Chapter 3

They had a month to month thing going with the landlord for her rent. Justine had been there for several years, so the lease had been long since expired. She was only a couple days into the month, and the landlord had a waiting list, so he waived everything, including her last month’s rent and security deposit, and had his cousin help her move. He was cheap at twice the price. Some in town knew she was ill, but none, save her daughter and her banker, knew she didn’t need the financial help. It was a nice and generous gesture, one way or the other.

She was in my house and settled in three days. Her company was scaling back and had no problems with allowing her time to move. She asked for time off without pay, and that was approved. In three days, she was back up and running like nothing ever happened. They had one computer program using a VPN that needed IT help, but the rest was web based, and off she went.

She admitted she wouldn’t be working long, maybe a year, year and a half, at the outside, but she enjoyed helping people and as a customer service representative, that’s what she did. She mentioned the odd cranky person now and then, but overall, Justine said her job was rewarding.

Diana called me and told me to take care of the both of them. She’d heard through the grapevine about Justine, and knew somehow that there was more to Jessie than met the eye. She passed on Donnie’s thanks for coming out hunting. Some other friends did, too, so maybe crop damage would be down a bit next year. I told her I’d see her at the store, and she said, “What, once a month? Jessie won’t be here.”

“I’ll try to do better,” I told her, laughing, and hung up.

The challenges with Justine were negligible for quite a while. She just needed to stay busy, someone to hold her hand at doctor’s appointments, and the assurance that her daughter would be there with her, until ... Until she wasn’t there anymore. The problem wasn’t the MS anymore. Not the big problem, anyway. There was another factor climbing into the background. More serious. Pancreatic failure. Chronic.

She caught me in the office one day over her lunch hour. “Charlie, got a minute?”

“Sure, hon, what’s up?”

“I want to be at my daughter’s wedding.”

“Oh. I see. The doctor thing?”

She nodded.

“OK. Let’s talk to Princess Pinkie tonight. We’re only a few weeks from graduation. Let’s see how much she loves me. Can you wait that long, or do I need to run us to Vegas this weekend?”

“Don’t fuck with me, Charlie. I’m afraid every time I laugh, I lose a week. It’s probably the opposite, but you make me laugh so much it hurts.”

She came back at three o’clock. “They let me off early. Low call volume. Hold me?”

I held my arms out and took her into them and pulled her onto my lap. She fell asleep, then I leaned my head on hers and followed her right there in my office chair.

That was how Jessica found us. Me holding her mother, dried tear stains running down her cheeks. She left us there until she had her books in the kitchen, changed clothes, and stuck a lasagna in the oven.

I heard the knock. A light tapping, just to get our attention. “Shit, I wish it had been you two. On the other hand, I’d be one husband short of a full load then, wouldn’t I? You two look so sweet together. Mom, are you doing all right?”

“Yes. I was asking Charlie for a favor and it got to me. He held me. Your boyfriend is a gem, baby. Please be good to him. He’s a keeper.”

“For you, anything. Charlie, that makes this a permanent thing. Momma just said so.”

At least Justine could still giggle.

“Get out of my lap. Buster needs a turn.”

“Bullshit. In ten minutes, he’ll be with me. I’m going to lay down on the couch and bother the cat.” He followed her and fell asleep on her legs as she fell asleep watching Family Feud.

“Honey, she wants to be at your wedding.” Tears started immediately. She took her mother’s place and cried for quite a while.

“I’ll get the country club. I know a lady there. She comes in the store a lot. Reverend Thomas can help us. He likes us, I think.” I nodded.

I told her, “Let me know what you need. Money wise. You need to find a pretty dress, too.”

“Already taken care of. We’ll talk. Dinner’s gonna be ready in a few minutes. I’ll go get Momma.”

Jessica graduated with Straight As, and a letter in Basketball. Her mother was proud. Very proud.

A week later, we were standing in front of Reverend Thomas, with about twenty friends attending our wedding ceremony at the country club. We said our vows, agreeing that the common ones, love, honor, and obey, worked both ways, and would be fine. Nothing needed to be added except, “I love you,” as the rings were placed on the other’s ring finger, then kissed on.