Chapter 13

2002

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

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

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

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

“I will, I will,” said Jenna.

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

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

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

“Let’s go. I’ll drive,” she said.

“We’re going to Denny’s?” I said.

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

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

“Been a long time,” she said.

“Yes, that’s so,” I said.

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

“Why are we here, Stacey? I mean besides to have lunch.” I said. She sighed. Just then the waitress came up with the menus and asked what we wanted to drink. The interruption was timely, I guess, from her point of view. We ordered our ice teas and took up the menus to scan for what appealed to us.

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

“Why?” I said.

“Why what?” she said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Are you serious!” I said.

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

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

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