Chapter 13

Well, we weren’t married, not yet. Wasn’t sure we ever would be; but it began to feel like it was going to happen. It hadn’t happened with my Allison, but it should have. I was not going to make the same mistake again. Of course; she had to agree to it, the marriage. But I was of the opinion that she would agree, all things being equal. But then I discovered that all things were not equal, oh yeah!

“So, you are willing to marry me, but only after we talk and tell each other our whole stories,” I said.

“Yes,” said Leah.

“But don’t we kinda know each other’s story already?” I said. She snorted.

“Well, some stuff yes, but not everything. I want to know everything, and I want to tell you everything too,” she said. I spread my hands in an okay gesture.

“Okay, so you first or me,” I said.

“You if that’s all right,” she said. I nodded.

“I went Emanuel Solis School in Chandler. And, so did Stephanie, my future wife, and the mother of our daughter Barbie. After junior high, she dumped me, said we needed to spread our wings. She became real popular in high school. I did not. I did help her with her school work and she did okay as a result. After high school we kind drifted apart. I went to junior college and eventually joined the PD. She caught up with me in 1980 and we connected and married in 1981. Barbie was born in 1982.

“Problem was that in giving birth to Barbie, she developed serious hip problems, nerve damage as we later learned. For a long time, the doctors prescribed pain killers and we got along, but there’d be no more children, well, for me and her. The doctors eventually told her no more drugs; she had to have surgery to fix her problem. But she kept putting it off and putting it off, the surgery. She was getting her meds from the street, Oxycodone. She didn’t have the money to pay for it, but her supplier let her pay with her body.

“Eventually, the supplier demanded money. She didn’t have it. We didn’t have it. But the supplier’s supplier, a guy I had busted for gang activity found out she was my wife and decided to make me pay, by gang banging her. I didn’t know it of course, not until that last day. When she refused, they raped her. She called me and I shot the bastards. The D.A. decided to make an example of me. I got twenty years, out in seventeen. Then it was my turn to be raped, a lot, and I damn near died in prison.

“The bad part for me was, that after four years in the joint she dumped me and married a money guy. The guy who got you out early and currently employs me. While I was inside, he also adopted my kid. He essentially stole my whole family. Oh, and lest I forget, after I was inside, she did get the surgery, at the insistence of her new man. She’s fine now, and they had a son; which by the way they named after me—oh joy.

“There are more details none of which change anything; we can talk about those someday if you feel the need. That said, I need to work and he pays me good to work for him; my ex talked him into hiring me, guilt I figure. I steer clear of the lot of them to the extent possible, but well, they’re around and there’s not a whole lot I can do about it,” I said.

“And the accident?” she said.

“Like you say, an accident and weird. Still, talk about serendipity, the two of them, my ex and her new husband, like I said, had a kid, a son. He’s like sixteen now. She and the kid were at the man’s office one day and so was I. I was there on business. They were coming out when I was going in. I could see that they were about to get killed by this erratic driver. I ran at them and literally rammed them out of the way. But I was hit, and so now I’m like I am,” I said. Oh, and let me add; I did not know it was them when I rammed them out of the way,” I said.

“Wow! So, you saved the woman and their kid?” she said, stating the obvious.

“Yeah, wow, is the word. I do have a few friends. My ex-partner on the force, a couple of high school friends, one of which I used to work with who also works for the man, but in Tucson. My ex got her the job too; they were tight in school,” I said.

“They owe you big time, especially her, I mean saving the kid and her in the bargain,” said Leah.

“Yeah well maybe, and I guess you’re kinda the down payment. He got you out for me. I guess he figures he owes me a woman having stolen mine, and my kid when we get right down to it,” I said. Leah snickered.

“Figure I’m payment enough?” she said.

“Since you ask, yes, so will you marry me. Make up your mind,” I said.

“If you still want to after you hear my story,” she said, “yes.”

“Okay,” I said, “talk.”

“My husband’s name was Frank. He was a cheating bastard. And...” she said.

“And?” I said.

“And his parents have my son, Brucie,” she said. I smiled.

“So, you have a son?” I said. “I did not know that.”

“Deal breaker?” she said.

“Heck no. But it is a question,” I said.

“A question?” she said.

“Yes. Do you have visitation, want visitation? Anything you want me to do?” I said.

“I’d like to get custody, but likely never will with my record, but visitation, maybe that,” she said. “I mean if possible.”

“So?” I said.

“So?” she said.

“You gonna marry me?” I said. She smiled.

“Why yes indeed,” she said.

“Let’s do it fast. Neither one of us are youngsters, and we’ve both been married before,” I said. “And frankly, I can’t wait!”

“You got it, Mister. Justice of the piece?” she said.

“For sure,” I said.

I’d taken off without explanation to the bunch of them for the week. I had some vacation time coming, and I took it. The man did not ask me why or demur at all.

Leah, my pretty fiancée and I headed for Vegas. We tied the knot and spent the whole week having a ton of fun and losing $973 dollars on the tables. The whole marriage and honeymoon, which is what it was, cost us three-grand.

I knew I was going to get the third degree when I announced my new marital status upon our return. But the furor would soon die down. And besides they’d not given me a heads up on the hundred things that they’d done to me, so screw ‘em. I didn’t owe them shit when it came to any of that.

I was in my office which was not on the ninth floor of the Halstead building. No, I had an office next door to the Catholic church on 4th street. One story, four rooms, not counting the head. And in she walked. No, not her, my biological daughter.

“Dad,” she said, smiling her smilingest!

“Barbie, been a while,” I said. There was a handsome young man standing beside her.

“Yes, buried in Tucson,” she said. “But I heard you and Leah got married.” Her attitude was almost ebullient. “Is Leah around?”

“Actually, she is seeing to some business for me. A homeless couple needs a place,” I said.

“Oh,” she said. She seemed genuinely disappointed. “Okay, maybe we can get together soon and talk. I’d really like to talk to her, and to you too, of course, you wonderful dad, you!” she said.

“Yeah sure,” I said, in my most noncommittal tone.

“Daddy?” she said. I just smiled. She shook off her, what I considered, worried look.

“Dad, this is my fiancée,” she said. “I’ve so wanted the two of you to meet.”

The young man stepped forward and offered me his hand. We shook, and I smiled engagingly, well I thought it was engagingly, my smile that is.

“Yes, your mom said you might be by to introduce him to us,” I said. “Nice to meet you... ?”

“Oh, yes, what a dummy I am,” said Barbie. “This is Randall, Randall Schoen.” I smiled again.

“It is very nice to meet you, sir,” he said.

“Dad, mom and dad are asking if you could come to dinner tonight in Scottsdale, you and Leah,” she said.

“The castle,” I said. “Well, when Leah gets back, I’ll talk to her. We’ll try, okay?” I said.

“Uh—Dad?” she said.

“No, no, we’ll try,” I said, “Really.”

“Okay,” she said, kinda slowly. “We’ll see you then. Seven o’clock.” I nodded, and they waved and left.

We would not be going to Scottsdale. I had no interest in being some kind of ornament for their busy selves. Even if Leah wanted to go. I would not.

The man looked up at the clock on the wall and frowned. They’re not coming. He’s pissed. And I do not blame the man.

“But we are going to have dinner with them tonight. Have Maria pack up a dinner to go. We’ll be taking it to them,” he said.

“I’ll talk to the kids while you do that,” he said. Stephanie Halstead nodded.

He headed into the dinette and wasted no time in making his case. “Barbie, Randall, they’re not coming. You must’ve misunderstood him. But your mom and I are going to go to their place. We’re going now. You two go home. I have a feeling that we are going to have to soothe some ruffled feathers,” said Herbert Halstead.

“Daddy...”

“Just go, Barbie. I don’t have time to argue. I mean it,” he said.

The senior Halsteads were on the road in ten minutes. Downtown Phoenix streets on a Thursday night were not busy. They made good time. They pulled up in front of the condo complex at ten past nine.

“I hope their hungry,” she said.

“Me too,” he said, “me too.”

I heard the buzzer. I knew who it was, well, I suspected. “Yes?” I said into the speaker.

“Jack, it’s us,” said Herbert. I was right, I knew who it was. I was in my boxers, and Leah was in her slip and we were sipping wine out on the patio. She started to run to the back to change. I stopped her.

“No,” I said. “Just follow my lead. Okay?” She gave me a look but shrugged.

I hit the buzzer and the visitors began the ride up in the elevator.

“Well, this is a surprise,” I said answering the door in my boxers. Stephanie stared. Then the two of them saw Leah in her not quite see-through slip standing off toward the sliding glass doors that led out to the patio. It was August, and the night was warm.

“I see we interrupted something,” said Herbert. “We thought you guys were coming to dinner at the house tonight.”

“No, no, we decided it was just too far. Plus, we kinda had something else in mind. You know how it is, almost twenty years without getting any; well, I’m, we’re, trying catch up,” I said. Stephanie almost lost it at that moment.

“Well, we don’t want to interrupt, but if you’re interested, we brought the food with us,” he said.

I looked over at my wife. “Honey?”

“I could eat,” said Leah. I smiled.

“Well, okay then, and thank you,” I said. I led the way to the dinette.

The conversation was light and mundane for quite a while. I was not going to be the one to upset the apple cart. It would be one of the two of them or no one. Leah was doing exactly what I’d asked of her: she was following my lead to a T.

Dinner done, and the grilled pork chops were first rate, Leah brought out a bottle of our best port wine.