Chapter 21

What had started out as an apparent good match between me and Rhonda became kind of not quite such a good match.

After Rhonda moved in with me, we started getting visits from my ex on a kind of regular basis: maybe every couple of weeks or so. At first, I was kind of glad to have her coming around, and yes, I was aware of what a change that was in my attitude toward the woman. She didn’t stay long on her visits, nor were there any topics covered in her visits that I particularly objected to. But my new woman seemed to take her visits as kind of a challenge to her female supremacy at our house. And yes, it had not been long after our introduction to each other that Rhonda had moved in with me.

And, Stephanie’s visits were the main cause of me bringing her, Stephanie, up in my conversations with Rhonda. Talk about a catch twenty-two!

“You have to loosen up, Jack. Smell the damn roses. So, she married some other guy. So, fucking what. So, you’re disabled, so fucking what. I am too. I’m here for you and you need to be here for me—hopefully,” said Rhonda.

“I am here for you, girl,” I said.

‘Okay, then you need to not be bringing up your ex every time we go out. Frankly, I’m tired of hearing about her. Okay!” she said.

“Okay, I didn’t mean to be talking about her so much,” I said, “really. Actually, I didn’t realize that I had been.”

“Or at all!” she said.

“Okay, okay,” I said. “I get it. No more bringing up Stephanie.” She gave me a look that screamed her doubt if not absolute disbelief that I could get my used to be woman out of my system, or more accurately out of our talks.

“Okay, then, on another subject,” she said. “Valerie and Barbie will be coming over this coming Friday. We’re cooking,” she said.

“Oh?” I said. “Good, but the cooking...”

“Don’t worry all you have to do is what I tell you to do,” said Rhonda. I snorted.

“Okay, you got it. I’m very good at following orders,” I said.

And then it was Friday.

And the girls did come and the food was good and I was complimented on my cooking skills and my woman was peeved because of it, but well not that peeved. And then my very happy daughter pulled me outside to talk. My abbreviated comments got me a look.

“How’s it going daddy?” she said.

“Okay,” I said.

“Daddy?” she said.

“No, we’re getting along,” I said.

“But?” said Barbie.

“She says I talk too much about my ex-wife,” I said.

“Daddy?”

“No, that’s all, really??” I said.

“I pulled you outside to see how you were doing. You do know that Val is talking to her mother about that same thing inside, don’t you? We will be comparing notes,” said Barbie.

“You kids are basic busy bodies, you do know that,” I said.

“Hmm, maybe, but we are both concerned about you, the both of you,” she said.

“And, I appreciate it, your concern. But how we do is our business is not your business,” I said.

“Dad, it is our business. And if you’re talking too much about mom, stop doing it. Rhonda is your interest now. Yes, she is handicapped, but she’s pretty and smart and needs somebody just like you,” said Barbie.

“Yes, well stop worrying. If we are meant to be; we will be. Okay!” I said, and I said it in a way that brooked no pressure from my kid. She snorted, but she did lead me back into the house. Her soul sister nodded. I guess that meant that she’d gotten in whatever she needed to get in talking to her mom.

As said, Rhonda had moved in with me at the condo. And not for any of the usual reasons. Oh no. She said that us going together would require that I learn what being around a handicapped woman like herself entailed. I’d argued that being handicapped myself I already knew what such entailed. When she got done laughing, she proved to me that I was wrong.

I need to infuse some information here as to how Rhonda became disabled, as she eventually informed me. Her husband hit her in the head with a baseball bat and threw her down the stairs, but she didn’t die, but she did damage her spinal column seriously. The man is currently doing twenty to life for aggravated attempted murder. Oh, and his daughter—their daughter—Valerie saw him do it and testified against him.

Rhonda’s lower body nerves had been so seriously compromised that she now had to wear a diaper twenty-four seven. She is incontinent, fecal incontinent is the medical term. I had to own to the fact that hers was a major handicap, but not a deal breaker for me. What mattered to me was trust; trust to me was everything. I knew, or thought I did that her incontinence would prevent other men from squatting on my territory, but that wasn’t the only area of trust. I needed to know that when she talked about me that what she said would be positive. I needed to be able to believe that her word, once given, would be kept. My previous hook ups except per Allison, had lacked those last two areas of trust, totally!

And for her part, yes, I knew that she needed me to be focused on her not my ex. I had to allow that I had talked to her too much about Stephanie Halstead. And, no she didn’t know the big thing. I wasn’t sure that she ever would or need to. At any rate, she was of the stated opinion that I was depressed. I argued with her on that point, weakly and vainly. I guess I could honestly claim to be still angry, but depressed, no not that, not really.

The two young women were sitting in McDonald’s chowing down as only young people do.

“So?” said Valerie.

“You were right, your mom does have a gripe, maybe just a small one though, not sure about that. But my dad says she does think he brings up his past relationship with my mom too much. I told him to cut back on that topic. He said or implied that he would. I think he will, but who knows,” said Barbie.

“My mom said the same thing. I mean that your dad talks to much about his ex, your mom. She thinks he can’t get over her divorcing him even after all of this time, twenty some years,” said Valerie.

“Yes, and I have to say he is guilty of that kind of thinking. I know she was his high school crush, and he has never gotten over that, but there are other things that complicate matters too. I will be talking to him and mom both about it all and that soon,” said Barbie. “And maybe you too. There are things...”

“Okay, probably a good idea,” said Valerie. “But things... ?”

“Yes, well, things that dad does not want out there, but we’ll see,” said Barbie.

It was still light out. I was at the local city park kicking back for a few. The office was shutting down; well, Barbie was shutting it down her being the secretary anymore. I’d left a bit early too, like I said, kicking back with the ducks on the pond and the birds in the trees.

I was on a three-person bench and I was alone. Everything was cool. Rhonda was at the condo presumably putting together the evening meal. I’d be going home in maybe another twenty minutes. And, then she was there plopping down beside me. No, not Rhonda; she never plopped. No, it was my ex.

“How yuh doing, sport?” she said. She was in a good mood.

“Uh, okay, just kicking back for a few before going home,” I said.

“I was in the neighborhood, and I kinda decided to do the same thing,” she said.

“Right,” I said. She knew she was pinned.

“Okay, I stopped by the office and Barbie said you might be hanging here before heading home,” she said.

“Yeah, I need the down time now and again,” I said.

“Like almost every day,” she said. And now I was pinned. “Anyway, how are you and your pretty girlfriend doing?”

“Good,” I said. “You and mister Halstead?” My rejoinder got me a look.

“Fine,” she said. “Got any plans for the weekend.” It was Thursday.

“No, nothing special. We might go dancing and not do any dancing,” I said.

“Not funny,” she said.

“Well, you did ask,” I said.

“Okay, but there are lots of things to do besides dance,” she said.

“Hmm,” I said. “Yes, and I’m doing one of them right now. But look, Stephanie, she and I are disabled. We’re limited. But we do go out to eat. We do sometimes come here to the park—together. We hang out at Sam’s and talk. We do stuff. Okay?”

“Okay, okay,” she said. “But, Jack, really, how are the two of you doing as a couple. I know it’s really none of my business, but we care about you guys and well...”

“Look, Stephanie, stop ‘welling’ we’re doing what we can and that’s the totality of it. Okay?” I said. She didn’t look satisfied. But she did finally let it go.

We talked for a few more and then I had to get going home. My woman, if that’s what she was, was not real tolerant of lateness.

“Yes, Mom, he talks too much and about you,” said Barbie.

“What are you talking about?” said Stephanie.

“Valerie’s mom tells her stuff, and the stuff she tells her is that dad can’t get you out of his mind. According to her mom he never stops talking about you. Some stuff about Leah and Allison, but mostly about you. I think that Rhonda likes him, maybe more than likes him, but lately they’ve been arguing, a lot, about his obsession with you! It’s going to break them up Mom, and they need each other,” said Barbie. “For sure dad needs her.”

“My God, I had no idea. I do talk to the man a lot. I keep hinting that the two of them ought to get the deal done. I don’t know what to say, do,” she said.

“Yeah, well neither do I. Does dad Herbert ever say anything about you visiting them, him?” said Barbie.

“No. not really. I tell him of course when I go over there to see him or them. But, actually get involved? No, he doesn’t,” said Stephanie.

“Well, at the risk of doing the wrong thing maybe he should get involved,” said Barbie.

“I’ll talk to him tonight. I do not want to do the wrong thing! That said, I do not want to see them break up either, certainly not because of me!” she said.

“Mom, I know that dad still loves you, and he will never, I mean never, get you completely out of his heart and mind, but he does have to learn to shut up about you. I know that he had some problems with Leah in that regard too. It’s not what broke them up, I don’t think, but it didn’t help matters. I am sure of that,” said Barbie. Her mother nodded.

“I will for sure talk to my husband tonight. This has to be fixed. Rhonda might be his last chance,” she said.

“Maybe I should talk to dad too, I mean your husband,” said Barbie.

“I don’t know, Barb, it wouldn’t hurt I suppose.

“On another issue. How are things with you and Randall, going,” said Stephanie. Her daughter smiled.

“Real good. He loves this body,” said Barbie, and she was smiling. “He does pretty much whatever I tell him to.” Her mother smirked.

“Hmm,” said Stephanie. “Okay, and on still another topic. You and your dad at the shop?”

“Also, good, but it’s all business there. He has actually taken me on a tour of the street with him, but that only on a rare occasion, not like it was when he was doing the charity thing for Halstead LLC. Some of those homeless folks are really in tough. He doesn’t go out too often because of his leg, and the business is not the same, but you know that I’m sure,” said Barbie.

“Yes. I never went out on the street with him, I mean on any of his little walks. But I guess it’s not all that big a problem for him to take you since the office phone is your cell phone,” she said.

“Yes, exactly,” said Barbie. “He told me that he and I would be doing the homeless tour together Monday.”

“Hmm, well have a good time and be careful,” said Stephanie.

“Oh Mom, there’s no danger out there,” she said.

“Hmm,” said her mom.

Stephanie Halstead knew that there was no danger, no more than anywhere else in the city for sure. But her dad was crippled and not gonna be a whole lot of help to her or anyone else if there were to be any danger. And then it was Monday, and the two of them were handing out PI cards to anyone who looked like they might have a use for one.

And then the two of them were stunned. A woman, a woman with a baby, was rocking it inside of a small tent-house. The kind the Salvation Army handed out to single moms in trouble.