Chapter 37: 2000-2001

After lunch and after the visit to the bank, where Sarah and I became instant millionaires though she was as yet unaware; we all stopped at the Lone Star, and had a drink before heading home. It was after 4:00 p.m. when I finally arrived at our place—to a frowning spouse.

“So you are still alive and well,” said Sarah.

“Yes, it took a little longer than I figured.”

“Yes, instead of an hour, five hours,” she said, “more actually.”

“Herbert showed up a little late, so Valerie and I talked, and then after he arrived we made some decisions. And then we had lunch and made some more decisions and then we went to the bank and now you and I are rich—very rich,” I said.

“Huh?”

“Herbert begged me to take the money. He held forth that it would finally give Valerie some hope of being truly able to get by stuff. I know you know what I mean.” She nodded.

“Feel less guilty is what he meant, right?”

“I guess.”

“Sarah, I don’t really care about the money. But well, I guess I’ve gotten by stuff enough so that I no longer think of it as a bribe, or a matter of him buying my family. Valerie and I are going to talk some more of course. We would have done so this evening, but I was afraid you might be a tad upset if I got back any later than I have.”

“Yes, well that was thoughtful of you.”

“Hmm, so what’s for dinner?”

And then it was a week later: Saturday, August 26th, 2000. It was noon, and yep, I was with my ducks. And then I was with my ducks and my ex-wife. Well, she had been joining me off and on though usually on Sundays.

“Valerie!” I said.

“Yes, uh, you are more or less predictable. I see that as a good thing, well, a convenient thing.” She was kinda grinning.

“Hmm, so, you’re here...? I mean I took the money. Haven’t spent any of it, not yet; so what, you want it back?”

“Funny, but no, I just felt like I needed to talk to you today, Chase. I mean it’s been more than thirty years of guilt on my part, and suffering on your part. I’m probably going to bother you a lot in the years to come.

“Chase, I still wake up some mornings, lots of mornings, needing to talk to you, but since you’re not around ... Well, I hope you will continue to grant me the opportunity to do that on occasion; like here with the ducks; like we’ve done at different times in these last couple of years.” I shrugged.

“Sure, I guess. Oh, and me too. I need to talk to you too. Things are good now, better, much better. But...”

“But?” she said.

“Valerie we were family, five years’ worth, before everything went south back in ‘66, and then we were a family no more. Family was everything to me, still is.” She nodded.

“Me too,” she said. “So talk to me, Chase. How are you feeling these days.” I looked down.

“It was bad all of those years, while I was inside after you divorced me, as we’ve talked about before. I still find it hard to believe that you could betray me like you did. It was mostly all I thought about for all of those years that I was in prison. But as I said, things are better now. A lot better.

“Sarah is helping me to get by a lot of the old bad feelings. She’s my anchor as you might say.”

“I guess I owe your lady more than a mere thank you,” she said.

“And, I owe Rein and your husband more than a mere thank you too. So maybe that much is a wash.”

“Hah! Hardly,” said Valerie. “But changing the subject. You and Jillian?”

“I love her, Valerie. I always will. I hope someday she will feel the same way towards me. Well, the hope is.”

“She loves you, Chase, believe me. As much as Herb? Maybe not that, not yet. But the day will come. I can feel it.” I shrugged.

“Like I say.”

“Chase think about it. I mean all that you have given up. A story like yours is a very difficult thing to process, for anybody. But one day she will wake up to things that even I can barely understand, and I was there for all of it.

“But Chase, as far as family goes, you’re a member of the family now. I mean you always were, but now you’re a willing member. And, dare I say it, so are your friends Frank and Hector and their families.”

“I hope so. I mean the two of them and me are close in kind of special ways. Ways I cannot really explain. When a man’s in prison, well, it’s tough being without anyone to relate to. So...”

My ex-wife was crying. There’d likely be more of that in the future, and not just by her.

We talked a while longer, mostly about Jillian and the boys, and then we split to go home. I hoped my wife had done a good job cleaning the house.

Arriving back at the Saguaro; it was still fairly early, just 2:15 p.m. Parked in front of our place were two newish Cadillacs. I knew the owners: one was Rein the other Jillian. Nearby was a well-used pickup truck, a Ford 150.

Oh boy, this had to be the big meet up! I did have my fingers crossed.

I parked near the others and went in. Yep, this would be the big one: Jillian, Rein and two middle aged strangers were seated around and sipping soft drinks. I’d never met them, but I knew without doubt who they were.

Before any words were spoken by me, Jillian came to me, planted a kiss on my cheek and led me over to the strangers. Sarah was sitting with them, the strangers. But Jillian did the introductions. Rein was standing off a bit and looking serious.

“Dad, this is Randell and Leann Bonaparte,” she said.

“We’ve been talking while you were with your ducks,” said my wife.

“Apparently. Nice to meet you, Randell, Leann. This is a surprise.”

“We brought the food,” broke in Rein. And the pizza party was on.

Our place had but two bedrooms, so the Bonapartes would be shacking up for the evening at a local motel, previously arranged for by Rein.

Additionally, Sarah and I were made aware of new jobs arranged for the siblings, which jobs were in Tucson.

As might have been predicted, Sarah closeted the pair on the patio for a long talk, which would prove preliminary to the reconstitution of the family Bonaparte.

Jillian, Rein and I socialized while the Bonapartes and Sarah were having their family conference. Well, they hadn’t been in contact with each other for more than thirty years. The siblings did eventually rejoin us and we all visited for a good while.

Rein and the two newcomers left for the motel at around 10:00 p.m. It had been a long day. They, Randell and Leann, would be leaving early in the morning, but a promise by Sarah for us to visit them in the near future was made. Rein for his part would be having a positive report for the Coopers. And then there was Jillian...

Jillian surprised us, after Rein and the Bonapartes left, she asked if she could spend the night. Evan, as she had informed us earlier on, was attending a conference in Los Angeles. Of course we assented.

It was Sunday morning, the 27th. It was going to be a hot summer day for sure. I was awake, barely. The smell of coffee brewing permeated the atmosphere. It’s what woke me up. Sarah was still asleep. Had to be Jillian in the kitchen. I looked over at the clock; it was a couple of minutes after 7:00 a.m. I took the next fifteen minutes to splash a little water on my face and dress before going down stairs.

“So how did you sleep? I mean our poor hovel of a home must have been a challenge,” I said.

“Dad! Good morning. And I slept good. I asked to stay because I don’t like being alone in the house, our house. And your poor hovel isn’t a poor hovel! I mean really,” she said, sounding irritated at my self-deprecation.

“Well, thanks for that,” I said.

“Evan has this conference in L.A., and, since I was here...”

“Well, you’re always welcome to stay over. I mean...”

“Yes, I know. And thanks,” she said, she still sounded irritated.

“So, plans?”

“Nothing big. I’ll be going shopping later. But on another subject: mom said you talked long yesterday. I just got off the phone with her?”