Chapter 4

During dinner, I saw a marked difference in how my kids were acting around each other. Of course, their father didn’t.

“Since tomorrow is Saturday, could I take Jeri to see a movie?” he asked. “It’s been forever since either of us have seen anything. Since I drive now, I was hoping ... we were hoping it would be OK?

She was supporting it by smiling and taking his arm.

“It’s OK with me,” their father said. “You need money?”

“No Dad, I’m good,” he said causing Jeri to giggle. “It’s only $10 per car to get in.”

“So, you are taking your sister to a drive-in theatre?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s called the Palace Drive-In, the movies start at nine in the morning?”

“I read about that,” my husband said. “It’s a venture of Michael Thomas, the billionaire. There’s someone to look up to, Rich. A billionaire before he turned twenty.”

“I just want to go to a movie, Dad. I don’t want to be a billionaire, OK?”

“If not that, what? What kind of ambitions do you have, Son?”

“To be honest, I haven’t thought of that. I guess to be well liked and have enough to get by. Oh, and to find a girl as pretty as you did, if possible.”

He said that looking at me.

“To do that, you will need more than ‘Enough to get by’ Rich.”

I was amazed how well everyone was getting along, but I had to say, “Richard, don’t rush. It’s better if you have high standards and treat the girls you encounter with respect.”

“And get a prenuptial agreement,” my unfeeling husband had to say.

“What’s that?” Jeri asked.

“Let’s eat, please?” I said stopping this conversation in its tracks.

With him in front of the TV, both kids helped clean up. Whatever Richard had talked to his sister about, the results were evident.

I stayed close enough to hear Richard explain what a ‘pre-nup’ was to his sister.

He was remarkably accurate, with Jeri thanking him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He sent her up to her room, so I walked to him and said, “Do I really want to know why you guys are getting along, Richard?”

“We always got along, but what has changed is that I promised to help her as much as she needed on her schoolwork. In exchange, I also promised to not be so mean. We are buddies, now. Thus, the reason behind why we are going to a movie together, which we had never done before. It’s kind of like what Reagan and the Soviets had ... détente.”

“So, it’s not anything to do with her growing sexuality?”

“Ah, Gee Mom. That’s not fair to ask. Granted, she is getting prettier as she grows older, but I don’t have the kinds of feelings for her, like I do for you.”

“Good answer, did you tell her about the spa?”

“Yeah, she is really excited about that. She wants me to take her to get some new swimwear. Would that be OK with you, Mom?”

“Certainly, I need some new swimwear as well. Could you come by the house and pick me up?”