Chapter 33

“So,” said Abigail.

“He’s still a little bummed by what you said about the two of them. But, thanks to the girls, he’s willing to try and forget about it. The forgive part is easier than the forgetting; that part might turn out to be the impossible dream. But, he is trying. The trick will be for you to be careful about saying those kinds of things. Yes, they are challenged with the way they look. And, I can tell you that if there was a damn thing I could do about it I would. I’ve actually got a kid from ASU doing research on the facial thing.

“A kid?” said Abigail.

“Yeah, name’s Devon Williams. He’s poor, he’s black, and he barely got into the school, but his dad works for a bud of mine, who recommended him to me, and after talking to father and son, I interviewed the kid one on one officially and put him on the payroll.

“Since I was finally forced to buy out Benson’s last summer, I realized I could use a researcher not just another gofer. And here was a good kid that I wanted to work for me, doing research, and okay, some important gofer work. And, he’s a biology major, go figure. When I decided to see what could be done about the facial thing, I decided to go in a different direction and just have someone keep an eye on the research. So I pay the kid to do that and mainly that for me on the side. Well, he is a bio major,” said Owen.

“Wow! And you’re telling me this now!” she said.

“No point in making a big deal out of it. It’s a shot in the dark and will likely never to come to anything, but one never knows. The kid reports to me monthly. Well, I do pay all his bills,” he said.

“Well, like you said, one never knows,” she said. “And, you are paying his way then, the kid’s?”

“Yes,” he said. “In due time, I might consider teaching him the method, my method. He’s a good kid. We’ll be seeing.”

“We’d talked, barely. She’d elocuted her crime, peace had been declared albeit that it was a conditional and tenuous peace; but since, nothing. Not a word, not a post card nothing, and it was some three months since the soccer game. We did live a hundred miles away, so maybe it wasn’t all that surprising; but it still seemed odd considering all the pressure on me to lighten up on the woman.

“So you think they’ve forgotten about us then,” said Rina.

“Seems like,” I said.

“Hmm, well they do live a hundred miles away,” she said.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said. “No biggee. They don’t want us around, I can live with that.”

“Can you?” she said. “I would’ve thought that you would be with the kids, especially Ronald more.”

“If they wanted to be around me they’d be here. They know how hard it is for me to go up there, or you either,” I said.

“Well, they are all either in school or working, and the big man’s working. So...” She said.

“So what?” I said.

“So maybe we should drop in on them. I mean we aren’t working or going to school,” she said. I shrugged. It was a good idea. We’d surprise them for darn sure. The question to be answered was whether or not it would be a good surprise.

Pulling into the drive in my “from the last century” Silverado, I was feeling pretty good. Well, I got a kick out of shocking people. Who didn’t. We parked, I assembled my chair and the two of us headed up to the heavy door that barred the entrance to castle Cord. Rina buzzed.

A uniformed maid, one I didn’t remember ever seeing before, answered the door. She gave us a look that pretty much indicated her disapproval of our daring to intrude on the royal family’s peace and prosperity.

“Sam and Rina Bradshaw,” I said, to her gaping mouth self.

“Uh-one minute please,” she said. She was gone two minutes.

“Sam,” said Owen, coming to the door. “Uh-come in.” It was clear we were interrupting something.

“Owen?” I said.

“No, no, come in. Just surprised to see you,” he said.

“Owen, are we interrupting something?” I said. We clearly were.

“Sam?” said Abigail coming up ten seconds after Owen had. Abigail’s look was one of pure horror. I could feel my face cloud reacting to her look.

“Look, it’s clear to me that we are indeed interrupting something important to you guys. We’ll come back another time,” I said. I was already wheeling around and Rina was helping with that pushing me forward.

“Sam, hell no you’re not leaving. You did surprise us, and we do have guests, but now we have two sets of guests,” said Owen. “Come in, come in.”

He’d come around and more or less passively blocked us from making any more progress toward our truck. Abigail had disappeared back inside, not doubt to warn her guests.

“Owen really, we don’t want to intrude. We should’ve called,” I said.

“Well, yes, next time call. That way we can have the help cook up extra grub, but have you leave and come back later! Not happening,” he said. He not quite forcefully took cover the wheeling duties from Rina.

Rina too was upset about our miscue. But, it looked like we were going to be guested regardless of the situation.

“Sam, Rina, Millard and Jasmine Clark,” said Abigail.

Introductions and apologies rendered lunch was served and there was enough for all, more than enough.

Over the next while Rina and I got some very disapproving looks from the Clarks, and Abigail seemed to be very much upset that we were there to embarrass her as well; well, that’s what is seemed like to me.

The Clarks left soon after lunch had ended. At which point Owen talked with us, while Abigail, also in the room, added but little to the conversation or did anything to make Rina and I feel welcome. I decided that I needed to say something.

We were getting ready to leave. Abigail was standing behind me almost like she was in a hurry to be rid of us.