want to be home today. I needed to get out, and well, here is my refuge of choice.”

“Okay, I’ll get you the menu and coffee,” he said. I nodded my appreciation of his efforts.

I wasn’t kidding myself, I was upset about being dumped on by my own kid even if she didn’t know she was doing it or understanding how much it bothered me that she was neglecting me. But, then again, I guess I was just too boring for her to care very much. I figured that her rich family, as opposed to the poor one, me, would take advantage of that little piece of serendipity.

******

“Your dad is going to be disappointed that you didn’t want to be there this weekend,” said Stacey.

“No he won’t,” said Jenna. “I’ll call him later okay. I won’t leave him hanging, I promise, mom.”

“You best,” said Stacey. Her daughter nodded.

“Your daddy Ron is going to work with you on your parking,” said Stacey. “You’ve got your driving test in three more weeks.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be ready,” said Jenna.

“I know you will,” said Stacey.

******

“Well, howdy, sailor,” said Madeleine, taking a seat beside me. “Mort said you’ve came in early for breakfast.”

“Yes, yes, I did,” I said.

“I thought that this was your weekend with the kid,” she said.

“It was supposed to be, but she didn’t show, again,” I said.

“I see,” she said. “Did she call?”

“No, not yet. She usually does if she’s not going to come, but this time nada so far,” I said.

“Hmm, and let me guess, you’re peeved,” she said.

“No, no, I’m long passed the being peeved stage. I’m kinda just going with the flow, as someone recently advised me to do,” I said.

“Probably a good idea. She’s still a kid and not very responsible, as is usual with kids,” said Madeleine.

“Yeah, I guess, but it does bother me some; I won’t kid you. But, there’s nothing I can do about it. I was screwed over in the divorce as far as custody was concerned, so not much to do but let it be.

“When do you get off,” I said.

“I get off at 8:00 unless we’re super busy,” she said. I nodded.

“Look if you want, why don’t you give me a call around sevenish. I should know then when I can get outta here,” she said.

“Okay, I guess that’d work,” I said.

“I do wanna be doing something,” I said.

I felt a little foolish going to the bistro so early and then just hanging around for hours waiting for Madeleine. But, I’d had to get out of the apartment. The emptiness of it grated on me. But, now I was going back and it was still going to grate on me.

I parked and waited in the lot in front of my apartment like someone who didn’t belong there. I got up and headed inside.

I plopped down on the couch and closed my eyes. It was just past noon. My cell buzzed. I looked at the number; it was her. I didn’t bother to answer. What would have been the point. I knew what she was going to say. She’d been saying it a lot.

If she showed up, we’d eat something, watch a little TV, and talk. I wasn’t enthused.

******

“No mom,” I tried to call him. He didn’t answer. He’s not home I guess,” said Jenna.

“Oh boy. He’s there, Jenna, and just upset that you didn’t bother to call until now. He’s got caller ID; he knows it was you calling. You blew it,” said Stacey. “And well, you’re going to have to clean up this mess yourself. I’m tired of covering your butt with your daddy David.”

Jenna sighed. “Okay, okay. But, I think you’re making a big deal out of nothing,” she said.

“Uh-huh, I only wish that that were true. But, I know it’s not,” she said.

******

I drove slowly toward her place. She went on ahead in her own car. I would be shacking up with her this night and that was very very good from my point of view. I needed a woman beside me tonight. My worsening relationship with my daughter was getting to be too much to deal with. I’d told them to forget about it if she didn’t want to be with me, but deep down I hoped that that would not be the case. But, it looked like, at least for the short run, that that was exactly how things were going to go.

I pulled in behind her car. Her place wasn’t large, but it was a lot bigger than my nothing little apartment. I parked and went up to the front door and knocked. She opened immediately.

“Come in, come in,” she said.

She could only have beaten me by a few minutes, maybe ten, but she was already dressed for the evening. A mid-thigh slip, no bra, and probably no panties either though I couldn’t be sure of that.

“You look good,” I said. “I mean very good.”

“Well, thank you mister man. A girl can’t hear that too much,” she said.

“You seen your ex-wife lately?” she said. “I mean in person?”

“Yes. She came by my place. Don’t know why really. We hadn’t talked except briefly, when she’d drop Jenna, in quite a while, and at Denny’s some days ago, but that didn’t turn out well; but then she was there at my door.” I said.

“Think she might have been trying to cultivate you for some reason?” said Madeleine.

“Don’t know why,” I said. “She got everything. Why would she want to be cultivating me?”

“Maybe all isn’t all that hunkydory at their place. Maybe she needs you to lighten up or something. But, like you say it is hard to know why she’d do that, come by your place like that,” she said.

“Hmm,” I said. She’d been weaving back and forth while carrying on the conversation, but it was becoming clear to me that she was watching to see how I would respond to her wiggling her hips and butt so slowly like she was.

I got up and went to her. I took her in my arms. She was so soft and pliable. I let my hand trace its way to the crease between her buttocks. I pushed into the crease and felt the heat of her anus. I went to my knees and urged her to turn around. She did.

I began kissing her butt through the silky material of her slip. She laughed, but it was a quiet laugh.

“I like you kissing my ass,” she said. “It shows you know your place.”

I grunted my agreement with her words. She did have a beautiful ass.

“Lift the hem and do my butt right,” she commanded me. “I obeyed her.”

I pushed my face between her cheeks and licked and sucked on her little brown place. She tasted wonderful. “You taste fantastic,” I said.

“Thank you,” she said. “Follow me.” I started to get up and follow her orders. She turned and pushed me back down on my knees.

“No, follow me on your knees, my little man. Show me how well you know your place.” I did as she said. We headed down the hall to the back bedroom, me on my knees with my face but inches from her butt.

She went to the bed and lay down upon it. She spread her legs and smiled at me. “Now, get up here and master me like a man. Take me,” she said. I shed my pants in record time. I crawled onto the bed and positioned myself between her legs. I loomed over her and pushed my spike at her slit which was already oozing female juices. I slid inside of her.

“Oh my,” she said. “That feels so good. Now, screw me. Be slow and steady at first then speed up when I tell you to. Got it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. She smiled her approval of my willing obedience.

******

The aftermath of our night together was good. Madeleine Carter was a very good piece. The good news for me was that she wanted me. I couldn’t say the same for my ex-wife, but this woman did. God knew why, but she did. I decided to risk upsetting her and ask.

We lay not quite gasping in the afterglow of our second go ‘round. “Maddie, can I ask you a question?” I said. Her gaze met mine.

“Sure,” she said.

“Why?” I said.

“Why what,” she said.

“Why me? I mean a quality girl like you. A looker like you. You could have any guy. So why a mediocrity like me?” She looked surprised.

“A mediocrity? That’s how you see yourself?” she said. “I’m surprised. David, you are no mediocrity. You are a very high tone guy. I’m the mediocrity. Yes, I can turn a guy on. Always could do that. But, after he’s had me, most guys will invariably dump me or treat me like shit. You haven’t done that. Not before when we did it nor tonight, and tonight you did great. I needed great.”

“Well, thank you for that,” I said. My tone undoubtedly carrying the surprise I actually felt at her words.

“David, I’m getting up there in years. Oh, I’m not over the hill by any means, but let’s just say I can see the summit real clear,” she said. “I need a man to love and be loved by. And, I might add, a man who knows his place. You do, or you sure did last night.”

“My place?” I said. She’d repeated herself in that regard several times during our go. But, I just figured it was just nonsense talk.

“Yes, on your knees and adoring your woman. I need that. Every woman does to some extent,” she said. I nodded.

My woman? Was this woman going to be my woman? Maybe I wasn’t the loser I’d thought myself! I took the bull by the horns.

“Well, if adoration is what you require, adoration is what you’re going to get from me,” I said. She laughed and it was a good laugh, good for me.

We talked for some time and then fell asleep in each other’s arms. It was a good feeling.