Chapter 16

2003

I would go with the flow. Well, that’s pretty much what I’d figured to do anyway. Aunt Delia adding her thoughts to the mix just confirmed my own thinking. That she’d advised me to not overthink, think too deeply about it all, well, that was something else again; but, I would try to heed her advice; she was a lot smarter than was I.

It was my weekend coming up again. She was supposed to be delivered to me on Fridays’ of the third weekend of each month. Tomorrow would be the third Friday.

After my little talk with Stacey about what I’d heard, and, what she’d heard on the recording, I figured she’d try to get Jenna to be more attentive to me; that, in spite of my telling her not to bother. Hence, I was surprised when they, Stacey and Jenna, apparently decided to indeed not bother. She didn’t show up. I didn’t even get a call this time around.

I wondered if she’d call or just appear on Saturday morning, making her excuses at that time. Well, I had to make a decision of some kind, do something. I decided not to be available. I headed for the Embassy. At least I wouldn’t be bored. Maybe I could get me an impromptu date with Madeleine. Actually, I was pretty sure that I could.

“No, Dave, we don’t serve alcohol this early and Madeleine doesn’t come in until 11:00AM,” said Morton, the morning guy handling coffee and breakfast for the early comers to the club.

The Embassy, I’d learned early on was a twenty-four-seven operation, but only served food and non-alcoholic stuff before 2:00 P.M. I looked up at the clock; it announced the time as 7:33 A.M.

“Okay, Mort, just coffee and a menu then,” I said. “I’m just gonna hang out if that’s all right. I want to talk to Maddie when she comes on is all.”

“No, that’s fine,” he said. “Would you like me to call Maddie and tell her you’re here?”

“No, no, let her sleep,” I said. “I just don’t want to be home today. I needed to get out, and well, here is my refuge of choice.”

“Okay, I’ll get you the menu and coffee,” he said. I nodded my appreciation of his efforts.

I wasn’t kidding myself, I was upset about being dumped on by my own kid even if she didn’t know she was doing it or understanding how much it bothered me that she was neglecting me. But, then again, I guess I was just too boring for her to care very much. I figured that her rich family, as opposed to the poor one, me, would take advantage of that little piece of serendipity.

“Your dad is going to be disappointed that you didn’t want to be there this weekend,” said Stacey.

“No he won’t,” said Jenna. “I’ll call him later okay. I won’t leave him hanging, I promise, mom.”

“You best,” said Stacey. Her daughter nodded.

“Your daddy Ron is going to work with you on your parking,” said Stacey. “You’ve got your driving test in three more weeks.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be ready,” said Jenna.

“I know you will,” said Stacey.

“Well, howdy, sailor,” said Madeleine, taking a seat beside me. “Mort said you’ve came in early for breakfast.”

“Yes, yes, I did,” I said.

“I thought that this was your weekend with the kid,” she said.

“It was supposed to be, but she didn’t show—again,” I said.

“I see,” she said. “Did she call?”

“No, not yet. She usually does if she’s not going to come, but this time nada so far,” I said.

“Hmm, and let me guess, you’re peeved,” she said.

“No, no, I’m long passed the being peeved stage. I’m kinda just going with the flow, as someone recently advised me to do,” I said.

“Probably a good idea. She’s still a kid and not very responsible, as is usual with kids,” said Madeleine.

“Yeah, I guess, but it does bother me some; I won’t kid you. But, there’s nothing I can do about it. I was screwed over in the divorce as far as custody was concerned, so not much to do but let it be.

“When do you get off,” I said.

“I get off at 8:00 unless we’re super busy,” she said. I nodded.

“Look if you want, why don’t you give me a call around sevenish. I should know then when I can get outta here,” she said.

“Okay, I guess that’d work,” I said.

“I do wanna be doing something,” I said.

I felt a little foolish going to the bistro so early and then just hanging around for hours waiting for Madeleine. But, I’d had to get out of the apartment. The emptiness of it grated on me. But, now I was going back and it was still going to grate on me.

I parked and waited in the lot in front of my apartment like someone who didn’t belong there. I got up and headed inside.

I plopped down on the couch and closed my eyes. It was just past noon. My cell buzzed. I looked at the number; it was her. I didn’t bother to answer. What would have been the point. I knew what she was going to say. She’d been saying it a lot.

If she showed up, we’d eat something, watch a little TV, and talk. I wasn’t enthused.

“No mom, I tried to call him. He didn’t answer. He’s not home I guess,” said Jenna.

“Oh boy. He’s there, Jenna, and just upset that you didn’t bother to call until now. He’s got caller ID; he knows it was you calling. You blew it,” said Stacey. “And well, you’re going to have to clean up this mess yourself. I’m tired of covering your butt with your Daddy David.”

Jenna sighed. “Okay, okay. But, I think you’re making a big deal out of nothing,” she said.

“Uh-huh, I only wish that that were true. But, I know it’s not,” she said.

I drove slowly toward her place. She gone on ahead in her own car. I would be shacking up with her this night and that was very very good from my point of view. I needed a woman beside me tonight. My worsening relationship with my daughter was getting to be too much to deal with. I’d told them to forget about it if she didn’t want to be with me, but deep down I’d hoped that that would not have been the case. But, it looked like, at least for the short run, that that was exactly how things were going to go.