Chapter 40: Bench Depth

Kim, Debbie, and I got back to Camp Forge and Acre Woods Thursday about six p.m. Most of the crowd was gathered outside near the patio bar. An animated discussion was being led by Ally Cox about how artificial intelligence would impact our lives over the next decade.

If Jim or Bob could have paid any greater attention to her, they would have been welded to her side. They were nodding and asked questions more than June, Jan, or Doug. I learned that Doug and Trish had gotten out of Boston early.

I got each of my ‘wives’ a glass of wine – in acrylic glasses, since we were on the patio where bare feet trod to and from the pool. As I finished pouring, Heather appeared and asked for a glass, too. She was in a bikini that I just knew was illegal.

Kim and Debbie went inside to find Trish. I learned later, that Trish was continuing a long discussion with Todd and Vanessa about advertising and PR for a new restaurant. Moreover, she’d pledged some resources to launch ‘Vanessa’s’ restaurant. The idea had taken hold and was spreading.

I asked Heather what was going on, and got a fascinating run-down of the trends in real estate in the four-county area that surrounded and embraced Camp Forge. She said, “I talked to Sawyer about his and the town council’s concern about the open land like you have around this estate getting developed at some of the other estates that are for sale. Well, one of the sold this week, thank heaven – $20 million. That sale takes about a square mile of acreage off the market, plus a fixer-upper house almost as nice as Acre Woods.”

We talked for a bit, and Kim joined us. I didn’t know she was so interested in real estate. I left the two of them talking, and found Vanessa in the kitchen working on dinner for everybody. She held her arms out and I gave her a hug.

Van asked, “Does your being married change anything between us?”

I wasn’t sure what she meant, but I said, “Not at all, and just so you know, other than to say that your ex-husband did a number on you, I have never discussed any of what you told me. Bob also hadn’t told us anything about how your marriage ended and that he’d exploded your life in a huge way.”

“Thank you. I’m comfortable enough with everybody now, that I don’t care if they know. I’ve reached the point, thanks to my counseling, that I know that I’m not that person – the slut that Michael was turning me into.” She laughed, “If anything, I’m going to become a different kind of slut – a loving one that cares about her friends and lovers.”

“Wow! You’re on a roll. What happened while I’ve been away? You seem more relaxed and outgoing.”

She laughed, “You, in part. I didn’t think that I could trust anybody, especially a male, until you came along. You do know that I love you?”

“I got that feeling, and you should know that it’s mutual. I love you, Vanessa. I want you to be a whole person without the hang-ups and luggage that Michael piled on your plate.” I took her in my arms and kissed her.

“You and the counseling are helping,” she said. “I told her about you – and even your wedding and your lifestyle in the Circle. I don’t think she believed me at first, but everything was so consistent and fit together as we talked.

“Oh, I have to change the subject. Todd and I have been working on the plan for the restaurant. We’ve both been making many, many phone calls collecting information about so many aspects of running such a place. Only today, I talked to Heather about real estate – the ideal location for a restaurant and the price.”

Van gulped. “Are you sure you want to put up money for me – for us. One old house on a corner near here was ... nearly $2 million. There’s land for parking, but the inside would have to be gutted, especially the area that would become the kitchen. She had me talk to the fire marshal in town about what we would have to build to have a safe restaurant. I’ve been reading about five-hundred pages of fire code.”