My life changes dramatically. Wow, does it ever!
by Sénor Longo. Listen to the ► Podcast at Connected.
We left the airport at 12:43 and pulled up in front of the Plaza fifty-one minutes later. The bell staff couldn’t get to our bags fast enough. Ten minutes later we had registered and were shown into our suite. It was exactly as requested; more than nine floors above the street with views of Central Park just across the street. I locked our few valuables in the safe and we removed our clothes to the dresser and closet.
Once that was done we went down in the elevator so we could get Lady into the park. I had brought a garden trowel and a supply of plastic bags to dispose of her wastes. Her bowls and a ten pound bag of Dog Chow would do for the next five days. We crossed at the light and stepped into the park.
“So this is Central Park. It’s beautiful and so big.”
“It really is great, Jenny, but it’s a good place to stay away from after dark. It can be dangerous, with groups of street punks looking for an easy mark.”
“Is that why we brought Lady?”
“It’s part of the reason. I’ll buy you more than a hundred thousand dollars in jewelry. That alone is reason to be careful. Of course, if we get robbed, just hand over the cash and the jewels. They can be replaced; you can’t.” Lady had sniffed around a few trees before squatting to do her business. I was right behind her to clean up her mess which was fortunate because a city cop was only twenty feet away on the footpath. I knew the law in New York City was often ignored, but not by me. I dropped the bag in a trash receptacle and we crossed the street to the Plaza then turned left, walking about a block and a half to Luke’s Lobster for their lobster roll and Cokes.
After lunch we went back toward Fifth Avenue and turned south. A block later we entered Harry Winston’s. The service here has always been, well, let’s just call it “attentive.” A fortyish woman greeted us. “I was told to ask for Martin,” I said as I handed her one of my business cards from when I was C E O of Software for Idiots, Inc. She retreated to the rear of the store, returning less than two minutes later with the manager. My contact at Vanguard had phoned him to discuss the transfer of funds. He was told it had been done probably dozens of times and was one of their preferred means of payment. There were no credit card charges and payment was immediate. I asked to see an assortment of engagement rings.
Jenny was offered a seat at a low glass counter as Martin first measured her finger while an assistant brought out four trays, each of which had at least twenty rings of various sizes and designs. She looked at me then told me, “I don’t want to spend too much.”
I grinned as I replied, “For you there’s no such thing as too much. Find the one you love and ignore the price. We’re here to spend money and I have more than enough to buy out the entire store.” I leaned down to kiss her. I could see her shock in her eyes. She knew I was rich, but I was much richer than she thought. I’d explain everything to her tonight.
Martin showed her maybe twenty different designs to see what type of ring she wanted. Once that was decided there was the question of size. Jenny was a tall woman, but slender even after gaining weight over the past few months. Her fingers matched her body; long and slender. Even though I could afford the biggest ring in the store, a really big ring looked ridiculous on her finger. She finally decided on a blue-white stone of two carats in a yellow gold setting. I thought it was perfect.
“Okay, wedding rings next. We were married yesterday.” This was easier; Jenny loved the first one she was shown; a band that surrounded her solitaire on all sides with a circular ring of smaller diamonds totaling three carats. My matching ring was a simple band of gold with three small matching diamonds. We put them on immediately. I could see the love in Jenny’s eyes when she looked up at me, but I wasn’t done yet.
“Earrings next; let’s see what you have. I want to see some posts and some bangles; some gold and some with gemstones.” Jenny bought ten sets of earrings, some with diamonds and other gemstones and others in fourteen karat gold. I loved the one-karat diamond studs. She wore them when we left the store, but kept the ratty posts she had worn since the day we met. “They were a gift from my father, my real father before he died.” Martin had them cleaned and placed them in a Harry Winston box along with our purchases.
I also bought her three necklaces and three diamond and gold bracelets. They all looked wonderful on Jenny. The final tally was more than $300,000. Martin phoned Vanguard and gave them the agreed on code that I provided; sixteen alphanumeric characters. The funds were transferred from my account in a second and confirmed by their bank in less than a minute. Martin offered a guard to accompany us to our room and we gratefully accepted even though we had our own guard in Lady.
Jenny took me to bed when we returned to the room, claiming that we needed a “nap.” Some nap; I thought a nap meant sleep! Trust me; we didn’t sleep, not even a little, but I never complained, not even once. She rubbed that delectable body over mine, pushing her nipples into my mouth as her hands sought my cock and ball sac. Moving down, she kissed my head, ears, face, and finally; my mouth. Her tongue teased me, darting in and out of my mouth as it wrestled with mine.
She pulled back, but just long enough to tell me, ”I love you, Doug and I always will. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t imagine a better man or a better husband.” Then, as if to prove her point, she wrapped her hot tight canal around me and slowly eased herself down my pole.
Making love with Jenny was never dull or boring. She rode me today with an even stronger sense of determination than ever. I looked down to see her clit grinding into me. Her legs, stretched at 180 degrees, forced her nubbin from its hood. It was engorged; red and swollen; in her ardor. Jenny’s actions showed how much she wanted to cum and, of course, she was having an incredible effect on me, too.
My hands on her hips could feel the tiny tremors coursing through her body, growing in intensity with every mutual thrust. After almost fifteen minutes her motions became irregular, frenetic, and uncontrolled. She was thrashing wildly when it finally hit. I was sure she was going to scream as she often did when we were in our bed at home, but she moved down to clamp her lips into mine at the last second. My mouth swallowed her unfettered roar as well as her unfettered passion. Her actions triggered my reaction. I came as hard as she did, lifting her bodily with my thrusts five times until I collapsed onto the sheets, Jenny’s body compressed onto mine.
We lay there for several minutes recovering from the stresses we had put our bodies through. I lightly ran my hands over her silken skin, absolutely amazed that this wonderful creature actually loved me; that she had so willingly agreed to be my bride and share my life.
Jenny slowly raised her head and spoke, “Doug, do you remember when you gave me that two million dollars?”
“Of course, you needed that credit to help establish your identity and, if you hadn’t married me you would have had to pay taxes on it. See how lucky you are.” I couldn’t resist a brief chuckle.
“Well, I’ve been thinking. I need to give that back to you. Also, I think I should sign some kind of agreement that I wouldn’t get any of your money if we ever divorced.”
I looked up, an expression of shock on my face. “You’re thinking of divorcing me?”
“Oh no, I’m so sorry. I’m never going to do anything like that. I love you more than I love my own life. I just don’t want you to think I married you for your money. I survived when I was broke before and I could do it again if I had to.”
“Thank you for both offers, but my answers are ‘NO’ and ‘NO.’ I told you that I had more than a hundred million, but that was a white lie. Well, maybe not a lie, but not the whole truth either. When representatives of the brokerage firm approached me they first offered me five hundred million. I learned a long time ago to never accept a first offer. I told them I’d probably make that much in my first two years if I sold the program for five hundred dollars a pop. Overall, I planned on ten million sales internationally over a five year span. After that they’d peter out to maybe 100,000 a year.
Using those figures and what I knew about their projected commissions I managed to bump them up to one point five billion. That’s what I sold the company for. After taxes I still had roughly 800 million. I’ll go over my investments with you when we get home again. Keep the two million for pocket money.”
“Two million? Pocket money? Damn Doug, you’re incredible; no wonder I love you so much.” She didn’t kiss me then, but she did snuggle up really closely to my body then she laid her head on my chest and fell asleep. I remained awake, but just barely, until it was time to shower and dress for dinner.
“What should I wear?” I could tell that Jenny was nervous so I kissed her before replying.
“I’m wearing my navy blue golf shirt; the one with the thin white horizontal stripes and my tan microfiber slacks with my cordovan loafers; what they call smart casual dress. Of course, nobody will even notice me, not with you there.” She decided on a teal silk top that buttoned all the way to her neck, but was sleeveless, with tan linen slacks and matching flats. She added her diamond pendant. It was simple, but elegant. We took Lady down with us in the elevator and across to the park where she urinated onto the lawn. Then we crossed Central Park South and strolled down Fifth Avenue before turning right onto 58th Street West. From there it was a short walk down the block to Quality Meats.
I’d eaten there before and the food was great although expensive, but we were in Manhattan where everything was expensive. A simple room at the Plaza would set you back more than $500 a night. We walked in just in time for the reservation the concierge had made for us. Not a single comment was made about my service dog. After ordering drinks we agreed on the shrimp cocktail and tomato salads before ordering the porterhouse for two, medium rare. For sides we had the roasted crispy potatoes and grilled mushrooms. I was stuffed by the time we finished, but Jenny wanted to try the warm apple tart. Where did this woman put all this food?
We walked back to the Plaza, Jenny taking my arm. We were approached by a panhandler about halfway back. Lady was automatically on alert, but he passed us by with a “thanks” when I slipped him a twenty. He’d probably drink himself into a stupor, but I’d demonstrated my kindness. Maybe it would even help, maybe.
Jenny and I flopped into the big bed, naked as always. “We need to go to sleep, my darling. You have another big day ahead of you.”
“Me? What about you, Doug?”
“I have an important meeting to attend. Remember the phone call I made on the plane? I’ll be tied up for a few hours, but I’m sending you shopping; clothes this time.”
“But, I have no idea where to go.”
“I know so I’ve arranged a little surprise for you. You can take Lady with you. Just trust me. You’re going to have a wonderful time.” I kissed her again as we pulled the blanket over us. She made herself comfortable, her head on my chest and her leg over my thigh. I whispered, “Good night, my love,” but Jenny was already asleep.
CHAPTER 8.
We were up early, as usual, and dressed; me in a suit and tie, Jenny in casual clothes. We walked Lady over to the park and returned to the Plaza for breakfast. It was 9:45 when we left the restaurant and walked to the concierge. There was a woman waiting there for us. “Margo,” I asked.
“Yes, you must be Doug and this is obviously Jenny. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Jenny, Margo is a professional shopper. She will accompany you and help you select appropriate clothes. Just remember, Margo, that we live in North Carolina where their idea of formal is wearing socks with your sneakers.”
“What’s my limit?”
“Please don’t go over fifty thousand without letting me know. That’s the limit on Jenny’s card.” I reached into my pocket, retrieving a platinum Master Card with Jenny’s name on it and an envelope for Margo’s services. Jenny signed the card then turned to kiss me. “You’ll have a limo for the day. Have fun. Think of me often.” I kissed Jenny again, petted Lady and watched as they strode to the door. I could just hear Margo telling Jenny that she had a perfect body for clothes. “I’ll bet you’re a perfect size six,” was the last thing I heard. I watched them enter the limo as the doorman summoned a cab. I was on my way to Wall Street.
I was offered coffee in the executive conference room, but I declined. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust these crooks, but I had no reason to either. They wanted something that only I could provide and for that they’d pay. Everyone rose when the C E O strode confidently into the room; everyone except me. I actually reclined in my chair until I was almost horizontal. “Dr. Preston, I’m William Chambers, the C E O, how are you this morning?”
A tall reedy man with hollow cheeks followed and spoke before I had the chance to reply. “Morning, I’m Erik Stoehl, Executive Vice President for Technology.”
“I’m okay, but truthfully I’d rather be with my wife. What’s on your mind?”
“We have your program on our network. What is the maximum number of users the program can possibly handle at the same time? Do you know?”
“When I designed the program I envisioned it for a single user; one program, one user. I can understand why you’d want it on your network where you’d have complete control over it; where it could never be stolen or misused. How many users will depend on your servers plus what I program it to accept. How many users do you want?”
“Can it handle 20,000?”
“It can, but it would be slow as shit flowing uphill. You’d be better off with ten or twenty programs running simultaneously. I could rig them to work together, to ‘cooperate’ for lack of a better term.”
“Couldn’t we do that? We have programmers on staff, you know.”
“Knock yourselves out,” I said, getting to my feet. “Give me a call when they’ve completely fucked it up then I’ll be able to charge you ten times as much.”
“What will you charge us for this?”
“Not much, only fifty million.”
“That’s absurd, ridiculous.”
“Fine, but you need to check our contract before anyone touches it.”
“Why?”
“You have a license to use, not permission to make any changes. I still own the copyright. The program will log any attempts to change it and forward them to my email. They’ll make great evidence for the lawsuit which will cost you billions. Worse, it will let the cat out of the bag. Everyone will know how you managed to average returns of three percent over the past year when everyone else was lucky to break even. Then you’ll have other programmers working their asses off for your competitors and every night before they go to bed they’ll be on their knees praying to God to thank me for the millions they’ll be making. Meanwhile, you’ll be stuck in litigation and; the worst possible scenario; the program will shut itself off and your programmers will only make things worse because it will, about two weeks later, erase itself from your servers.
“You paid me 1.5 billion for this program. How much have you made over the past year using it? How many clients have you, um, acquired, from your competitors because you’ve been able to put together the best results in the industry? You didn’t pay me all that money because I’m an idiot. I’ll gladly do the work for you once I’m back in North Carolina.”
“Don’t you have to be here to do it? Our servers are here in this building.”
I couldn’t resist smirking as I pulled my laptop from my case. My fingers moved at the speed of light as I successfully hacked into their system. The C E O blanched when I turned the screen to him. “Your security is fairly typical. Luckily, my program has three multi-level firewalls that will keep even the most talented hackers out. But, since I wrote them, I can get in whenever I want. I’m here with my new bride and I’d like some quality time with her. I’ll start on it Tuesday afternoon. It will take you longer than that to get the contract together and for my attorney to review it. I anticipate a month or less. Any questions?”
“How the hell did we wind up doing business with someone like you?”
“You came to my house, remember? You bought my business. I didn’t ask you to; you practically insisted, but I’m not angry. If not for you I would never have met my wife. Incidentally, you made more than fifteen billion using the program last year and you’ll make so much next year you’ll think the fifty million you’re going to pay me is chicken feed.”
“I’m Fred Hutchinson, the chief programmer here. May I ask how you plan to accomplish this?” In contrast to his boss Fred was short and squat, a bad combination at best, made all the worse by his almost totally bald head.
“Yes you may.”
“But? How are you going to do it?”
“Oh, I thought you were asking if you could ask how I was going to do it. You certainly can ask, but I’m not going to answer. Even if you knew how you still couldn’t because of the safeguards I’ve build into the program. You’d have to enter the security code the first time and the chances of doing that correctly are roughly one in ten to the eighteenth power. That’s one in a billion billion and since there’s no identifiable place to enter it you’d have to guess. It’s an impossible task. I did this to protect both of us; to protect my proprietary rights and to protect you from unauthorized entry to the code. Even I can’t remember the password so I have it programmed into my server at home where it’s interwoven into thousands of lines of code in dozens of programs. I’ll write the patch at home, enter the program, upload all of the other programs as well as the coordinating software and then watch as you test it. I don’t foresee any problems, but one never knows.” They didn’t like the scenario, but what could they do? I’d much prefer to spend all my time with Jenny and they would have to pay for my inconvenience.
Their attorney met with me for another three hours to hammer out the details. By working through lunch we were finished by 2:30 and I caught a cab back to the Plaza. I changed my clothes and went down to the lobby to wait for my bride.
She made an entrance that would have made a Hollywood star jealous. In she walked with her service dog and three bellmen, each of which was carrying about a dozen large shopping bags. I rose as Jenny ran into my arms. “I take it you had a good time.”
“Good? Oh Doug, it was marvelous. We began at Macy’s. That store is so big! Then we went to Bergdorf-Goodman. What clothes they had! We stopped for lunch and then we went to some fancy boutiques. That’s where I got this purse. Like it?” I did; it was very stylish and looked great on Jenny’s shoulder.
“Did you hear Margo tell me she thought I was a perfect size six? She was right. Everything I tried on fit me perfectly. I had a hard time choosing.” I stopped her for a moment and turned to the bellmen. Handing each a ten-spot I asked them to take the bags up to 1027. “Isn’t the suite locked, Doug?”
“Of course, but they have master keys. Let’s go in for a snack then we can go up and dress. We
have tickets for the theater tonight. We’re going to see “Hamilton.”
“Oh Doug, Margo told me all about it. I can’t wait. I have the perfect outfit. I think you’ll love it.”
“Let’s get up to our room; we have early dinner reservations at Davio’s. I think you’ll like it. The menu is extensive and the food is great.” I took Jenny’s hand as we walked to the elevator.
“How was your meeting?”
“Good; we’re going to get fifty million from it. They want my program to be available to handle 20,000 brokers at a time.”
“Can you actually do that?”
“Sure, I didn’t tell them, but I kind of assumed it was something they’d want eventually. I’ve been working on it for months. I’d have completed it weeks ago, but I had this little distraction.”
“I’m glad.” She had a look of total love in her eyes as she said it.
I thought she would have kissed me, but we were sharing the elevator with an elderly woman. “Oh, go ahead and kiss her. You obviously want to.” I did, but I was uncomfortable until we exited on the tenth floor.
The floor of our sitting room was covered with the more than thirty bags filled with Jenny’s new clothes. She rifled through them quickly until she found one from some boutique Margo had found for her. The dress she pulled out was gorgeous. I could see it was made of raw silk dyed to a dark navy blue. It was a simple sleeveless sheath with a long slit almost reaching her hip on the left side. Next was a short jacket, what I later learned was called a “bolero.” From another bag she pulled a blue bra and high cut bikini panties. My contribution was the scissors to cut the tags.
We showered quickly; no fooling around; and dressed in our bedroom. I wore my grey suit with a white button-down shirt and a cranberry paisley tie. Once I was dressed I opened the safe and removed much of Jenny’s jewelry. She selected a pair of diamond and sapphire bangle earrings and a bracelet with two rows of diamonds around a single row of sapphires. Around her neck she wore a matching necklace. She was absolutely stunning.
Jenny remained in the lobby while I took Lady across the street to the park. Ten minutes later we were back and two minutes after that the three of us climbed into the limo, Lady on the floor between us. “Davio’s,” I told the driver. He commented that it was a good choice. I agreed, having eaten there several times when I worked out on Long Island and had business here in the city.
I told the driver to have dinner on us while he waited. I knew he could be served quickly in the bar. Jenny and I were shown to a table in the dining room. We began by splitting an appetizer of American Kobe beef meatballs followed by a salad with baby iceberg lettuce, bacon, and tomatoes in an herb buttermilk dressing. We skipped the pasta course, but did opt for the lobster bisque before our entrée of pan seared scallops, creamy corn, and potatoes. We had dined extremely well and, once again, not a word was said about Lady.
Our driver David was waiting when we walked out onto the sidewalk. “Thanks for the dinner, Dr. Preston. I really appreciate it.” He held the door and closed it behind me. A minute later we were on our way south toward the theater.
CHAPTER 9.
I had purchased three tickets because it wasn’t fair to the other patrons to be squeezed because of Lady’s presence. Normally, I consider myself to be polite, well-mannered and respectful, however a woman in our row howled about having to sit next to our dog. “Surely,” she said almost at the top of her voice, “you don’t expect me to sit next to that, beast!”
“Don’t worry, ma’am. I’m sure she’ll be much better behaved than you’ve been. If you find it so objectionable why don’t you take the middle seats? Then I can put her in the aisle next to me and there will be an open seat between you and my wife.” I thought I was being perfectly reasonable, but, .
“Absolutely not! I paid for seats on the aisle and that’s where I’m going to sit!”
“Okay with me; go ahead, dear.” Jenny stepped into the row followed by me and Lady last. We were in our seats when a gentleman next to Jenny commented, “I’ll be happy to sit next to your dog.”
“Thank you, sir, but after this woman’s rude behavior, .” I let it drop, but I did spread a towel from the hotel on the floor before telling Lady to sit. The bitch continued her tirade even as the overture began. I knew how to shut her up. I gave Lady a command; she turned toward the woman, emitting a low growl and exposing her fangs. She never moved. She didn’t have to. The woman shrank back in fear. I whispered just loud enough for her and our other neighbors to hear. “I suggest you shut up. In addition to being a service dog Lady is also a guard dog that will react to any perceived aggressive behavior toward either me or my wife.” I backed Lady off and sat back to watch the show. Jenny took my arm and held my hand while I petted Lady with the other.
The woman and her friend got up at the intermission and a man behind us stood. “She’s not really a guard dog, is she?”
“Yeah, she is. I have a lot of money so either I hire bodyguards or have a dog. Having the dog is more fun, but not much cheaper. She cost me a fortune.” I turned back to Jenny and asked if she wanted a snack or a drink. She looked at me as though I was crazy. After the meal we’d had I must have been.
I had a pleasant conversation with the people sitting behind us. They were appalled by the woman’s conduct. One man said, “Your dog has better manners than she does. She’s been quiet and still through the entire show.”
“Thank you. She’s extremely well trained. We had to spend three days with her and the trainer to learn all of her commands. If I told her to she could and would take a mugger’s arm off at the elbow, but with us she’s as gentle and loving as can be.”
“Are you local, or just visiting?”
“I used to work out on the Island.” I pulled a business card from my wallet. “I sold the company last year and retired to North Carolina. It was a great move; that’s where I met my wife. We’ve been married all of three days. I had business here so I brought her for a shopping spree.”
“Well, I love her dress and jacket. I hate to ask what it cost. Is that silk? It’s beautiful,” his wife added.
“I’m not concerned about the cost. Nothing’s too good for her. How about joining us for a drink after the show?” They agreed and we had a date. They were a very pleasant couple in their forties who had taken the train in from Jersey. I returned to my seat after introducing Jenny and myself to Charlie and Toni Blasi from Hoboken. Looking down the row I noticed that the rude big-mouthed bitch had not returned for the remainder of the show; no great loss as far as I was concerned.
CHAPTER 10.
An hour later, after an extended standing ovation, we had exited the theater and I was on my cell to David. He picked us up a few minutes later and I asked about a nearby club. “I know just the place, Dr. Preston.”
“You’re a doctor,” Charlie asked.
“No, just a PhD. Essentially, I’m a software engineer. I write software, most of which is quite involved. Ever hear of Software for Idiots?”
“Sure, our daughter used that to study for the SAT last year.”
“I wrote that program. In fact, I wrote all of them. There were only three people in the entire company; me, a secretary, and an accounts clerk. We worked out of my house, but I sold out to a major corporation last year. Mostly, they wanted an as yet unpublished program I wrote and was using. I can’t give you any more information because the conditions of our contract are secret. All I can tell you is that they paid me more than enough to enable me to retire. What do you do, Charlie?”
“I’m a union plumber; nothing compared to what you do.”
“No, I don’t agree. I actually know quite a bit about plumbing. I also know that society as we know it wouldn’t exist without plumbing. Ever stop to think where we’d be without the simple trap? Living in caves or huts with a life expectancy of forty would be my guess. My uncle owned a plumbing business out in Suffolk County for years until he passed away four years ago. I worked for him during my breaks all through high school and even freshman year in college then I was able to get work writing code for a software firm up in Massachusetts where I went to school.”
“Here we are, sir.” David pulled the limo over to the curb in front of a club that had a trio playing dance tunes. I thought it was perfect.
We had just ordered drinks and I made sure that our guests realized that they were our GUESTS. The rest of the evening was on Jenny and me. Our waitress had just left when Toni asked, “How long have you been married?”
“Three days,” Jenny replied. “Three wonderful days, but we’ve lived together since the first day we met.” Charlie and Toni looked shocked so Jenny continued. “It all had to do with how we met. I ran away from home when I was seventeen. My step-father was raping me three or four times a week and my mother was no help at all. She actually accused me of trying to steal her man; like I’d have any interest in a fifty year-old fat slob.”
“You couldn’t contact the police?”
“Unfortunately, no; he was the county sheriff. I knew when I left that I’d have to have sex with truck drivers and other men who picked me up. Over the five years I was on the road I probably screwed two hundred men. I did it to survive and that’s all I did, survive. Then, back in January I got a ride cross-country to Lumberton, North Carolina and the next day a Canadian couple gave me a ride to North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. I slept in a shelter that night and went out to a shopping center the next day to beg money for my next meal.
“I was cold and tired so I sat against a stop sign post with my homemade sign leaning against my leg. That’s when Doug approached me. He was the kindest man I’d ever met. He took me to Walmart for some clothes and to his home to clean up. I knew what kind of man he was when he noticed that I had lice. He bought some shampoo and after I had taken a shower he carefully and patiently combed the nits out of my hair. I couldn’t believe that I could be so lucky. He threw out my old clothes and took me to a restaurant for dinner; the best meal I’d had in years. I stayed overnight in his guest room.
“It was horribly cold that night. Doug told me he’d feel terrible if he red that I’d frozen to death. The next day he took me to buy a warm jacket and I convinced him that his real motivation was that he wanted to fuck me. He insisted on using a condom which was good because we went to his doctor and learned I had Chlamydia which was cleaned up in less than two weeks. I know Chlamydia can cause sterility, but my gynecologist said you have to have it for several months before that happens. We obviously got it in time because I’m pregnant.”
“Is that why you got married?”
“No; Doug is a genius, but he’s a nerd and sometimes he can be so obtuse it’s ridiculous. I told him that he was the first and only man I had ever made love to. The others were just sex where I only lied motionless while they did their thing. Despite that he never realized that I was terribly in love with him. I had to threaten to leave before he admitted that he was in love with me, too. He told me he wanted me to stay with him forever and marry him. Although I don’t think he actually got it all out. He had just said ‘marr, ’ when I was all over him; hugging and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. That was four days ago. We were married the next day and the following day we flew here to New York.”
“That’s some story, Jenny. You are so lucky. I don’t mean you were lucky to have to go through all that; lucky you found Doug.”
“Yes, I agree completely. Doug is rich, but that means nothing to me. I offered to sign a pre-nup, but he refused.”
“Sounds like your parents did a wonderful job with you, Doug.”
“Thanks, but it was all on my mom. I haven’t spoken to my father since I was sixteen. I had just gotten my driver’s license and I drove to Stony Brook University where he’s a chemistry professor. I walked into his lab to find him banging some coed. My mother knew what I’d seen as soon as I walked into the house. She’d known about his cheating for years. I never spoke to him again, nor have I had anything to do with him. I’ve offered to support my mom if she decided to leave him, but she won’t. Enough about us, tell us about you. How did you meet?”
“Ha! Not much to tell; we lived right next to each other in Brooklyn. We were best friends growing up. I was kind of a tomboy. Everyone knew we would be together.”
“That doesn’t always work, does it?”
“No, I’m sure it doesn’t, but our friendship grew into love while we were in high school. I’ve never dated anyone but Charlie and I never wanted to. We were married the day after we graduated from high school. I had a job as a secretary and Charlie had one as a plumber’s apprentice. We stayed in Brooklyn until I became pregnant then we moved to Hoboken. The city has gone through extensive urban renewal and gentrification; is that the right word?”
“Yes, it is,” I replied. “I know of several high powered executives who live there. It’s just a short train ride to Penn Station.”
“Yes, we know. That’s how we came in tonight. I wonder how long it will take us to walk there tonight.”
“Nonsense, we’ll give you a ride. This time of night it can’t be more than ten minutes out of our way.”
“Anyway, we have two girls. They tolerate me, but they love their father terribly. Where are you staying while you’re here?”
“We’re staying at the Plaza, Toni. Oh, it’s so beautiful there. We have a suite that overlooks the park. Doug had a meeting today so he sent me out with a professional shopper. That’s how I got this dress and about a hundred other things.”
Toni and Charlie looked at us in awe. “Don’t forget that Jenny had absolutely nothing when she came to live with me. I can and do take her shopping, but I’m a guy. I have no idea what’s stylish. I’m good with golf clothes, but that’s about it. Jenny, how about a dance?”
Jenny was in my arms a minute later as we shuffled between the bodies of the other dancers. I could see Lady keeping a close eye on us; making sure we were safe. I was sure she could cross the twenty feet separating us in about a second. We were shuffling along for a few minutes when I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?”
Jenny was shaking her head, indicating “no.”
“Sorry, but I do. I don’t mean to be rude, but we’re honeymooners. We want to be together. I’m sure you understand.” I turned my back and we continued our dance until he pulled my shoulder away from Jenny. This guy was younger and bigger than me and I was sure he could beat me in a fight. No problem; I pulled a silver whistle from my suit pocket and brought it to my lips. Lady was with us in a flash. Meanwhile, the other dancers had pulled back, leaving us in an empty circle about ten feet wide.
“Listen, pal; we’re not looking for any trouble, but if you want some my dog here will be happy to oblige. She’s a trained guard dog and she won’t hesitate if you threaten us in any way. There are plenty of women here who would be happy to dance with you, but my wife isn’t one of them. So, tell me; want to spend the night in a hospital with your arm hanging by a thread?”
“You can’t fool me. That’s a service dog.” I gave Lady the preliminary command; the same one I had used in the theater. Her growl was menacing and bared her fangs. He stepped back then turned and melted into the crowd. I led Jenny and Lady back to our table.
“What on earth was that all about, Doug?
“Well, Charlie; it seems some people don’t like to be told, ‘no.’ He wanted to cut in, but I wouldn’t allow it. If I had to guess, he probably thought I’d be intimidated by his size, but I wasn’t about to allow Jenny to be pawed by some stranger.”
Jenny leaned over to kiss me. “Thank you, Doug. I went for five years with men putting their hands all over me and I never want that again.” Then she petted Lady, thanking her, too.
We had a wonderful time, but around midnight I found I was terribly hungry. Turning to Charlie I asked, “What time did you guys eat?”
“I’m not sure, but it was early; like 4:30 or so.”
“Let’s grab a bite.” I asked our waitress for some menus and fifteen minutes later we had platters of hot food in front of us. Charlie and Toni had cheeseburgers and fries. Jenny had an open prime rib sandwich, also with fries. I had a corned beef sandwich with potato chips. Finally, around one Charlie said they had to go. I settled the bill and was listening to Toni thank us as we walked out the door.
All of a sudden I saw quick motion from the shadows off to my right. I couldn’t believe the asshole who tried to cut in would hang around this long. He raised his arm and that’s when I saw the knife. I managed to block him with my arm, but the blade sliced through the sleeve into my arm. Less than a second later I heard a scream. It was him reacting to Lady’s teeth clamped into his forearm just above the hand that held the knife.
When dogs capture prey they grab it by the neck and swing it back and forth to break its neck. Lady’s thrashing broke his arm so badly that I could actually hear it snap. Lady’s next move would have been to his throat, but I called her back. She’d hold him in place on his back until I released her once the police were on site. Luckily we had left at the same time as some other patrons. They had run back into the club to tell the staff to call the police and an ambulance.
New York City has a highly efficient police force. The first patrol car was on the scene in less than five minutes. My assailant, one Matthew Bradshaw, claimed he was just leaving the club when I sicced Lady on him. Fortunately, there were plenty of witnesses who testified that he had attacked me. I also had a bloody arm that required twenty-six stitches and there was the knife with my blood and his fingerprints on the sidewalk.
CHAPTER 11.
It was almost 3:00 a.m. by the time the police and hospital were finished with us. I suggested that Charlie and Toni stay over at the Plaza as my guests. I thought it was the least I could do after all they had done to support Jenny and me. I knew my $3,000 suit, straight from a Hong Kong tailor, was ruined, but I almost cried when I saw the blood on Jenny’s jacket and dress. Once she had removed it I phoned for a bellman and asked if there was anything that could be done. My arm was bandaged and in a sling that I thought was unnecessary. Jenny insisted that I wear it.
I had been worried about Lady. She had simply done what she had been trained to do; protect Jenny and me. She was completely under control when the police arrived. One of the officers had wanted to take her to the animal shelter for rabies testing, but was overridden by a sergeant who was apparently a dog lover. Instead, we took Lady to a veterinarian the following morning. He withdrew blood, assuring us that he had done this in cooperation with the police probably dozens of times. He said the testing would be done in two days, but he could tell just by looking at Lady that she wasn’t rabid. Hell; I knew that. Trainer John had given us the record of her shots when we bought her.
We agreed with Charlie and Toni that we would meet for lunch in the Plaza’s lobby at eleven. I had thought originally that we’d all get enough sleep that way, but it didn’t work out that well for me. My arm ached and I had to be careful when I moved. It was the only night since our first together that Jenny and I didn’t make love. Jenny cried every time she thought that she had almost lost me and that was often that night so we were both all the worse for wear when we finally showed up around 11:20 from the vet’s office. I suggested we walk around the block to Quality Meats. We beat the lunch crowd so we had no trouble getting a table. This was a place where high ranking executives took clients they wanted to impress. It wasn’t a place where one would normally go for lunch unless one wanted to blow a hundred bucks for a relatively simple meal.
Our guests were appalled by the prices, but Jenny and I just laughed. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “Doug is buying and he can afford it, can’t you, darling?”
“Yes, I can so just enjoy and order whatever you like.” There was no more discussion of the prices as we ordered. We all had appetizers, salad, and steak. Toni and Jenny had the 10-ounce filet. Charlie and I had the 24-ounce rib steak. We agreed to split two orders of parmesan waffle fries. The meal was great and the service even better. We had a wonderful time, even when we talked about last night’s adventure. Toni, like Jenny, was startled by the man’s actions. Charlie said his daughters were amazed that they had been involved in some kind of crime. They were also curious about Jenny and me and how their parents were staying at one of New York’s premier hotels.
“Wait until they hear about our lunch,” Toni exclaimed. “I’m taking pictures of everything so they can look at them when we finally get home.” We said good-bye to them in front of the Plaza as I paid for their cab to Penn Station. We had exchanged email and phone numbers and promised to stay in touch. Jenny insisted that I go in and rest once they were gone. I didn’t argue, but on the way I stopped at reception to ask if we could extend our stay. At $5,000 a night the answer was a definitive yes.
Jenny walked me into the bedroom and began to undress me. I reached out for her, but; to my shock; she stopped me. “I’m putting you to bed. I know you had a difficult and miserable night. You desperately need a nap. C’mon, into the bed. We can make love later, but I’ll be doing all the doing. You’ll be lying as still as possible with your arm out to the side where it won’t be injured.”
I couldn’t stifle a chuckle. “You’ll be doing the doing? I think I should have that framed.”
“Be quiet and sleep a bit. I’m taking your phone, too.” She retreated to the window and drew the drapes, darkening the room, and kissed me briefly before closing the door.
I fell into a restless sleep because of the pain in my arm. Even the pain pills; Percocet, I’d received failed to knock me out. I was half in and half out when I heard my phone ring once. I guessed that Jenny had answered it or turned it off. She walked cautiously into the room a few minutes later with Lady. She saw my eyes were open so she sat on the bed; the left side away from my outstretched arm before leaning down to hold me.
It was several seconds before I realized that Jenny was crying. “Jenny, what’s wrong?”
“I saw all that blood and I was afraid I was going to lose you. After all the years I suffered I finally found you and then, .”
I cradled her head with my hand and kissed her cheek. “He cut through my sleeve and nicked an artery. Arteries always spurt blood. The doctor told me I would have been in trouble if I’d bled for an hour, but the E M TEE’s were there in ten minutes and the cops put a heavy bandage on my arm as soon as they got that asshole under control. He was bleeding much worse than I was. I released Jenny’s head so I could use my hand to pet Lady. She had her head on the bed showing her concern for me in her own way.
“Who was on the phone?”
“That was Andrea, Charlie and Toni’s daughter. She wanted to thank us for being so nice to her mom and dad. Of course, I told her it was our pleasure.”
“It was. I really like them.”
“So do I and they stayed with us, with me the entire time you were in with the ER doctor. They didn’t have to do that. They could have gone home. I know they were concerned about their girls. Anyway, I invited them to come down and visit us after their school breaks in June. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, I don’t mind at all. I think that’s a great idea.”
“I thought we could put the girls in the bonus room over the garage. We could buy some air beds. They’re kids so they wouldn’t have any problem getting in and out and they’d have more privacy up there, too.”
“That’s a good idea, especially since we’ll be changing one of the bedrooms for our baby.”
“Doug, we still have almost seven months to do that.”
“I know, but you know how I am. I’m a nerd. I plan ahead.”
She moved up to kiss me. It was like heaven on earth. I could always lose myself in her kisses. She spoke again when she broke it. “I wish I could phone Amber, my friend at home, and give her all the wonderful news.”
“Why can’t you?”
“In the past I would only call when I was due to travel the next morning. I don’t want my stepfather to find me. You don’t know him. He’d make up some phony charges; things he could prove like drugs in my room or even some burglary with a ‘witness’ who saw me do it. I can’t take the chance.”
I leaned up on my arm to look straight in her eyes. “Jenny, what do all communications rely on?”
“I don’t know.” I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head until she got it. “Oh, computers?”
“And do you know anyone who’s an expert with computers?”
“You, of course.”
“The only question is; where do you want the call to originate from? California? Texas? How about Hawaii? You can make the call on my computer, but first I’ll rout it through a server somewhere else.”
“Can we do it before we go out for dinner? Please!” I pulled her down to me, holding the one I loved
more than anything. Jenny helped me up from the bed a minute later. My injured arm was throbbing and almost useless. Once we were in the suite’s living room I pulled my laptop from the safe and connected it to the internet using the Ethernet cable and connection. The hotel had Wi-Fi, but as everyone knows Ethernet is both faster and more secure.
“I’ve done a lot of consulting work in addition to writing all those ‘Idiot’ programs and I still do. Because of that I have access to servers all over the world. For this, though, I think we should stay within our borders.” I pulled up a database and scrolled through several locations before stopping at Alamogordo National Laboratory. My first message was a text to my contact there that I needed to use the server for a personal text and phone call. I had an affirmative response less than a minute later.
“What’s Amber’s phone number? Is it a cell or a land line?” It was a cell and Jenny gave it to me a second later. I typed out a brief text; “Amber, you will receive a phone call from Doug in a few minutes. It is really from me. Using his computer for call. Jessie”; then I pushed “SEND.”
I was pleased when my laptop pinged in response to an incoming message; “K.”
“Okay Jenny, sit here and speak normally. The microphone is in the base and it will pick up everything you say.”
“I never knew you could use a computer as a phone.”
“You can if you have the proper software installed. Ready for your call?” She nodded and I typed in the number, pressing “SEND,” when I was done. We could hear the phone ring. It was answered on the second tone.
(Hello?)
“Amber, I can’t believe it. How are you? It’s me Jenny, I mean Jessie.”
(I see you’re in New Mexico. How’s the weather there?)
“Actually, I’m thousands of miles away. My husband is a computer whiz. That’s one of the things I wanted to tell you. I’m married to the most wonderful man.”
(Damn, Jess; that’s incredible. I have news for you, too.)
“Amber, I’ve changed my name in order to keep my whereabouts from you-know-who.”
(That’s my news, Jess. I don’t think you’ll have to run any more. Shithead’s been arrested. The State Police ran a big sting on him. Some of his deputies were involved in setting it up. They caught a man who was really an undercover state cop posing as a drug dealer. He offered the Sheriff $50,000 to screw up something about the evidence and let him go free. He turned that down, but did accept $100,000. One of the deputies was wearing a wire and they got the whole thing on tape. He was arrested the next day by the State Police and was forced to resign. They have him on a bunch of other stuff, too.)
“Like what, Amber?”
(He had a bunch of deputies working on his reelection campaign while they were on duty and he required all of them to donate $200 each to his campaign. Both of them are felonies involving election law. The story has been all over the news for the past week. He’s out on $500,000 bail and word is he’s hoping for a plea bargain.)
“Any idea when? I’d love to be there when he goes down.”
(Hold on, let me check the paper.)
Jenny asked me if we could go, knowing that I couldn’t deny her. A few seconds later her friend Amber was back on the phone.
(Okay, Jess I knew I saw it earlier today. He’s scheduled to appear before Judge Pepper on June 13th.)
“That’s great, Amber; Pepper hates that bastard. I have other news. I’m pregnant. Doug and I are going to have a baby! Doug says we can go to Iowa so I’ll be there when he goes down. I just hope he goes to prison. It would serve him right after everything he’s done.”
(The paper says he’s looking at ten years, minimum. Isn’t that great?”)
“It is. I can’t wait to see the expression on his face when I show up. I guess I can tell you where I am now, New York City in a beautiful suite at the Plaza Hotel. Doug brought me here on a charter flight to buy me engagement and wedding rings and a whole new wardrobe.”
(Wow!)
“’Wow’ is right! Doug is thirty-four and; catch this; he’s retired. He gave me two million dollars for pocket money; two million! Can you believe that? He’s the most wonderful man alive, but he’s sitting right here so I have to be careful so he doesn’t get a swelled head.” All of a sudden Jenny shrieked.
(What the hell was that, Jess?)
“That was my husband squeezing my tit. It’s a good thing his arm is injured or he would have gotten both of them. Doesn’t matter, though; he’ll get them both tonight.” She was still talking when I left the room to take a leak. I was struggling to dress when Jenny walked up to me and gave me the sweetest kiss. “I love you so much, Doug. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ll be so happy to see Amber again. She’s been such a good friend; the only one I’ve had for the past five years.”
“Let’s get ready to go out for dinner. Can you help me? My arm is really bothering me.” Jenny was a big help; pulling my shirt up my arm without touching the bandage and tying my shoes. I took Lady across to the park and we grabbed a cab south to Chinatown.
I loved Chinese food, but it was the only kind of restaurant lacking in our area at home. There were any number of Chinese restaurants, but most of them were just terrible. I couldn’t come to New York without splurging on a good Chinese meal.
Our cab stopped in front of Oriental Garden, my favorite place in Chinatown. To keep things simple for Jenny I ordered only three dishes; General Chow’s Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Roast Pork Fried Rice. Knowing that we’d had a huge lunch I skipped another favorite; their barbequed spare ribs. Instead, I asked for crispy noodles and several sauces; spicy mustard, sweet and sour, and soy. We nibbled on them and drank our Cokes; no Tsingtao beer for Jenny, until our entrée’s arrived. I picked up each noodle with chop sticks. Jenny tried three times before laughing and giving up, using her fingers instead.
We loved the food. It was delicious, so much so that we both had seconds and Jenny even had thirds of the pork. Oriental Garden will never be recognized for its décor or for its service, but the food makes up for the negatives. It was also, by far, the cheapest meal we’d had in the city so far.
Our cab dropped us off around 11:30 and I was more than ready to turn in. Jenny insisted on washing me, my arm straight up in the air above the shower head so it would remain dry. Once dry and in bed she reminded me of her earlier proclamation; “I’ll be doing the doing; you’re going to lie still.” I followed her orders to a degree. I couldn’t help but drive into her as she rode me like a woman possessed. Her earlier prediction came true. I did get both of her tits; one with my left hand and the other with my mouth. I fell asleep shortly after, making it through to the morning without once waking even though my arm ached the entire time.
“What’s on tap for today, my wonderful husband?”
“I’d like to visit my mother, but I’ll have to call first because I refuse to have anything to do with her husband. I’ll make arrangements to meet her in Port Jefferson.” A minute later I had spoken to Mom. It was brief, just like all of our communications when my father was nearby.
We caught a cab to Penn Station where I bought round-trip tickets to Port Jefferson. Unfortunately, all trains require a change at Huntington which wastes a lot of time. I even bought a ticket for Lady even though I knew it wasn’t necessary. This way we were assured we’d have plenty of room. “Be ready for a long day,” I told Jenny. “We’ll spend two hours just getting there and another two getting back. That will leave us about three hours with my mother.”
“What should I call her?”
“I’d start with Mrs. Preston and let her react. I’m sure she’ll tell you if she wants to be called ‘Mom’ or ‘Mother,’ or whatever.”
We had no trouble finding a seat. The first train eastbound leaves Penn Station at 10:38, getting into Port Jefferson Station around 1:00 then a short cab ride down the hill into Port Jefferson. I’d told Mom I would meet her at the Elk. No such place existed now, but in years past there was an Elk Hotel and Restaurant just one block from the harbor.
It was a long and boring ride for me. I’d done it many times, but Jenny was like a kid in a candy shop. She must have asked me a hundred questions about my childhood and what it was like growing up way out in the suburbs. I told her about what I called my “nerdhood”; growing up a nerd.
I was always described as a “brain” who spent much more time studying than playing, even as a kid in the primary grades. I was Valedictorian of my high school class and; as far as I knew; I’d had the highest academic average in the history of the school, taking enough advanced placement classes to cover an entire year of college. Finally, we slowed and reached the end of the line; Port Jefferson Station.
“There was a time when the train ran all the way out to Orient Point,” I told Jenny. “In fact, I think I recall that they loaded the trains onto barges that took them across the Sound to New London and from there to Boston. I’ve seen and even walked on the old unused train trestle out in Shoreham less than a mile from where Nicola Tesla built a huge hundred-foot high tower in an effort to transmit electrical energy through the air. Even though Marconi transmitted a radio wave first, Tesla was later credited with the invention and awarded the patents,” I told Jenny as part of my explanation.
“Tesla? Isn’t that an electrical car?”
“Yeah, the car is named for him, but he’s the person who invented AC; alternating current. There was a huge battle between him and Thomas Edison who was a champion for DC. Good thing Tesla won that battle. If not, we’d have so many electrical transmitting stations you wouldn’t be able to walk without tripping over one of them. There would have to be one every mile or so wherever you wanted to have transmission lines. We have transformers on some poles, but they’re much smaller and much fewer. Tesla’s life story is quite interesting.”
“I’ll bet he was a lot like you.”
“No, he was a true genius. I’m just lucky.” I stood and pulled Jenny with me, taking the time for a quick kiss before we stepped down from the train. Actually, Jenny stepped off first with Lady and she helped me. I held the railing with my good arm as my injured arm, still in the sling, was virtually useless.
We grabbed a cab and five minutes later we stood in front of what was once the Original Elk Hotel. It wasn’t long before I spied my mother walking from the parking lot behind the old building. I greeted her with a hug even as she asked about my arm. “That’s not really important, Mom, but this is. I want you to meet Jennifer, Jenny, my wife.”
If Mom was shocked she hid it well. “Why don’t we grab a bite and you can tell me all about everything. I’d suggest Village Way, but it closed last October.” Too bad; Village Way was one of my favorites. Then Mom suggested La Parilla, a Spanish restaurant just down the block.
Jenny agreed for both of us, saying how pleased she was at last to meet my mother. We had missed the noon rush so we were able to get a table easily. We had just ordered drinks; iced teas all around; when Mom asked me to explain about everything, including since when did I need a service dog.
Jenny took the lead, explaining about our meeting, how I had taken care of her and how we had fallen in love. She even told Mom about her head lice. “He’d noticed that I had head lice so he bought shampoo to treat them and after the shower he had me sit on a stool while he combed my hair with a special comb.”
“Yes, I had to do that to him when he was in fourth grade. One of the other kids brought them to school. They can go through an entire school in no time.”
“That’s when I realized what a wonderful man Doug was. He took me to dinner and that night I slept in his guest room. I convinced him the following day that the real reason he was being so nice was that he wanted to, that he wanted sex with me. I’d obviously had sex with other men, but that was the first time I’d ever made love. I knew a week later that I was hopelessly in love with Doug. Unfortunately, it was months later before I could get him to admit it.”
“That sounds like Douglas. He can be obtuse at times.”
Jenny and I laughed. “That’s exactly what I said. Anyway, he asked me to marry him and I did the following day. We had lived together pretty much as man and wife for more than four months so why wait? We flew into LaGuardia last Friday and checked into the Plaza Hotel. Doug took me to Harry Winston’s for an engagement ring and wedding rings. Then he went a little overboard, spending a fortune on me.” She held out her diamond bracelet and earrings for Mom’s inspection. “I think I should also tell you, Mrs. Preston that you’re going to be a grandmother sometime around Christmas.” Jenny was beaming when I leaned over to kiss her.
The waitress returned with our drinks and Mom suggested we get an order of paella and split it. I knew it was big enough for two and I also knew that Mom wouldn’t eat much. Once the waitress had gone I explained about shooting at some burglars and how I felt a dog was a better solution then I talked about my encounter outside the club.
“Oh my God; that was you? I saw something on News 12, but I thought you were in North Carolina. Are you okay?”
“My arm’s a bit of a mess, but as the saying goes; you should see the other guy. Lady was on him in a flash. She bit him with such force that I could actually hear his arm break. That’s when I called her back.” I had been petting Lady ever since we’d been seated. “Her trainer gave me this ‘service dog’ vest when we bought her. This way she can go everywhere we go and my money is in the safest place possible.” I unzipped the top of her vest and pulled an envelope full of bills from an inside pocket.
Jenny laughed like crazy. “I wondered where all that money came from. Has Lady had it the entire time?”
“Yeah, except when I need some extra cash.” Then I turned serious. “How’s everything at home, Mom? My offer still stands. I’ll be happy to support you if you decide to leave.”
“Oh no, Doug; I’m enjoying my revenge too much. Jenny, Doug’s father is much shorter than he is and not only in height. I doubt if he’s even four inches fully erect and that’s led him to be sexually insecure. He has at least one new lab assistant every semester and they’re always relatively unattractive girls. He’s been fucking them for more than thirty years. That’s when I stopped having sex with him.
“Now he’s sixty-three and he’s totally impotent. Even Viagra doesn’t do it for him so he’s absolutely miserable.”
“But Mrs. Preston, you’re kind of young to give up sex.”
“Jenny, I never said that I gave up sex. I only gave it up with him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s had several diseases over the years. I got involved with one of the English professors more than twenty years ago. We were at a faculty party and Stephen was so busy tooting his own horn that he totally ignored me. I found myself talking to another professor. He was charming and closer to my age than Stephen and much better looking. We flirted and that’s all I thought it was at the time, but two days later he invited me to lunch. I accepted and a month later we spent an entire afternoon in his bed. He’s asked me to leave your father many times, and I’ve been documenting his affairs while moving much of our money into other accounts. I’m almost ready so don’t be surprised if I show up to visit with Paul. You know I’d never bring your father even if I could get him out of his laboratory.”
I was struck dumb. I’d never thought that my mother could be, or would be, .Damn, I couldn’t even think of the words to describe her, but I was really happy for her. My father had put her through hell. “I guess he’ll be really embarrassed when he sees you with someone else, especially another professor.”
“I’m arranging for him to be served at next week’s faculty senate meeting. He’ll be there with the other department heads and the deans. I’ve begun moving my stuff out into an apartment. I can’t go to Paul until everything is final. All the shoe boxes in my closet are empty and most of the clothes there were in a bag for Goodwill. Your visit couldn’t have come at a better time.” Mom finished then as a huge platter of paella was placed into the center of the table. The waitress refilled our drinks while I served first Jenny then my mother and finally my plate. There was still plenty left.
To be continued, by Sénor Longo.