Chapter 38

I didn’t refuse my brother’s offer of a place to recover. I didn’t have the energy to refuse him. He did do me the one thing that I most needed him to do: he left me alone to my thoughts and memories and my tears which just didn’t seem to have a limit.

“Stacey brought me all of my meals and she ate with me each time. I didn’t eat much; I just picked at my food. And then it was a week later, a week after the death of the two people I trusted above all others—the only ones I did trust if it came down to it. It was the day of the funerals. I was wheeled up to the twin grave sites by my brother. He wouldn’t let anyone else help me, not even James, who did offer. I was the second saddest day of my life.

When I saw the men lower the caskets I fainted yet again. I woke up, at home this time. I hadn’t been out for long. I knew that because they were all there dressed just as they had been at the funerals.

For the next several weeks I lived in a fog. I did that, living, if indeed that’s what it was, on the patio of my brother and my ex-wife. It was surreal. The weather was good. I wasn’t in a wheelchair anymore. I was just advised to go slow. It seems I had managed to contract a tachycardia; hypertension and stress were the causes the doctor’d said. I should be all right he said, but I would need to monitor things and take the meds I’d been prescribed religiously to be sure.

Then, it was six weeks since my wife’s death. I thought about her and missed her every night, and really, every waking hour of every day as well.

He dropped into the chair across from me. I was sitting under the umbrella on the patio.

“How are you feeling this afternoon, Dave?” he said. I looked slowly around at him and shrugged.

“Okay,” I said. “But, I wanna get home as soon as I can. I have to pack up things and sell the house. I can’t live there anymore, too many memories.” He nodded.

“I understand, I guess,” he said. “I was wondering how you wanted to go forward. And well, I’ve had some thoughts.” I looked him askance.

“You might remember that that day, well, I mentioned to you that I had a proposition for you to consider,” he said.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said.

“David, I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse. You saved my life. You didn’t have to do that. And given everything I did to you, especially stealing Stacey away from you; well, I need to do this and you need to let me,” he said. “I hate to bring it up, but that proposition, well, I’d run it by Rozelle before, well, before we talked that day.”

“Huh?” I said.

“I knew you’d turn me down if she wasn’t onboard, so I asked her first. I know how much you valued her input,” he said.

“Yes, well, she was a lot smarter than me,” I said. He nodded.

“A lot smarter than a lot of people,” he said.

“Yeah, for sure,” I said.

“Davey, I want you to come onboard with me at the corporation. Apart from the salary, which I assure you will be truly substantial; you and I will be back as brothers again. And frankly you need to be doing and trying to rebuild your life; you need to be busy maybe crazy busy,” he said.

I decided to change the subject. “Has Jenna been around at all? I haven’t seen her since the funerals nor James either,” I said. He looked away.

“Ronald?” I said.

“She’s been by. But she wants to give you space until you’re ready to see her. She thinks you’re upset with her and doesn’t want to add to your stress,” he said.

Sounded like bullshit to me, but what other explanation could there be.

“Tell her I’d like to see her,” I said, “James too.” He nodded.

“Okay, I will,” he said. “But my proposition?”

“I’ll think about it,” I said.

She came up behind me and surprised me. “Stacey!” I said. “You startled me.”

She smirked. “I gathered that,” she said. “How are you today, Davey?” I could see that she was concerned. She and I had talked numerous times over the weeks since I lost my love and my aunt. We’d talked, but we had avoided—I had avoided—talking about my women. I had just been unable to deal with the loss. But, I sensed it was time to come back to some semblance of normality. Seeing Stacey standing near me made me feel safer if that would have been the way to say it.

I shrugged. “Okay, feeling better, not good, but better. I loved her Stacey. I loved her as much as I loved you,” I said.

“I know. And as short a time as I knew her, Davey, I had grown to lover her too. I think we all had. But... ?”

“But?” I said.

“Ronald said you were asking about Jenna?” she said.

“Yes, I’ve missed her. I know I haven’t been very good company, Stacey. But I need to see our baby,” I said. The woman across from me smiled.

“Well, good,” she said. “I called her. She’ll be here in a little while, James too I think.”

“Good, good,” I said.

“Ronald told me he asked you to join the business,” she said. “You are going to do it?”

“Not sure, and it’s not because of any remaining bad feelings. Staying here these past weeks has given me time to think. Rozelle wanted me to consider rejoining the family, and so did Aunt Delia. They were both a lot smarter than I am or ever was,” I said. My ex-wife nodded.

We heard the gate open and close. Two visitors came toward us. Stacey and I were both standing, waiting for them to come up to us.

“Hi dad,” said Jenna.

I went to her and hugged her. I think I surprised her. “And hi to you too, daughter, and to you too James,” I said.

Stacey smiled. “I guess I’ll go back inside. I know you all have things to talk about,” she said.

“No Stacey, please stay. I need you to stay. I think this little meeting if that’s what it is, is for all of us,” I said, “you too James.” I got a look from Stacey that was pure question.

“Well, okay then,” said Stacey. James spread his hands in a ‘sure bet’ motion. We all settled into the patio chairs around the table.

“I’ve missed you, little girl,” I said.