Chapter 22: 1994-1995

The weather was nice, unusual this time of year: it was October. I was alone at the Lone Star tilting them back. Hadn’t been at the LS in quite a while, but I was today. I say I was alone. But no, that isn’t quite right. The Coopers were in the next booth. I hadn’t noticed them at first. The booths were high-backed, and one couldn’t see into the next one—coziness was a thing at the Lone Star.

But I finally did recognize her voice, Valerie’s. She was laughing; they both were. And they were laughing at me and applauding their own undeniable superiority; well, from their point of view.

“Well, thank God he was willing to donate his kidney. I mean she is his child,” said Herbert. “Even though she doesn’t really want to be his daughter, not the way he wants her to be anyway.”

“Yes, he maybe thought it would get him his fatherhood the way he wanted. But he’s out of luck there. Jillian is grateful to him of course; but she doesn’t even really see him as a dad at all, so she told me a while back, just a good guy. She’s willing to tell him he’s equal, but that’s just for publication is what she actually said, and as far as she’s willing to go. It’s not a real thing, not for her,” my ex-wife said, and laughed. They both did, laugh that is.

“But, Herb, I sure as hell owe him for what he did for me; I will never be able to get by that one, no matter what. But that said, I will not try to force Jillian on him. That must be her decision,” said Valerie. I should never have called him an ungrateful fool. But, he is being childish, even he has to realize that; but the other, no.”

“Yes, it does have to be Jillian’s decision. She knows the truth about the bad day; so now it is her decision to be sure. That the man hates me I understand. But he should know that what he is asking of her is too much. She grew up with you and me. I’m more her daddy than he is despite the sperm donor thing. I do have to say that I understand how he must feel. But again, like you say, in the end it does have to be her decision.

“Still, I’d really like to see the man happy, or at least marginally content. I’d buy him a woman, a good-looking young woman, but I’m pretty sure, having grown to know the man; he’d think that was a bridge too far and tell me to go to hell,” said Herbert, and they laughed again.

I was laughing too, but silently. The two of them were a pair for sure. I was glad that they were stuck with each other, and that I was free of her. That she’d cost me a third of my lifetime and my kid were still issues, but like I always say, there’s an upside to everything.

I had to decide: pin them now, or wait for a better time? I decided that now was a better time, oh yeah it was.

I was already paid up at the bar. I downed the last of my drink, dropped a fiver on the booth’s table, and got up. I went around to them.

“Been a while,” I said, and I was smiling—but the smile was cold. “Listening to the two of you these last minutes has been cathartic. But I gotta say, Valerie, losing a third of my lifetime and my daughter so you and this guy could live the high life is a serious downer. You’d think, that after doing what I did for you, that I could at least expect that you would refrain from talking smack about me behind back, I mean ‘childish’, but I guess not.

“And you, Mister Cooper.

“So you’d be willing to buy me a young good looking whore to make up for all you two have done to me? Hah! But you’re wrong about me turning you down. I would accept the offer, well, so long as she was as good looking as the one you bought for yourself.” I nodded toward my ex. I lost my fake smile.

“I may have nothing left now but my freedom, but that is a whole lot better than being saddled with someone like you, Valerie. At any rate, it’s gonna have to be enough.”

“Chase...!” she said.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, sure, I believe you—not,” I sneered. “Oh, and one more thing, thanks for clearing up how my used-to-be daughter sees me. I won’t be having to worry about her anymore, I guess. That’s a plus. Have a nice evening assholes.” I strode off.

The man never opened his mouth; good thinking on his part.

I heard them chattering like morning songbirds as I walked out.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe he heard us!” she said. “The things I said!”

“Me either. I have to say, him hearing what Jillian really thinks—oh my God. This really is bad. I’m going to offer him a ton of money and hope like hell takes it,” he said. “Anyway, I’m gonna try.”

“He won’t take it. You’ve already offered him millions and he spit on it. Whatever you are thinking of offering him, he’ll just consider it another insult. But I guess it’s all we’ve got,” she said. “Sometimes money really isn’t enough.”

“I’m going to have Rein check him out. Make sure he’s okay.”

“Yes, do put Rein on him. I want to know too.”

“Yes, and you know. Having a talk with Jillian might not be the worst thing that we could do. I don’t think he would have denied her even if he had known how she sees him. I mean...”

“Yes, you’re right. And a talk with her about softening her ideas as to his fatherhood demand. Well, if she can even be made to see him that way...” she said.

“After what he just heard, he wouldn’t believe her. But I guess we gotta try.”

“We do need to give it a little time. He has to have time to cool off. Talk about the impossible hope,” she said.

“Yes, and we need to prepare. Especially as concerns Jillian. That’s going to be every bit as hard as trying to get him to unhear our words,” he said. His wife nodded and cried.

“He’ll never forgive us those, not ever. He might at some point say that he does, but that would be a lie, and one we’d be required to forgive if not believe.” she said. Her husband looked down.

“Yes,” he said.

It’d been a year plus since the transplant and Jillian Cooper had been more than responsible in following doctor’s orders in terms of showing up for her monthly checkups. This one would be the last of the monthlies. From now on it would be just twice a year for the duration, hopefully.

“Miss Cooper,” said a youngish man with a stethoscope draped around his neck. “I’m doctor Carton.”

“Doctor Lees?” said Jillian.

“He’s asked me to handle things today. I hope that’s all right.” She nodded her okay.

“Okay. I’m just used to talking to him.”

“It’s just routine. And it won’t take long. Your record to date is excellent. Like I say, just a routine follow-up today.” She nodded and followed him down the hall to the examination room.

“Mom, this is Evan, Doctor Evan Carton,” said Jillian. “We met on my regular checkup a couple of months ago.”

“Really,” said Valerie. “Nice to meet you, Doctor.”

“Evan, Please.”

“Evan it is. And this is my husband, Herbert.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.” They shook.

“And you, Evan, right this way, please. We need to join the others.” The master of the Cooper fiefdom led the way into the primary dining room.

The talking over the next while, the New Year’s Day ‘95 dinner and celebration, became a revelation.

Dinner over, the crowd of fifteen or so people meandered around the spacious patio on the happily warmish early winter evening.

“So, daughter. You’ve brought your young man home to meet your parents. Might I ask, is this the beginning of something big?”

“Yes, well, it looks that way,” said Jillian, “but he hasn’t asked me yet. Still, it’s just a matter of time, and likely not very much time.”

“Hmm, well, do keep us in the know. And no running off to elope!”

“No, no, no elopement,” said Jill.

“Okay then, good.”

“Well, it turned out to be a nice New Years’,” said Herbert.

“Yes, and her young man seemed nice,” said Valerie. “Even the twins took time to bother him.”

“Yes, they did. But, back on topic, is there something you know that I don’t know? I saw you talking longish to her after dinner.”

“No, not yet. She does think it’s going to happen, but not yet, she told me. Well, and I mean she did bring him home to meet us.”

“Hmm, yes. And then there’s the other daddy.”

“Yes, but he doesn’t want us around, even her,” she said. “And there is still the problem of what he heard that day. Which is one big reason he doesn’t want even her around.”

“No matter what, we have to get that particular problem solved.”

“Well thank God he’s at least got a job and a place without steel bars to stay. And yes, you’re right about the other thing; we do have to get him and Jillian to be on good terms, if not us, somehow!”