Chapter 4

Kitten and I did the barn chores together. Kitten had taken some of the subs that weren’t eaten and together with heated tomato soup we called this a meal. We went in to the living room and put all of the pillows from the two couches on the floor and listened to Christmas Carols while snuggled together.

“What are we doing for Christmas Dinner, Kitten?”

“I’m cooking it. You can make the pies tomorrow while I’m making bread rolls. I’ll do the vegetables and potatoes Christmas morning.”

“Are we having Turkey?”

“Of course, but I’m cheating. You have to pick it up by eleven Christmas day, Friday, at the restaurant. Dressing and Gravy come with it. It’ll be a great meal.”

“What kind of pies am I expected to bake?”

“Pumpkin, apple and maybe a pecan.”

“I’ve never done a pecan before, but I will try it. How come you think I can bake a pie ... any kind of pie?

“I used to hang out with your mother before she died. I thought you were a hunk and I went over there a lot just so I might get a glimpse of you when you came home from college. You were helping her make them the last Christmas before she died and she bragged on your prowess. You didn’t notice me did you?”

“I noticed you. I wish I had really noticed you, but I just thought you were a geeky little squirt. I didn’t realize at the time you were sister to Lorna and I guess I was in love with her like you were in love with me. How dumb could I be?”

“Pretty damned dumb and you wasted so much time. We are together now, so it doesn’t matter. Also, you are rescuing me from a fate worse than death. You know like being unmarried and knocked up.”

“Sweet heart, that is going to change, I swear it.”

Kitten’s mind was on the business I had just purchased. We were getting ready to roll away from each other, “Howard, do you have enough money to pick up where Becker left off and make your endeavor profitable?”

“I think so. I have $6,000 left from what Henry sent me for the detective I hired and for my divorce from your sister. I have $24, 000 left of the $100,000 I borrowed on the house I own and I came out here with nearly $20,000 that I didn’t have to split with Lorna. You have to remember that I just purchased a piece of property for $75,000. It is on the tax rolls for $250,000. That’s easily worth $200,000.”

“Why didn’t John get his loan at a bank when he went after one?”

“Because he didn’t go to them with a plan showing how he was going to make more business. He was only borrowing to pay off his bills.”

“Well, how are you going to get money from a bank if you need it?”

“It’s going to take some doing. First I’m going to make sure the six laptops are loaded with the C A D applications I need. I may have to spend money to bring them up to where I need them. That will only take me a few hours. Then I’m going to do a full press on getting some more work in here for the 3 D printers that I have. I’m familiar with most of them already so that’s no problem.

“I think Henry will give me a contract to make the plastic containers that each set of small socket tools are inserted into. You know each socket has its own place and after filled the set slips into a sleeve. I wrote the code for these. Henry thinks that it is a nuisance, and is sticking with metal. I think I can convince him otherwise by making the set holders color coded by S.A.E or by M.M. and he will get his money back after an ad blitz. I could do that for him as an incentive to let me make the holders.

“Back to getting a bank to lend to me. I’ll have a business plan which John never bothered to put together. I’m hoping I won’t have to go to the bank anyway. Just as soon as I talk with a prospective customer and as soon as a contract is written with possible more to come, I’ll purchase a printer to do the work. I have room for about three dozen new and different printers. The six laptops should be able to write code for what printers I have and many more.”

“You’ll be working all hours of the day and I’ll never see you. That is what brought about two divorces I’ve heard about.”

“No, I may get into work a little earlier in the morning, but I know about those same divorces and my day, every day will stop at 5:00 o’clock. That’s a promise ... not so much to you, but to myself.” I stopped speaking and then I said, “I am worried though.”

“Don’t worry about the business, Howard. I have faith in you.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about the business; it’s about the pumpkin pie I’m making tomorrow.”

“Oh, you!” We snuggled together and went to sleep.

The phone rang at 5:20. Kitten picked it up. “Kittery, tell Howard to get his ass out of bed and come pick me up at the airport. They got no cars to rent. What kind of back water place is this anyway?”

“You’re at the airport here in Helena?”

“Yeah, that’s the place. Have coffee ready when he gets back with me.”

“Okay, Dad, He’s just coming in from the barn. He should be there in less than an hour.” Kitten grinned at me where I was laying beside her. “You better go and hurry, Dad sounds like he is on a tear. I wonder if Mom is with him.”

“Who knows? Your secret about being knocked up is no more. What are you going to tell him?”

“I’d like to tell him the truth.”

“I think we should. It has bothered me not being able to claim the baby. A father shouldn’t do that. It’s like denying the baby’s birthright.”

“Howard, I love you more each day.”

I drove right along and reached the airport when Kitten said I would. When I pulled up to the disembarking area, Mable was sitting on a large solid sided bag. I got out and asked her, “Where is Henry?”

“He’ll be out. He stayed inside where it is warm.”

“That won’t go with me, he being cruel to you.”

“Howard, please don’t interfere. In way you caused this so you don’t have a right to tell me or Henry what to do. I’m satisfied to still be with him. In a way it is him showing me he still loves me. I’d die if he didn’t.”

I opened the trunk to put the bag in. I reached down to pick it up. “Let her do it. Get into the car where it is warm.” Henry tossed a small carry-on into the back seat and slid into the front seat. Mable was struggling with the case. I held the trunk open and leaned far enough down so she didn’t have much weight to lift.

As we went around the car, Maple, whispered, “Thank you.”

“Henry, I’m glad you came. You won’t see Mary. She has a man friend and is having Christmas with him. I haven’t met him yet. How long are you staying for?”

“Mable got me a reservation for Sunday afternoon. I want to see what kind of business you bought. I want to make sure you have enough money to get it off the ground.”

“I believe I’m in good shape. I might make some of the things you have contracts for from other suppliers. That would be the only help I will need.”

“Is it going to cost me more to switch to you being my supplier? If it is, I’ll still look at it, but business is business.”

“Oh come on Henry, I know it never made any difference before, but I am your son-in-law.”

“You were, but you’re getting divorced and won’t be my son-in-law and longer so you can’t trade on that.”

“Divorce is not final for months so you’re cutting me off now?”

“No Howard, but as soon as you’re not my son-in-law, no more favors.” I almost told Henry that I intended to marry Kittery and we would still be related. Naw, I’d let Kitten have fun with that fact.

I pulled into the driveway. Henry got out and headed for the house. “Henry, come back here and get this suitcase. Let Mable go into the house to see her daughter first.”

I hurried and I knew it wouldn’t take long. Mable had looked for Kitten and found her making breakfast. Henry and I walked in and we heard from the kitchen “OH, MY. Oh, my. Kittery? Oh my. Henry, come in here!”

“Howard, what’s the matter with Mable?”

“Go see for yourself. I’m going to have a coffee.”

Mable, louder this time, “Henry, get your ass in here. Forget your silly fucking games. This is important!”

Henry went through the kitchen and stopped. Kitten had but on a tighter dress than usual which accentuated her condition. “Hi Dad, haven’t you and Mom ever seen a pregnant woman before? Sit, I’ll get your breakfast. I’ll answer questions about this afterward. There’s bacon and sausage, eggs and toast. Howard you can help. Dad here’s your coffee, relax, this won’t take long to put on the table. How long will you be with me?”

“Until Sunday, Kittery.”

“Good. Mom, I think I need some questions answered about why Dad is divorcing you.”

“I would have called you but Henry said I couldn’t. He’ll have to let me tell you now that we are here. I will say I did it to get his attention. It worked and I had some fun doing it too. Howard must have told you about it. It was his meddling that caught me out.”

“Mable, shut your mouth.”

“Henry, you shut your mouth. When I’m in a kitchen, I’m boss. Remember you agreed to these rules.” I couldn’t believe this. Henry shut up and took a sip of his coffee. He winked at me when Kitten and Mable weren’t looking.

I wanted get away from Henry and Mable. I couldn’t believe but what someday this wouldn’t blow up and one would hurt the other ... maybe even physically. “Tell me about Rod Peters, Lorna, and what happened to Rod’s wife.”

“It really is sad what happened. It was in the news. Rod’s wife was home with the kids and Peters was working. The fire was in the kitchen and no one really knows what occurred. The rumor is that she was frying something, maybe French fries and the oil caught fire and maybe she got burned or caught her clothes on fire.

“The oldest child said his mother screamed to get out of the house. The youngest is a girl and wouldn’t leave her mother. So the mother grabbed something and broke out a window and picked up the little girl and threw her out. The mother tried to make it to the door, but succumbed from the smoke. The fire was between her and the door and the window was too high and too small to allow her get out that way. She just didn’t make it.

“It was on the news and Lorna went right over to the place where the Red Cross had found shelter for them. Lorna asked Peters to come home with her so she could help the children get through this. The little girl received a broken arm along with the other trauma so she really needs someone to mother her. The sad thing is that the kids will be going to a different school if they stay with Lorna. The last time I talked to her, Lorna said she and Peters don’t have any plans at this time.”

“That’s pretty sad.”

“It is. Lorna is a little concerned about how you will feel when you find out about Peters living in your house.”

“She shouldn’t. She was given the right to live there and she said she wasn’t intending to be celibate. She also told me that I had no need to deny myself of a woman’s favors either. She is the one who is listed as the person of occupancy and is in full control of the residence. Mable, would you tell her that for me? Also relate I’m sorry that her friend lost his wife.”

“I will. That will relieve her mind a little.”

There was silence among us and we concentrated on drinking our coffee. I could tell Mable and Henry wanted to quiz Kitten about being pregnant, but didn’t want to broach such a sensitive subject. I wanted to put off the explanation as long as I could, so I changed the subject to Henry and Mable.

“Henry, how are you two getting along?”

“Oh, everything is fine. Mable knows she did wrong when she humiliated me by going out and screwing around. I guess I did a lot of shouting and swearing at her and I had the right. For now I’m in control. She has to learn how it is to feel terribly humiliated. It just isn’t in me to retaliate by going out and doing the same thing to her as she did to me. The divorce is still on the table. I am letting her live at home and she keeps the house just as if she was my loving wife. That goes for the bedroom as well.”

“You mentioned you purchased a restaurant and it is being renovated.”

“Yeah. She has to learn to support herself when we are divorced. I still think enough of the slut not to throw her out into the cold. I expected Lorna was going to help Mable, but it doesn’t look as if that is going to happen. She’s got those two kids to look after now. Personally I think you let Lorna off way too easy.”

“Maybe. I’m sleeping well at night though, and I very seldom think of her. I guess I wasn’t very deeply in love with Lorna or it would have bothered me more.” I stopped speaking and then said something. I might wish I had kept my mouth shut, but Henry was a friend.

“Henry, I saw how you were treating Mable today and I don’t think I agree that you are going about this the right way.”

“What do you mean? She fucked around on me didn’t she? She deserves the way I’m treating her. I have never struck her and I could and she would take it and say nothing. That’s what she should get and she’s only being treated just as she deserves.”

“You have that power, but what happens if someday you do strike her. Suddenly she realizes that letting you humiliate her will never be enough and her trying to atone for what she did will never bring her back into your heart. Damn it man, Mable still loves you. If you go too far, her love will turn to hate and she’ll realize that you are a wife abuser even it isn’t that physical. She could someday decide she has had enough and leaves you. What are you going to do then?

“I saw the way you were treating her at the airport this morning. You made her sit out in the cold on your luggage while you stayed inside where it was warm. I felt shame, Henry. I was a bit shamed too because I am the bottom of it all. It was me who brought her infidelity to your attention when I was getting evidence on a woman I didn’t love. At present only the detective, two lawyers and the four of us who are the subjects know what this is all about.

“But if you persist in humiliating Mable, all your friends and associates will find out why you are treating her in such a horrible way. At that time Mable will become the victim and you are just a mean old man. You’ve been a great friend of mine, but in this case I’ve had to speak up.”

Henry stared at me. “You’re turning on me boy, and I’m surprised. I just lent you $100,000 and you’ve also asked me to give you a contract to produce some of the things I use in my business. I have a check made out in your name for wages through the first of the year. You’re hurting me terribly. First my wife and now the man I’ve loved like a son. Remember you are the one who turned up the evidence of what she was.” Henry was shaking his head, looking down at the table.

Suddenly his head came up and he looked at Kitten, “Kittery how come you’re pregnant and when did you get knocked up?”

“It’s a long story, Dad. I’ll be seven months pregnant the third of January. How did I get this way? Well the usual way most women get pregnant. I was at a party and I had a chance to get into bed with a person I thought a lot of. He had been drugged and was drunk. He didn’t even know it was me when I reached for him. You can say I seized the moment while I was seizing the one thing I have wanted since I first met him as a teenager. The person never knew but what he was making love to his wife.

“I don’t regret it for one minute. This man you are so disappointed in has agreed to lend me his name to put on my baby’s birth certificate. He may even give me his name to add to mine when he is free to do so.”

Maple made the connection immediately. “It’s, Howard’s baby isn’t it? He was married on June third to Lorna.”

“I didn’t say that Mom, but I did get knocked up that night.”

“Kittery, you’re no better than your mother.”

“Maybe I am Dad, but if Howard gives me his name, he won’t treat me like you are treating Mom. Dad, you may think Howard has turned against you, but he hasn’t. He sees injustice in how you are treating Mom. The money you lent him is easily resolved. He has a mortgage deed on his property all made out to give to you so you won’t be out of anything. Sure, he has asked for work from you, but he has run the numbers and you’ll be saving money on the deal better than doing the work right in your own factory.”

“Kittery, you’re acting awful independent for a girl who got knocked up and is without a husband.”

“Dad and Mom, I’ve had to be independent and Aunt Mary has too. It all goes back to Grandma Hetty Comstock. Mom was her favorite and Aunt Mary, was out. Dad you didn’t like her either, but you went along with Grandma. When Mom had Lorna, this pleased Grandma and she gave what love she had to Lorna, leaving me out the same way as Aunt Mary was. I’ve been out here since Lorna became engaged and I’ve caught the independent spirit. Howard has been out here a week and he has caught the same disease.

“Something else to think about. What would Grandma Hetty say if Mom and Lorna did what they did while she was alive? Would Grandma come down on them or would she find an excuse for her daughter and granddaughter? Aunt Mary and I are just independent enough so we really don’t care. I do care about how you treat Mom for your sake because it makes you look small and I have to have one parent to look up to.” Kitten paused and then said, “Guess I’ve said enough.”

Henry asked, “Kittery, why did you bring your Aunt Mary into this?”

“Because Aunt Mary felt the same about you when you married Mom the same way I felt about Howard when he became engaged to my sister. She felt she had to get away from you and I felt the same with Howard. I wasn’t contented and when the chance came, I grabbed Howard and then I grabbed him by his by dick.

“I saw a chance to have a little bit of Howard even when I couldn’t have all of him. I was six months along when he first found I was pregnant and he didn’t know it was his. He still foolishly resisted me until the last week when Lorna gave him his freedom and I took him to bed here.”

Mable, got into the conversation, “Kittery, I don’t understand what you are saying about my mother, Mary, and Lorna. Who figured this out; was it Howard?”

“No, certainly not; Aunt Mary and I figured it out. When children aren’t favored in the family unit, they talk to each other and figure out how to have some measure of happiness. Dad, you’ll have to stick with Mom now because Aunt Mary has gone out and found someone to be happy with. Me, well I stole the consummation baby from Lorna. Howard placed the seed in my womb that he thought he was placing in my sister’s on his wedding night.”

She looked around and then said, “Dad, Mom will have to make pies for tomorrow. Howard was going to, but I want to tell Mom all about how it is to have a consummation baby while Howard takes you over and shows you the business he just purchased. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at his acumen and by the time you get back I think you will have changed your mind how to treat Mom about her screwing around on you.

“I say this because Howard is able to see things that most normal people wouldn’t. Howard thinks the world of you and he thinks you’re wrong on this. I hope so because it has been a long time since I’ve sat down to a holiday dinner with you. Let’s leave all our problems behind us while you are here. Please, Mom—Dad?”

Henry didn’t answer, but did get up and give Kitten a hug. Maple looked at me. What the hell? I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Let’s go Henry. You know if you don’t want a mortgage on my house, I can give you one on the property I just bought. I figure I have about $125,000 extra equity in it.”

“Don’t talk money until I see what you got.” We were almost to Helena when he asked if he really was treating Mable badly.

“I think you are. If Mable becomes the underdog or victim when people see how you are treating her, they’ll forget she was a slut and go against you instead of her because they don’t know for certain that she was. That’s why I mentioned that so far there are so few people who know what she was doing. I certainly haven’t told anyone.

“But I know she is a slut. Hell when we go to bed she acts like that with me.”

I didn’t say anything and then, “Henry, so you have your own personal slut. That can’t be all bad?”

“Mable is getting rewarded for that.”

“Explain.”

She’s getting the restaurant to manage any way she wants to, I’m even barred from the kitchen.”

“Does that bother you?’

“Of course it does.”

“So you aren’t quite happy what you have set up? Is she happy?”

“No,”

“Time to change the rules then. I’m going on what I see as the facts.”

“What are the facts as you see them?”

“The fact is that you two are still in love.”

“I think I’ve gone too far already to be able to change the rules.”

“I don’t believe it. Tonight when you get in bed talk to Mable and tell her you love her. Next, ask her what would make her happy. This would be the time to cease making demands. If she wants to get things back to before she began running around, tell her you would make the commitment to have your vows renewed, and start over in the marriage. I suspect she’ll go for that because the restaurant is a big deal for her.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because she has made you agree already to stay out of the kitchen.”

I looked up and realized I was in front of my new business. “Henry, this is it. I want your honest opinion on this.” I walked Henry through the expansions I intended to make. I quoted figures of what I knew it would take to make it happen. The major investment was going to be in more printers, but those didn’t need to be purchased all at once.”

“What kind of a crew do you have working for you?”

“Not sure yet. I’ve only watched half of them work. Those three will be good. The other three weren’t here on time, and I have mentioned what I expect of them. We’ll see on January, 4. They are all college kids out of school three years. The one whom I bought the place from was the seventh. He had never run a business before. They don’t know anything about working a daily job, but if they graduated school they must be intelligent enough. It will be up to me to train them. I’ve had great training, thanks to you.”

“Thanks Howard, I had to learn everything on my own and I think I’ve done well.”

We sat in the tiny little office and I told Henry more of my plans. He changed the subject, “Howard, so the baby Kittery is carrying is really yours?”

“I’m almost positive it is. I wasn’t aware of much of it. Why don’t you ask Kitten when we get back? You’ll hear it just the way I did. I think you will believe her just as I do. Say, can we stop at a store on the way back. I only have one Christmas present for her. It’s a locket I bought before I came out this last time. I could tell she wanted a ring so I bought that and was waiting for tomorrow to give her the other.”

“I could buy Mable something, I guess. In fact I think I will. Let’s go into a jewelry store somewhere. I might find something I think she will like. What are you looking for?”

“A pin, I guess. I certainly can’t buy her any clothes. She might like a heart pin or brooch.”

“Mable is into collecting elephants. Maybe I’ll see one.” We went into town and I parked in front of the same jewelry store where Kitten had picked out rings. Henry was excited to think he was buying Mable a trinket. I think my advice for him to forgive Mable her transgressions were having some affect.

The jeweler brought out a tray of enameled brooches. I let Henry go first. He described what he wanted. There was one gray elephant in the tray. He pointed to it. “Is the eye, a diamond?”

“No, sir, its glass.”

“Can you replace it with a diamond and do it today?”

“It will be possible, but it will be late before you can pick it up. This is Christmas Eve and they are busy out back.”

“That’s fine, I’ll take it.”

While I was waiting on Henry, I walked down the counter and looked at the brooches. I spotted just what I wanted. It was a black onyx pin of a cat. The eyes sparkled. They might be diamond. When the jeweler returned, I asked. He looked at me. “Prentice ... I never forget a face. You bought a ring that your wife picked out. Kittery ... lovely name.”

“I’m Kittery’s father.”

“You must be proud that you’re going to be a grandfather. Is this child going to be your first grandchild?”

“I hadn’t thought about the baby being my first. Yes, I’m proud, in fact, I’m damned proud. I only found out a couple hours ago. Guess it hasn’t sunk in.”

The jeweler turned back to me and got the pin out and handed it to me. “Yes, these are diamond chips. Anything larger would throw the proportion of the pin off. This is a well made pin without any flaws. Kittery will love it. It is for her isn’t it?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll box this for you. Will there be anything else?”

“How much is that pony brooch? Kittery wanted to get something for her Aunt Mary. The Aunt has been like a mother to her.”

I was quoted a price and it was well within my budget. “I’ll take that too.” Again I heard the jeweler ask if we needed anything else. We looked around and guessed not.

Then Henry spoke up, “Why don’t you put a diamond eye in the pony and Kittery and I will give it to Mary together. She is my sister-in-law. Okay with you, Howard?”

“Sure, that’ll be fine.”

“These are wonderful gifts. I’ll go put a rush on these diamonds. You can wait it won’t be long.” I settled my bill. I left my purchases with Henry’s. There was a package store across the street.

“Henry, I’m going across the street and get some liquor. I know what you drink. Maybe I’ll get some sparkling wine for the women. I’ll be right back.” The lines were long and I had to wait a half hour and then ten minutes to get back across the street.

Henry was putting the packages into a bag when I came in. “I had these wrapped in Christmas paper while you were gone. Let’s go home, I’m hungry. Pies should be done and I need coffee.”

“Coffee, Dad?”

“Please, Honey.”

Mable came in tentatively, and sat across the table. “Henry, does Howard’s little factory have viable prospects?

“Yeah, it has. I’m giving him the business he asked for. I’ll save some money, not much but enough to pay for me to change over. He will do both the designing and then do the production.”

“What does it take to design what you need?”

“If I have a small set of tools I want packaged, I’m going to send him the tools and he writes code on the C.A.D app he has on his computer and then when he has it written he feeds that into the 3 D printer, turn it on and it automatically builds it. He’s thinking of making the package in different colors for different sizes of tools. He’s done a little of this when he was in the factory. This will be a production factory using plastic, where my production factory is producing metal tools. Whoever buys a set of tools and keeps them all together they will last a lifetime.”

“Will he make a living at this? He’s going to have a wife and baby very shortly.”

“He laid it all out to me and I’m positive he will. Speaking about a baby, Kittery, tell me in your own words so I can understand why you call the baby a Consummation Baby.”

Mable spoke up, “Henry, she has told me already. Lorna was doing Howard a great wrong and Kittery took advantage of the situation.”

“Well, let her tell me.”

Kitten started right where Henry, she, and my best man had dumped my drunk and drugged ass on the couch. How I fell off the couch. How she guiding me down the hall with me hearing Lorna having sex in my old room. How she got me into bed, removed my clothes, and where when I thought she was my just married wife I had proceeded to consummate my marriage.

“Dad, I knew it was wrong, but it was wrong for what Lorna did. She admitted to him that she went along with cheating on him. She doesn’t even know I am pregnant yet. No one has told her. I don’t even feel guilty about what I did either. Dad, I’ve been so in love with Howard for so long and I’m so happy. Just as soon as he is free he wants to marry me.”

“I’m happy for you. Just as side note, I suspect Lorna will be glad she is going to be single soon as well.”

“Yeah, and it will be the man she was screwing the night I tricked Howard into giving me a baby.”

“Do you know that for sure?”

“I do, I watched her lead him into Howard’s old room. I was there sitting in the corner watching over Howard in case he got sick and choked or something.” She glanced outside and the sun had set.

“Howard, will you do the horses tonight. Dad can help.”

“No way.”

Mable spoke, “I’ll help Howard. I’ve had a nice talk with Kittery today and I need some air. What do I have to do?”

“Put on one of Kitten’s heavy coats and a hat. This doesn’t take long. Kitten cleaned them this morning while I was picking you up at the airport.” We had to go around to the back of the house and the cold wind hit us right in the face. It was fairly warm in the little barn. There was however white whiskers around their noses which made Mable laugh.