She Took It All

  Chapter Four

  The phone rang, “Papa, Jimmy is making Warwicks. Are you coming for breakfast?”

  “Yes Sandy, we’ll be there in a few minutes.” It was a wonderful lover’s night we had shared. Now it was time to return to the normal.

  It was a scramble with everyone leaving. This included Elizabeth who was following Madie and Will home. Shelly and I promised we would get around and visit everyone as time and the kids in school permitted. By noon, the house was empty of all but the John Rheingold family. The kids had school lessons to do to make up for being absent on Friday.

  Shelly was curled up across the room in one recliner. I was in a corner of the couch. I guess I dropped off. I roused once and Kathy had stretched out on the couch with her head in my lap. Jimmy and Sandy were in the other recliner, both asleep cuddled together. It is wonderful how the kids got along so well with each other.

  Monday in the evening, Neil Fortier called asking to speak to Elizabeth. “Elizabeth returned to the east, yesterday. I thought she called to tell you before she left. She tried to reach you at least three times.”

  “Um, yes, well I was busy and not available. Maybe she will call me later.” I wondered why he didn’t ask for her phone number and call her. I did not want to get involved, as it wasn’t any of my business.

  Days and weeks of contentment melded together. Of concern was a call that Shelly received from Pam Johnson, Ronnie’s girlfriend. “Shelly, I’m afraid Ronnie is going to get laid off from work soon. It always seems to happen in the fall. If he does, then you won’t be getting any support money for Kathy and Sandy. I wish he could find something that would pay him a steady year-round wage. I’m really sorry about this.”

  “I well know all about this cycle he is in. I was married to him. I suppose we will make out all right. John seems to be able to keep going. It will slow his plans considerably. He had plans in place to expand his business. Thanks Pam, for the heads up.”

  “Hey, big man, any answers on how we are going to get our support money for the kids?”

  “Shelly, we aren’t that bad off. We’ll make out okay.”

  “Oh, I know we will. I hate it that Ronnie is always saying he is sorry because he can’t pay for what are clearly his responsibilities. It makes me feel as if I married you under false pretenses.”

  “Shelly, if Ronnie gets laid off, I’ll think of something. Give your ex some credit. He always goes after a job. Maybe he didn’t used to, but since he got together with Pam, he has.”

  “You like Pam don’t you?”

  “Yes I do. I would like to see her and Ronnie married. I think she would like to start a family with him, but she knows she can’t when he can’t even pay for the kids he has. Of course her own work is only spotty and isn’t that steady. She does some writing, I understand.

  “I feel bad about the whole situation. I do feel good about a man who opened a door a few months ago and saw something he liked well enough to marry her.” Shelly came over, climbed onto my lap, and kissed me.

  “I have an itch that needs scratching. Any ideas?” I didn’t make a comment. Action always speaks louder than words.

  We settled into married life easily. Both of us had been married before, but this was much better than either of us had experienced the first time out. I was making changes in my business and busy, but it was great coming home at night.

  I sold my interest in the convenience store for six thousand more than I had paid for it. This gave me the chance to expand the equipment and my workforce in the warehouse. What I took in from the sale of day-old goods at the discount bakery as I expanded almost made up for what I derived from the convenience store.

  I also convinced my partner at the pig farm that it would be cheaper to move the pellet making operation and machinery to my warehouse. I had the room, the power, and the people to operate the machinery. It only took a couple of days to move equipment. Within a week, we were in production at that location.

  I hadn’t heard from Neil until one day he came into my warehouse and barged into my office.

  “Do you keep in touch with your ex-wife?”

  “No, I don’t. Jimmy talks to her at least once every week. Why?”

  “Did you know she is selling her house and moving out here?”

  “I didn’t, but it doesn’t surprise me. Have you been talking to her?”

  “No damn it. I have a friend who is a realtor. He told me. He got onto the fact when she asked if he knew you and where your business was. Seems she is thinking of relocating here. I’ve called and left messages on her phone and I have talked to her housekeeper once. I never get a call back, though. I can’t figure out why she won’t take my call. Any ideas.”

  “Let’s think this through. I know she tried to call you before she left the weekend Shelly and I were married. Knowing what happened to her just before that, I would guess she thought you were a player and for some reason you were trifling with her. Where were you that weekend and what were you doing?”

  “I was doing a favor for mother. She asked me to take an old friend of hers out to dinner and then deliver the woman back to the rest home where she lives. It tied me up most all of that Sunday.”

  I grinned. “And what would Molly say if Elizabeth got through to her on the phone? Look, I know your mother was worried about the divorcée who her son had escorted out several times after just meeting him.”

  “The interfering bitch. What right does she have? I’m twenty-six for God’s sake.”

  “Hey calm down. She is protecting you. You may not want to hear this, but she is worried about you. You are living on a trust fund your father set up for you. I don’t know how much it started out as, but it must have been a lot. She said you only had a couple of million left and just played at living. She as much as called you a playboy.”

  “I am, but she doesn’t know it all. Sure, I am a playboy, but I have been moving some of my trust fund into investments with better returns. The two million she talks about is what she sees. It started out as seven million. I’ve added about a million dollars a year in the five years I’ve had control of the fund. Between my investments and the original it now totals about twelve million.”

  “I can’t even imagine having that amount. I know I was married to money at one time, but I never considered it mine.”

  “Was she willing to share? I mean you were married to her.”

  “I guess she would have.”

  “I’d say you screwed up.”

  “You might think that, but I wouldn’t swap what I have now for any amount of money. I’d say to call your mother and find out if she talked to Elizabeth about what she said to her.”

  “Thanks, John. You know I didn’t know your wife very long, but I was really taken with her.”

  “Ex-wife.”

  “Yeah, I forgot. Thanks for divorcing her.” He couldn’t get it right. She divorced me. He hung around watching the women who were stripping cellophane off bread loaves and finally said, “Guess I should talk to my mother.”

  “Good luck.” I immediately made a call to Molly. “Molly, John Rheingold. You should have a little more faith in Neil. I have.”

  “Hi, John. What do you mean?”

  “Not saying. On a different subject, have you thought anymore about what we talked about a few weeks ago?”

  “It’s on my mind constantly. I want to do something with those buildings. Kind of like a monument or something to Frank. I’ve been talking to Ted Theobold, the man Frank left in charge of them. Trouble is the man is getting almost ready to cut out. Unless you want to go through each building, why don’t you come over, talk to him, and have him tell you all about each one.”

  “He is living with you?”

  “No, he won’t stay overnight or sleep in the same bed as Frank did when he was alive. He lives alone in the smallest of these three houses. The one that looks as if it was falling down. Actually, it is the one that has had the interior updated and is the most modern.
He does come over and tries to keep my fires banked. It is a losing battle though, his age and all.”

  I was silent running through my mind what she had just said. “John, I’m in my forties and don’t go out unless I absolutely have to. What do you expect?”

  “I don’t know. What I mean is I don’t know you well enough yet to know what to expect.”

  “You will eventually. For now, I’ll expect you at three this afternoon.” I didn’t leave the office. I sat in my chair and thought about Molly. Something did not seem right about her. She swore like a trooper. She was acting now as if she was no different from when her future husband picked her off the streets. In addition, I suspected she wasn’t above fabricating a few untruths.

  Frank had to have been in his late forties or early fifties when he found Molly. I couldn’t believe a pillar of the community like him would appear anywhere with her acting as she was acting now. She had to have left her streetwalker image behind her at some point. Molly apparently wanted me to become involved with her. The question was why?

  I arrived right at 3 p.m. Molly met me at the door and ushered me into the same area where we were seated before. Sitting there was a nice looking man I estimated to be in his late fifties. Molly said he was getting old, but he looked virile enough. “Ted Theobold, meet John Rheingold.” We shook hands.

  “The Missus tells me you have some crazy idea about renovating and turning the old factories into something useful. What is it you wish to know about the buildings?”

  “I don’t know what she told you, but she is the one who brought it up. I’m from the east and have seen this accomplished in several of the old mill towns. That is if the buildings are solid and not too far from the public and transportation. I chose to lease the warehouse because the beltway is close by. That takes care of getting material in and out and the people as well. To me there are enough buildings to make a nice complex of varied businesses and housing.”

  “I have the original blueprints and all of the old notes from the architects who saw to the construction. Frank had some idea of what you are talking about before he died. I’ve overseen these buildings since he passed on. They are just as solid today as when they were built more than a century ago. One reason is what they are set on. The foundations are set on a granite plate that extends under this whole area.

  “They all have one level below the street, but that is as far down as they can go. You notice all of the windows are boarded up on the first two stories. That is just to protect them from vandals and squatters getting in. I have two men who patrol the area once a week and check to see if everything is secure.”

  “I know, I’ve become acquainted with them. I have them keep an eye on the warehouse.”

  “That still goes with the rest of the buildings and you don’t own it. You only have a lease.”

  Ted was sitting across the table from me. Molly was on the side where I didn’t directly look at her. She hadn’t uttered a word since I was introduced. Ted though, had glanced at her several times. I was seeing something I think he was hiding and for all she said I would be surprised if they were ever intimate.

  “What do these buildings have for heating plants?”

  “There are three boilers for high pressure steam in the center structure. There is one smoke stack as you can see coming from that one. Your warehouse is heated by its own small hot water boiler. Once a year they are fired up and started. All of the piping is examined and checked for leaks. That is for the first floor. The piping would have to be replaced on the other floors if they are used for housing or offices.

  “Of course years ago, the boilers were fired with coal, but it was dirty and it took a lot more manpower to keep the boilers going. It will be damned expensive with what the price of oil is now.”

  “All the price of doing business.”

  “So what are you doing with Missus Fortier?”

  “I have no idea. She is the one who keeps contacting me. I talked to Neil one time and they seem to think I have some kind of vision. I cannot say I have much knowledge other than I have been associating with a number of rich industrial businessmen. I listened to them discuss what they were doing in their lives. They were all getting richer as I listened to them.

  “I will say with the right consortium, the properties these buildings are sitting on are worth millions. If these buildings are destroyed, a good bit of our history is destroyed at the same time.”

  I was silent for a minute. Molly and Ted felt I wasn’t finished. “With the economy as it is right now, the state and the federal government would jump all over themselves to lend, or grant money to a group that would do the rehab and put so many unemployed workers back to work. You not only have the construction jobs that are short term, but the long-term jobs of the people employed when the new businesses come in.

  “Plus, if you put a couple of these buildings into housing, that gives you a ready available work force.”

  “God, you’ve thought this thing through. You sound a lot like Frank did when he got excited about doing something.”

  Molly rose and came around behind me, resting her hand on my shoulder. “I told you Ted, this man had vision.”

  Ted put a question to me. “What are you looking to get out of this?”

  “I didn’t know I was even into getting anything. I have just been giving out a few of my thoughts. I’ve rented one building to run a business. I have an option and a lease that is ironclad, which is something that upsets Molly. She has said so because it would cost her a bundle to buy me out of the option. I’m pretty happy with what I’m doing and I don’t know as I would want to change anything.”

  “You can’t help yourself. I’ll bet this is the subject you think about most of the time. I will go get some of the drawings and blueprints I have collected concerning the buildings. I will be back in a half hour. That is if you are interested.” He stood there grinning at me. I shrugged and nodded.

  He walked out the front door and headed toward his house. “John we have time for a quicky. I bet you’d like to try out this old lady.”


  I had got up to watch Ted leave. I was disgusted. I sat down in my chair and looked at Molly. “Molly, what you need is a spanking. You come around talking dirty and making suggestions. I notice you don’t talk that way to the man who loves you.”

  “What do you mean? Who loves me?”

  “Ted loves you. You said on the phone he comes over and banks your fires, but you have never said a thing out of line to him have you? You want me to think you are still a fifteen year old prostitute, but it is all an act. Shelly noticed it and you are so obvious. If you really want someone to cherish you again, let Ted know what you want.”

  “He has never indicated to me he would be interested.”

  “He is. His problem is that he worked for your husband all of his life and Frank charged him to look after the property when he died. Frank didn’t go far enough. He should have charged Ted to look after you as well. One other thing, you twitch your butt around in front of me and you know it is safe because I have a new wife and I love her. You are just getting your jollies and it just makes you look cheap.

  “I suspect you and Ted want me to become a consultant to further your dream of creating some kind of a monument to your husband. I won’t, if you don’t stop your foolishness and start playing straight. I don’t like being played.”

  Molly peered at me intensely. “Okay, you’ve passed a test of sorts. I had to know how serious you were about implementing your vision. I have a check for your services to date working in my behalf as a consultant. Do you want to say anything more before Ted gets back with the drawings of the buildings?”

  “Yes. First, if I continue, give Neil some respect. I am going to want him involved with this. He is an attorney and I need him as another consultant. He loved his father and he will work his heart out to help. Be a mother when you are having him in for dinner or when he takes you out. The women he goes out with are his choice and it is n
ot a mother’s job at his age to control his choice of women. You’d feel terrible if he tried to interfere with your love life.”

  “But I don’t have a love life.”

  “I told you a little bit ago what and where yours is.” I grinned. “I can tell you, but that isn’t Neil’s place either. With me, it is just a suggestion. You could start by inviting Ted tonight to a home-cooked dinner to discuss me. Take it from there. I can’t believe you have forgotten all of your enticing ways.”

  Ted came back with the blueprints and as he handed them to me, I said, “Molly has hired me to be a consultant and explore this project enough to see if it is feasible. I suggested that Neil become involved. He can get answers as an attorney that I can’t. We also should find an architect to talk with. We need to talk to a financial planner to see where the financing could come from. Molly, you decide how much money you are willing to put into this. Neil might want to put some of his in as well.”

  “He’s spent most of his inheritance already.”

  “Well, you might not want to admit you know that. Make the suggestion anyway.”

  “Okay, I guess I can do that. I’m going to need someone to get my figures in order. Didn’t I hear your wife say she was an accountant?”

  “She was and she is considering returning to work part time. If you feel as if you want another Rheingold involved, call and talk to her.”

  “You do it.”

  “Nope. This is your personal business. I’ll want to see how much money you come up with for the project, but I don’t need to know more than that.”

  “She’ll tell you, so what’s the difference?”

  “She won’t. She is the most ethical person I have ever met. I guess this is all we can cover for today. Ted, I’ll go through these blueprints and be in touch. It will be a couple of days. I have a business to manage and can’t spend all of my time on this.”

  “John, I promised you a check.” Molly must have known earlier where this was heading with me being employed, because the check was all made out. Why did I feel she was a step ahead of me most of the time? I glanced at it. I was struck speechless. “Yes, that amount is correct. That brings you up until you walk out the door today. We start new tomorrow.”

  I think Shelly and family were going to eat out tonight. We certainly could afford it.

  I swung by the warehouse and found everything closed. My hour with Molly had taken two and a half hours instead of the one I had planned. I called Shelly and told her I was taking the family out for dinner, but I found I was too late. In fact, if I didn’t hurry home, I would be eating crackers and milk myself. I was met with a barrage of questions about my meeting.

  “I’m now a high paid consultant to a project that doesn’t have a name yet. Actually, I am putting together a feasibility study to see if it can go anywhere. However, I am being paid for it. Great, huh?”

  “You’re not the only one working on it. I just got off the phone with Molly Fortier myself. I’m going to be helping her a few hours a day. She also said she wants to meet our kids sometime. She’ll be here for a noon dinner on Saturday. She said she might be bringing some man named Ted with her. She would let me know tomorrow. He’s the guy living in the third house isn’t he?”

  I whispered to Shelly, “That depends on whether she gets laid tonight by Ted,” and I chuckled.

  “Hey kids go in the living room and turn the TV up loud. I want to talk with your Dad.”

  Jimmy and Kathy giggled, thinking I wanted to kiss their Mom. When the three kids disappeared Shelly said, “What did you do and why?”

  “I had to do something. She told me we had time for a quicky when Ted left for a little while. I told her she should be spanked and she was foolish not to look to the one who had hidden love for her. Now I may have read Ted wrong, but I do think he does love Molly. I suggested she should seduce him. Maybe not in so many words, but that is what I meant. I honestly don’t think Molly was aware of how Ted feels about her.

  “She has always looked on Ted as still an employee of her husband’s. I could see wheels turning in her head as I left. Left with this great big check I brought home to you.”

  “She bought you.”

  “Part of my mind, maybe, but not my body. How about you? Do you feel she bought you?”

  “Yeah, I suppose, but we can use the money.”

  “I agree about the money. I suppose I have deluded myself into thinking that someday my business is going to give us everything we want in the world, but deep down I know it won’t be enough.”

  “Elizabeth said she would see to all of the kids’ education, not just Jimmy’s.”

  “I know, but I don’t feel it is right. The girls are mine now and it is up to me to do for them.”

  “You really love them don’t you?”

  “You better believe it.”

  “When are we going to bring up the idea about you adopting the girls? Do you still want to let them choose for themselves?”

  “I do. I hope they will agree to take my name and I will talk to convince them so we can all have the same name. However, I won’t force them to. Sandy I know will, but Kathy may object.”

  “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Kathy is now twelve and is almost a teenager. Sandy is ten. I have taught them to think for themselves and I guess Jimmy always has. Three kids with a one year difference between each. Too bad they are all in different classes. It would be nice if two of them were in the same school year.”

  “It’s not going to happen. Kathy is too smart to flunk a grade and so isn’t Jimmy. Sometimes I think Sandy is the most intelligent. Too bad she is so quiet all the time.”

  “Do you want to bring up about the adoption tonight?”

  “Sure, otherwise they would think you and I wanted a minute alone for kissing and stuff.”

  “Keep it in mind, mainly that stuff you were just talking about.”

  Shelly led off with, “Kids, we are having what I would call a family meeting. Girls, your new father wants to know if you two girls want to be adopted by him and take the name, Rheingold. If you do that, we will all have the last name of Rheingold. You don’t have to make up your mind tonight. You can do it now or a year from now. Remember when you marry you have the choice of taking your husband’s name. Most women do.”

  I was waiting for immediate acquiescence. It wasn’t forthcoming. “Pop, Kathy and Sandy and I have talked about this. I want them to be a Rheingold so they can truly say they are my sisters. Kathy has said she wants to and can tell you herself. Sandy has asked me to ask how mad you would be if she stayed as Sandra Waters?”

  I looked at Sandy. She had her head down, with tears dripping from her eyes. I did want Sandy to have my name, but I would not pressure her. I spoke directly to her. “I won’t be mad or upset at all. Remember you can change your mind on this now or later or not at all. I’ll love you just as much either way. Your Mom and I just thought it might be more convenient, that is all.”

  “Papa, I do love you as much as my daddy, but Daddy lost Mom and in a way he is losing Kathy. It won’t be fair if when I am staying or visiting with him if he says I am his little girl and I have a different name. Someday, he will marry Pam and I like her a lot too.”

  Shelly was as surprised as I was. “Sandy, are you sure?”

  She nodded her head answering, “I think so. You aren’t mad at me either, are you?”

  “No, but I think you are awful young to decide. John and I agreed it would be you girls’ decision and we are just surprised. I’ll get the paperwork ready for Kathy. You know, I named you Sandy Waters because it put me of mind of looking down into a sandy brook and see the sun shining on the sand in the bottom.” Sandy ran and gave her mother a kiss, and then ran and gave me the same.

  It was bedtime and I detained Jimmy for a minute. Jimmy, what is your mother doing now? You talk to her every week.”

  “She doesn’t say much. She says she is awful busy and someday is going to have a big surprise for me. I have no
idea what it can be.

  “Pop, don’t be mad about Sandy not taking our name. I think it is because of something I said to her. Mom said when she was with that Brian guy that I might be adopted by him and had to have his name. It was an awful name and I couldn’t even say it right. I told Sandy how I felt about it, so it must be my fault.”

  “I wondered why, but really, I’m kind of proud of her thinking of her father like that. I’m glad of how you felt about me too.”

  “You’re the best, Pop.”

  It was an interesting conversation when Shelly and I retired for the night. Shelly was afraid I would feel slighted when Sandy didn’t go with the program. “I don’t at all. Jimmy told me he was responsible for her rejecting the name change. It was how Jimmy felt with something that Elizabeth planned when he was living with her. Sandy will probably change her mind anyway. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Oh I love you so much. Johnny, there is something we have never discussed. I think we should. I’d like to have you tell me first so I would know how you feel. I’ll be perfectly honest and tell you what I want even if it is different than what you want.”

  “What’s this you calling me Johnny? Elizabeth called me that a month ago, which she never did before. Now you call me Johnny. What gives?”


  “I don’t know about Elizabeth, but when I imagine you as a child, I see a ragged little boy pulling a red wagon with one hand and a thumb in his mouth with the other. That’s how I see you, Johnny. God, you must have been cute.”

  I burst out laughing. “Okay Sweetheart, we’ll have a baby and if it is a boy, we’ll name him Johnny.”

  “How did you know I wanted a baby? I have never said anything.

  “Hey, we married and became one in mind as well as in body. Why wouldn’t I know what you were thinking?”

  “Come on, how did you know?”

  “I just guessed, honest.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “I just put it all together. The calling me Johnny, the worry about whether we could finance the kids’ education, and you also jumped at the chance for a little work from Molly. I brought home a good-sized amount of money myself and the thought crossed my mind we could now afford to have a baby. Deduction, my dearest Mrs. Rheingold.”

  “You’re pretty smart, you know. I love you. Are we going to plan a baby or just let it happen?”

  “Let’s just let it happen. It’s going to take a lot of practicing though.”

  “Works for me.”

  I went to the warehouse early in the morning. I had spent too much time at Molly Fortier’s yesterday to finish my daily work. Some things you just can’t let slide. It was eight-thirty when Shelly called saying she was not to see Molly until mid afternoon. She was unexpectedly busy this morning.

  I laughed, thinking that it must be Ted who was keeping her busy. I was hoping so anyway. I shook my head. I kept turning Molly down when she kept suggesting we go for a quicky, but damn Molly was a desirable woman. No, she could not tempt me that far, but there was a “what if” in the back of my mind.

  It was nearly ten when my office door banged open and Neil came charging in. He was sputtering and it was all incoherent. “Neil, sit and I’ll pour you coffee. Wait, I’ll get doughnuts off the line.” I came back with a box of raised doughnuts and handed him one. “Now tell me what the problem is?”

  “It’s Mother. She never allowed me into her room when the door was closed. I went over there this morning and was going to give her hell about driving Elizabeth away. She wasn’t downstairs so I went up to her room. Her door was open, so I charged right in. She was—she was—damn it, she was naked sitting up in bed with a breakfast tray in front of her.

  “There was a man with her. He had pulled the covers over his head when he heard me coming. Mother has never had a man in bed that I knew of since before my father passed away. Mother poked him, saying it was just me. It was Ted Theobold. He was naked too. I can’t believe it. Mother and Ted?”

  I had to laugh at Neil as he continued. “I couldn’t take it. I grabbed Mother’s robe from a chair and threw it at her. She didn’t put it on, just draping it around her neck. At least it covered up her ti—her breasts. She thought the whole thing was hilarious.”

  “And then what happened?”

  “When she stopped laughing, she took a bite of cruller and a sip of coffee and asked if I wanted a cup. She then announced she and Ted were a couple and had been discussing it all night long. Then she told me to thank you if I saw you. What did she mean? What have you got to do with it?”

  “Forget what you saw a little while ago, if you can. Yesterday afternoon I had a consultation with your mother and Ted. Molly wants to explore developing the buildings into something that would be a monument to your father. This is something you should become involved in doing. Actually, you would be a necessary part of the project. Interested?”

  “In what capacity?”

  “As the attorney. If the project goes forward, there will be a long permit process and the planning commission. Some serious environment hurdles to jump—you know, all that law stuff.”

  “Whose idea is this and who is involved so far.”

  “Me, your mother, Ted, and Shelly is going to be helping your mother organize her finances. If it goes forward, it is going to take millions of dollars. Some of that money will have to be spent before we even know if the project is viable.”

  “How long will it take to complete if it looks doable?”

  “I’d say four to five years.”

  “That long? Wow! How about you? You claim you just want to be a pig farmer. Are you going to bail on the project before it is done?”

  “Neil, to tell the truth, pig farming isn’t ever going to educate my kids and I’m smart enough to realize it. I tell you I’m getting pretty damned excited about this project. No, I will not bail if it starts. Molly has hired me as a consultant and paid me some already. The check looked good to me when she handed it over. I don’t want to be rich, rich like my ex-wife, but I would like a little more than I have now.”

  Neil was silent and then asked, “John, would you get Elizabeth on the phone so I can talk to her? I didn’t get a chance to hit my mother with what she might have done. Finding her as I did, I don’t think she can throw up roadblocks in front of me anymore. If I can get your wife to talk to me, I think I can straighten it out.”

  “That’s ex-wife. You keep forgetting that.”

  “I do, don’t I? Will you call?”

  “Sure.” I made the call and Madie answered.

  “Hi, Madie, how are you?”

  “I’m great John. Is everything all right?”

  “Yes, everyone is fine. Madie, is Elizabeth in? I’d like to speak to her if she is.”

  “I’ll get her for you. Hang on.”

  “Hi John. Is Jimmy okay?”

  “He’s good and in school. Elizabeth, would you answer a question for me? Why won’t you return Neil’s calls?”

  I passed the phone to Neil as she started speaking. As she finished he answered her, “Mother was interfering. This is between you and me. That Sunday you left, she kept me away from the phone with a seventy-year-old woman friend of hers. John knows all about it. All I want is a date with you so we can discuss if there is any future together for us.”

  I couldn’t hear what my ex-wife was saying, but from the body English, Neil liked what he was hearing. He continued, “Elizabeth, I’ll see you in two days.” He hung up the phone and looked across at me. “I got me a date. You know, I think this is the start of something good. I’m going home and pack up. I’ve been invited to stay for a week.”

  “What about the project?”

  “Ask Mother. I warn you, though, I don’t think she intends to get out of bed anytime soon. She and Ted shooed me out of there and they had already finished their coffee.” He grinned at me and then burst out laughing. I had to laugh with him. Shelly called at noon saying Molly had called her back and put off her comin
g to see her until tomorrow afternoon. Those two, Molly and Ted must be insatiable.

  “Shelly, as long as you don’t have to work today, drive over here to the warehouse and go out to the pig farm with me. I have to deliver a load of feed. You can even drive. I’ll sit in the passenger’s seat and admire your profile.”

  On the way, we talked about our future. I knew Molly would pay my wife well and the few hours a week would help our financial situation tremendously.

  “How involved are you going to get with the rehab of the Fortier project?”

  “I’m going to be into it up to my neck. I think I can do a good job for them too. I’m still going to keep my business going for the project will not last forever. It will take about five years to complete the reconstruction. By that time, the bakery and the pig farm will be as about as big as it can get. After that it will be a matter of diminishing returns.”

  “How so?”

  “Costs of transporting the material to the warehouse and then moving the feed to other farms that aren’t as close by. This will eat up all of the profits. I’m looking ahead. Of course, there may be something ongoing here with the Fortiers. I think Neil will end up at the head of the corporation. I imagine Molly will be only the figurehead. Of course, if Neil doesn’t want any part of it, there will be room for an outside person. It could be me.”

  “You’re planning pretty far ahead.”

  “Hey, I have a family I have to care for.”

  “John, Molly is terribly attractive. I’m not going to have to worry about you and her am I?”

  “No. I made a vow to you and I always keep my vows.”

  “I do too.” It was a great afternoon. The kids in school and us with a little free time to enjoy talking to each other without interruption. Shelly was actually a better truck driver than I was and it was a joy to watch her work herself up through the gears. She seemed to know instinctively the best time to shift. It was days like this that brought a couple together and cemented their relationship. Especially when we had only known each other for a few months.

  I called Ted Theobold’s house the next morning, getting no response. Grinning to myself, I tried Molly’s number. “Ted there?”

  “Who’s this?”

  “This is the person who made sure you were satisfied for the first time in years.”

  “Hi John. If you were right here, right now, I would kiss you. Ted and I have wasted so much time. We have managed to catch up just a little though. What can I do for you?”

  “I was wondering if Ted would take time to walk me through the buildings?”

  “What makes you think he can still walk?”

  “I’m betting he can. You would want to save some for later, so I think you were smart enough to stop before you took all he had.”

  “Ted is in the shower. Come by and collect him in an hour. His breakfast is on the table, so he will be good to go by the time you get here. John, thank you so much. My life is a whole lot brighter this morning.”

  “You are welcome. I was glad I was there when I saw the look in Ted’s glances and knew he loved you. I’ll see you soon.” I hung up the phone feeling well satisfied myself. At least I wouldn’t be propositioned for a quicky again.