Chapter 42

“Mom’s upset with me, us,” said Jenna.

“Yes, I am well aware of that. And keeping them in the dark about our plans is not going to fly for much longer,” said James.

“I know, but if we were around them I would have been getting the third degree and our plans would have been nixed or changed or argued over by dad if not by mom as well,” she said. Her husband snickered. “We are committed, James, we are!”

“My dear, you are becoming paranoid. They’re not going to nix anything. Yes, they’d be asking questions and we would have been getting the third degree on any number of levels, but so what!” he said. “We just hold our ground and stick to the plan.”

She sighed. “What we’re about to do is going to fix all of our problems and theirs too if there is a God. And, we cannot be under pressure to make any changes or water down our plans or everything will fall apart. I know it; I just know it,” she said.

“Well, regardless. The place won’t be out of escrow for another month. So you still want to go down there now?” he said.

“Yes, I’m getting antsy,” she said.

“The longer my dad sits down there in Douglas and stews the harder it’s going to be for us in spite of our well laid plans,” said Jenna.

“Okay, okay I’m onboard. Let’s do it,” he said.

“Okay good,” she said.

“Have you heard anything yet about you signing up with that firm?” he said.

“Heard anything substantial, no, but I’ve gotten a couple of calls. They are a one horse firm, but I think that their interested. But, if they shine me on, then we’ll just open our own office and become their competition. But, again, I think that they are interested. Anyway, I don’t see any big problems one way or the other when one gets right down to it,” she said.

“Okay, sounds like that at least we have a pathway to getting on with things whatever fork in the road we end up treading,” he said.

“Yes,” she said.

“You know, thinking about it just now, I think we’d be well served to talk to mom and dad before we run outta here.

“Just cutting country is going to look kinda cold, I guess is the way I’d phrase it,” he said. She gave him a look that spelled something, but she nodded, slowly nodded.

“Okay, but not a lot of heads up. We’re outta here the day after tomorrow. So tomorrow we’ll go over there and face the music,” she said. “Okay?” His turn to nod.

“Yes, that’d be good,” he said.

“On another subject, you have talked to the movers, right?” she said. “I don’t wanna get down there and find out my underwear has been left behind or sent to Pakistan by mistake.” He laughed.

“Personally, I wouldn’t have any problem with you having to go without your panties,” he said. “In fact I may conspire with the packers to achieve that very goal.” He was laughing so hard his side hurt.

“Funny—not!” she said.

They were standing in the foyer of a $1,500 a month Condo. The supreme irony, if that was what it was, was that the condo wasn’t theirs and it was in Douglas, Arizona 200 miles from their home base in Phoenix.

“Nice place,” said James. “We can do this for a couple of months.”

“For sure,” said Jenna. “But that said, I will be more than happy when we can move in to our own place.”

“I just hope this isn’t all going to be in vain,” said James, “but like you, I don’t think it will.”

“I’m glad I took your advice and came clean to mom and dad like we did,” she said. “And, I was shocked to hear them, really him, tell us of ‘their’ plans. I think that at the least my dad down in Douglas is going to be overwhelmed by it all. Oh yeah, overwhelmed is the word.”

“I think you’re right. I will say, add, that it’s going to be us almost as much as your dad that will have to adjust to the new realities,” said James.

“Not a whole lot doubt about it,” she said.

“So have you found out anything new in your investigations?” she said.

“Yes, he hangs out at the Mustang B&G, and that kind of recently. It’s kinda of a middle of the road place. He’s gotten to be kind of a regular there too from what I have been able to glean,” he said, “a few times a week minimum, but it does vary.”

“Looks like the weather is gonna be good today,” said Juniper, as she handed the draft in her hand to me. Yes, yes,” I said, “115 degrees is definitely good weather as far as I’m concerned,” I said.

“Yes, and you are truly certifiable,” she said, but she laughed.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been told that,” I said.

“So you got yourself a woman yet?” she said. She knew I hadn’t.

“No, no, I still waiting for you to come on the market,” I said, and I laughed.

“Yes, well you can dream cowboy,” she said. She turned and wandered off down the bar in answer to a waving glass.

No I didn’t have a woman and man did I need one. I’d never be over losing my Rozelle; she’d been perfect for me. But, I had gotten to the point where I had to be realistic instead of eternally melancholy. I’d even danced a time or two to stuff someone played on the new player in the bar. It’d just been momentary pickup dances, not going anywhere meaningful. But it was a start I guessed.

I’d even toured the floor with Juniper, but I drew the line at Barry: I wasn’t that desperate.

At any rate I’d been tipping them back for an hour or two when I felt something, a sense of something. I felt like I was being watched, but I didn’t spot anyone paying undue attention to me, but the feeling was there and it remained and it bothered me, well, a little.

“Finally,” said Stacey.