Chapter 20

We found what we wanted but it couldn't be delivered until Thursday. Karen nodded. 'I can be home in the afternoon." The store set the delivery time for after two and took Karen's number for notification. We headed home.

Once there, we went over our needs and lists. Karen said, "Brad, take us to eat and we'll go for another round of shopping." I nodded and the three of us took ourselves and our lists to the truck. My phone rang.

It was connected by Bluetooth in the truck. I keyed it and said, "Hello. This is Brad."

"Brad, this is your mother. I need your help."

"What could I do, Mother?"

"Your father has cut me off from money. I'm going to starve. I'm going to run out of gas for my car. He's gone off on a trip and left me."

I said, "Morris and Anna are still there. Don't they have food to cook?"

"They do but I can't sit at home all the time."

"Mother, if you remember, you sent me away having no use for me. I'm not in a position to support you. Perhaps you should get a job?"

"Brad, I can't work! It would be demeaning!"

"Then I guess you will starve and your car will run out of gas. Karen and I work. We don't think you really want our money since it's tainted from our demeaning efforts. Is there anything else, Mother?"

"Brad, that's not nice. I'm your mother. You shouldn't treat me this way."

"Mother, you've ordered all your children out of your life. Why would you expect that we are interested in helping you maintain a lifestyle that we detest?"

It was quiet. She said, "I guess you don't care. You want me to suffer."

"Mother, I care. Actually, I care a lot. I care enough that I want you to be healed. Good bye, Mother."

'I'm not sick. I don't need to be healed."

I said, "Then we are at an impasse. Again, good bye, Mother."

"Good bye, Brad." Her phone clicked off. I pressed the "off" button on mine.

Karen said, "Is she learning?"

"Not yet, Love. The pinch is starting. The pain hasn't really started yet. This will take a while. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day."

We pulled in at a restaurant and ate. Then, we went to a store to purchase the things on our list. It took a while and we finally got home and unloaded the truck. We went to bed tired.

In the morning, we met in the kitchen and had coffee and a light breakfast. The three of us agreed to meet for lunch.

Thursday, our furniture was delivered and we received a call from my grandparents. They had heard from mother. She was whining but didn't ask for anything. She called Irene though didn't ask her for anything either. Irene told us that she thought mother was becoming desperate. I knew Dad's trip had two more weeks to go so figured there would be some more calls.

We left Marianne at our home. Tom was joining her. We were going to visit Karen's parents. We did and had a wonderful time. We returned after church and lunch. We each thanked Father Vernon for his books. We traveled back to our home and saw a strange vehicle parked in our driveway. I parked beside it and we went inside. Marianne was there talking to Dad.

He stood as we came in. "Hi, Karen, Brad. It's good to see you two."

I said, "Hi, Dad. What's the car? I thought you were gone for three weeks."

"The car is a rental. I was free this weekend and flew back to see Irene and Jim and now am here to see you three. Marianne gave me the tour. Your home is beautiful. It's a great reflection of the two of you."

Karen gave him a serious hug and a kiss. She stepped back and said, "So, tell all."

Dad said, "There's not much to tell. Your mother and I have talked twice and aren't getting anywhere. She's mad at me and won't talk about solutions to the situation. I told her Friday night that, with no change on her part, we would be divorcing. She really doesn't like that idea. Morris tells me that she is now crying a lot.

"Her, what did you call them, plastic friends have all abandoned her. Looking at the charges at the club and elsewhere told me that I was footing the bill for most of the outings. She is low on gas and has no cash. Along as she is at the house, she eats well and has television and Internet. She has sent some ill-advised emails to me. I have copied my lawyer on them. She has even made threats.

"I do have a favor to ask. Brad, would you drive over to the house one afternoon and listen and talk. If you can, try to get through to her that I am not bluffing and that she must change her ways. She has tried to tap everyone for money already without success."

I said, "Let me think about it. You think I should go by myself leaving Karen and Marianne here?"

"Yes, Son. You are the one who is truly independent and has been for years. You have always gone your own way despite either my opinion or hers. In some ways, you are the most neutral one of our three children. Neither of your sisters has the financial resources that your grandfather gave you. Sometimes I think he knew this day would come and prepared you for it in many ways. You could take care of your sisters financially if you needed to do that. He knew that your mother and I had not handled raising the three of you well. You were the one who was oldest and most ready. You had always chosen a right path even as a child. Now it gets put to the test. You may succeed where no one else can. I hope you'll try."

I said, "I'm not anxious to go without Karen but I see your point." I looked at Karen who was nodding. "Karen does, too. I'll go up Tuesday afternoon. I have a project for Monday with Karen."

Karen looked at me questioningly but said nothing. Dad noticed. He said, "She doesn't know what that project is."

"I thought we would go car shopping. We had talked about it and I have arranged for us to see a few Monday. I just hadn't gotten around to telling her yet."

Dad grinned, "You and your spouse need to talk. You need to make an effort to keep her informed. I may not be the best husband but even I know that." He laughed. So did Marianne.

Karen said, "What if I had other plans?"

"You didn't. I checked your calendar." I looked at her and said, "You're right. I need to talk more. I'm trying."

She smiled a bit. "You're very trying."

Marianne and Dad both chuckled at that. Marianne said, "He's still learning that it takes two to dance a waltz."

I decided to offer some humor. "I don't know how to dance a waltz."

Karen grinned. "I know!" Dad and Marianne laughed happily.

I said, "Would anyone like to go out to eat. I'll buy." Everyone seemed to like that idea.

Karen said, "Where do they serve crow?" She was totally deadpan and then giggled giving me the special smile. I knew I was okay then.