Chapter 5

Wendy was folded back into the family without any serious problems. Mike did about as we expected concerning his first wife. He would speak to her without recrimination. He never searched her out to speak alone with, but she was never treated with disrespect. After a couple of months, Wendy approached Toni and said she admired Mike and what he had accomplished since coming back to Vermont. The two never became close friends, but were friendly.

Wendy and Diana became good friends. Wendy absolutely loved Jimmy, her grandson. These two things turned the tide in her favor. She also didn’t push herself forward and her comments about any and all things were pleasant. Stanley often remarked on this when out of her hearing. He was disgusted of the way she had acted the one time he and Linda had stayed with her when Mike was being released from prison, but she had mellowed and was quite pleasant now.

Linda was the happiest to have her Mom return. She now received love from her mother that had been missing when she lived at home after finding out her mother’s lifestyle. Mildred, Wendy’s mother, was a little more reserved, just waiting and half expecting Wendy’s former attitude would return and the family would be again be left wanting.

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Wendy found work in Townshend, VT, at the Grace Cottage Hospital working there as the receptionist on the front desk. This was work she had performed at a hospital in New Jersey for two years before moving in with her last companion. She was competent, gracious, and friendly. Soon everyone liked her. There was one older than her person, Cecil Pembrook, who was especially taken with her. He was a volunteer who came in and helped as an Aid. His station was in the corner across the room from the receptionist.

Pembook was a widower three years, and was a retired educator from the Boston Education system. He was several years older than Wendy. His wife and he had bought a small piece of land and built an all season vacation home in Townshend that they had enjoyed together before her demise.

His fondest memories were being with her at the home. This is where he retired to finish out his time before joining her in a plot they had purchased in a nearby cemetery. His lonely days now were assuaged by the camaraderie at the hospital This was raised to a higher level when Wendy joined the staff.

Cecil came to admire not only her looks, but her way of being so friendly to everyone. He tried a few times to flirt with her, but was shut down brusquely and immediately.

“Why won’t you flirt at all Wendy? It is harmless.”

“Cecil, you might think so, but I know better. Buy me a coffee in the cafeteria and I’ll explain.”

Cecil did as she asked and picked a time when the cafeteria was nearly empty. The tables were small and they could sit across from each other without being overheard. “Cecil, I’m going to share some of my life with you. Will you keep it in confidence and not share?”

“Of course, I will. I would be a boor if I didn’t.”

Wendy began to speak without looking directly into Cecil’s eyes. “Okay, a short bio of my life. I ran away from home when I was seventeen. I soon had a baby. I married the man I ran away with and things were okay. Never enough money, but okay. Then my husband lost his job. I had heard about escort services so I applied. I soon found out where the money was if you would, against where you wouldn’t. Believe me, you think you can get rich doing this, but it is seldom possible. My husband took care of our baby, but it destroyed us as a couple.

“My husband tried to add to our income, but was caught in a burglary attempt. He now had a record but escaped being incarcerated. Our child learned of what I was doing when she was fourteen. She moved out and lived on her own when she was seventeen.

“I continued, but I changed the way I found companionship. I would flirt and some of these hook-ups turned into longer term associations. My husband and I continued to have our own home after our daughter left. I guess you could consider me a kept woman, but not necessarily by my husband. Again, my husband attempted to burglarize some places and again was caught and charged. He received three and a half years in prison.

“I was always searching for someone to keep me. I was always honest with any man I hooked up with laying out what each of us expected of each other. I kept my promises, but expected them to end at any time and I had no recourse when the association inevitably ended. Just before my husband was released from prison, I divorced him.

“A few months before he was released, my daughter left the area and started hitchhiking to Vermont trying to reach Arlington where my mother still lived.

“Catching rides in the general direction, she reached Brattleboro. She met a man who knew of my mother and after staying a few days with him, he drove her up to see mother. She became the housemate to this person who was a distant cousin of my mothers. He had never heard of me before this.

“When my husband was released they came down and stayed overnight with me and was there when my husband was let out. I went to the prison with them and that was the last time I had any physical contact with him and with my daughter and her cousin. They returned to Vermont and my husband still had a year of parole to serve.

“Oh. They tried to keep in contact with me and my husband did as well. That was a day of infamy for me. I wasn’t nice to them or my husband. I was so ashamed because I had just hooked up with who I thought was a much better man with better prospects. That lasted until just before my husband went up to Vermont to be with our daughter.

“Eventually I stopped answering their calls and had their letters returned as unanswered. It was fifteen years before I broke down and tried to contact my daughter’s husband. The day I called his office, I reached his son who was by my son-in-law-s first wife.

“I am one lucky person, for the son, now twenty-two with a beautiful girlfriend has taken me in hand. They have gone all out to get me integrated back into the arms of my daughter, my mother, and now even my ex-husband who does speak civilly to me.

“You see why I don’t want to flirt with you or anyone. It could drive a wedge between me and my family again, because they would think I was back to my old ways.”

Wendy paused, looking into Cecil’s eyes.”I have to return to my desk now. I’m not stopping you from saying good morning, but there is nothing more we can say to each other.” Wendy picked up the table, gathering the cups and cake plate and returning them to the counter.

She shouldn’t have done that because that kindness made him know he wanted to know this woman better.

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Jimmy spoke to Wendy when she came in from Townshend, “You have a package. It’s from a woman named Gail Pascetti.”

“That would be my last companion’s daughter. I’m surprised she would contact me. I did call her older brother and I gave him my address a month ago. Gail just doesn’t like me at all. We started out okay, but when she found out Franklin was paying me money, she said some mean things to me. We got over it, but it was never the same. When he died, I don’t think she thought my grief was real. I did love him, you know?”

“I think I know you did. There is a certain inflection in you voice when you speak his name. I heard it again just a few moments ago.”

“I was with him for several years. I think his sons felt I did love their father. Let me get my coat off and I’ll see what she sent.”

The package was a fat bubble pack and she used scissors to cut across the top. Wendy up-ended it and bundle of old letters tumbled out. They were tied tightly together with string. In the corner of the first envelope, Wendy’s name and address sticker was visible and it was addressed to a Franklin Piscetti. It was obviously old and worn a bit from being handled. A loose folded sheet of paper also came out too.

Wendy explained to Jimmy, “These are love letters I sent to Franklin when he was persuading me to move in with him. I didn’t realize he kept them.” Wendy picked up the loose paper. It was a note from Gail.

}Wendy, You went through your things when you were packing up to leave, you gave Robert a few mementos you had that I guess Papa had given you. Thank you for returning them. Robert wants to keep the gold pocket watch. Don has asked for the diamond stick pin, and I love the enameled brooch of the little girl that was my mother’s. I haven’t seen it for years. I suspect now that Papa gave it to you. I know you wouldn’t have taken it on your own.

}I am sending the letters back, for you might still cherish them and remember back when you wrote them to Papa.

}I’m sorry now I asked you to leave. My brothers chided me about me telling you to go, Forgive me, please,

}Gail.

“Jimmy after I read these and do a little reminiscing, I’m going to call Gail. I’ll do that this evening. What are we having for supper?”

“Beef stew. I was up to the restaurant and that was on the menu so I brought home a tub of it. Mike said you liked it.”

Tears came to Wendy’s eyes, “Damnit Jimmy, everyone is being so nice to me. I wish those I have hurt in the past would come by and slap me. That still would be less pain than I feel when they are so solicitous of me.”

“Gram, You are turning out friendly and being nice to everyone yourself. Let’s eat.”

Dishes were done and it was time to relax for the evening. Diana would be coming to see Jimmy in another hour. She often now stayed the night. Wendy went down to her room and took the bundle of letters with her. Ten minutes later, hurrying she came up the stairs.

“Jimmy, Jimmy, where are you?”

“Right here, Gram. What’s the matter?”

“Look at this envelope. It was in the middle of the bundle of papers and has never been opened. It has a lawyers name on it and is supposed to be presented to his office. It has a date of three years ago on it. I think it must be the will that no one could find. Franklin never discussed his assets with me and I never asked. I’m going to call Robert. No, I’ll call Gail. It was she who sent these things to me.”

Wendy didn’t wait for Jimmy to say anything, just began dialing. The phone was soon answered, “Hello.”

“Robert is that you? Is Gail there? No, never mind, I’ll talk to you. Did you ever find your father’s will.?”

There was a long pause. “Why would you want to know?”

“Because in the bundle of old letters of your father’s that I just received from Gail, there is a fat unopened envelope that is supposed to be presented to an attorney, named Rudolf Gottlieb. Your father must have placed it there and Gail didn’t open the bundle before she sent them to me.”

“Well, open it and see what it says?”

“I can’t do that. it is stamped do not open. There is some kind of seal imprinted on the back so it would show if it is opened. I was never privy to your father’s affairs and it is too late to begin now. You know, when the post office opens Monday, I can have it over-nighted to you. You’d receive it on Tuesday.”

“That would work. I can contact the lawyer’s office and discuss it with them and to expect me to bring it in later in the day on Tuesday. Thank you for dealing with this. I didn’t know Gail was sending any letters.”

“I’m glad she did. I don’t think she read any of them. I said some things in the letters to your father that you three might not want to read.”

“Papa was a Lusty Old Buck and I don’t think we would be too shocked. You’re a bit of Lusty Lady yourself. Don and I used to admire you. Gail was always a bit jealous and that’s why she didn’t get along with you like we did. Look for Gail to call you tomorrow sometime in the morning. It has been a bitch trying to settle Papa’s affairs without a will. We can soon put this behind us and get on with our lives. Goodnight Wendy. Thank you so much.”

Wendy hung up. Jimmy asked, “So?”

“That was Robert, the oldest son. He thinks it must be the will. He told me to open it, but I said I wouldn’t dare. I’ll have you mail it and they’ll get it Tuesday in the morning.”

“You know you might be coming into a little money.”

“It would be nice, but I don’t expect that I will. I promised not to enter into any of Franklin’s affairs and his money was never discussed. I had all my needs met both physical and monetarily. I did come to have a lot of affection for the man.” Wendy gave an embarrassed laugh and then said. “Robert just now called me a lusty lady and he and his brother both admired me. How’s that for an ego builder when I met them at age fifty, give or take?”

“Time for you to begin looking for a companion again, Gram.”

“What will the family say if I do?”

“Gram, you most likely have twenty-five years more of life in you. We’ve discussed you. We’ve concluded it isn’t if, it is more like when. I’m right aren’t I?”

“You are. There is a likely looking man who sat down with me at lunch just today. He’s been trying to flirt with me, but I stopped him. I might see where this goes. That road to Brattleboro will get covered with ice this winter when I’m ready to come home. I might have to accept an invitation to stay the night with someone.”

“There you go, Gram, those Vermont roots Gail talks about are getting stronger and deeper every day.”

“Oh, you!”

“Think about it, Gram. Why did you come back?”

“Mostly to see Linda I guess. Maybe Mother. I woke up one morning wondering if she had died. I had a revelation I guess. I went back over my life thinking what a damned fool I had been by pushing my family away. After Linda met Stanley, Mother and Linda made overtures to get me back into the family.

“I thought about the dirty deal I had given Mike. I never admitted to myself that it very well could be me who had driven him to do something that put him in prison. Mom and Linda are nice to me, but even now I can feel that they don’t trust me and expect me revert back to the way I used to be. Jimmy after you, Stanley is the one who the most welcoming that I have surfaced.”

“You do accept that you are better off even with that, now that you are here in Vermont, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

“Do you miss the Piscetti family?”

“I do. Gail and I got along well and then she accused me of being paid for by her father. I denied it because he never gave me more money than I needed to run the household and some inexpensive costume jewelry. He tried to give me expensive trinkets, but I never would accept them because I knew it would make his children upset.

“He was very liberal in taken me places. He liked to travel and I was always with him. We enjoyed our time together and never fought about anything. I never let him know that Gail and I didn’t get along either. I have no idea what she will say when she calls me tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about it. She’ll be nice. She has already asked for your forgiveness. Plus you sending back that envelope unopened will go a long way to show that the mistrust she had for you was misplaced.”

“Jimmy you make me feel so good. I’m going down and start reading the letters I wrote to Franklin.”

“May I tell Diana about this when she comes home. She’ll be happy for you about Gail asking for forgiveness?”

“Of course.”

Wendy went down stairs and got ready for bed. She smiled when she thought of not having to go upstairs to the one bathroom at night. The first month she was here. She had startled Jimmy and Diana on the couch when she opened the door to the hall and could see into the living room. The next day Jimmy had a plumber in to estimate putting in a stool and washbasin, taking some spare space in where the furnace was located.

Tonight she settled into bed and got comfortable before opening her letter that was address to Franklin. It was dated nine years ago this month three days after she had met him. She was between companions and he had lost his wife fifteen months before this. There was an instant connection between them ... She felt there was anyway.

They wrote back and forth most everyday and he began inviting her to go out on dates. That was a happy time for her after a period on not having a companion.

The phone rang, “Hello,”

“Wendy, this is me, Gail. Robert has just finished talking about you calling about an envelope you found in the bundle of letters I sent you. That is just like Papa, to hide things and not tell anyone where something was. Robert and I both think it is a will. If it is, I hope there is something in it for you. I’m apologizing again for asking you to leave. I’ve found out about various things that indicate how happy you made him while you were here.

“We did have a lawyer contact us about some things. When he made an appointment to have us come in, we thought for sure he had the will to read, but it wasn’t. There were some letters and things like that that he turned over to us. These letters I sent you were stuck in the corner on the very top shelf in his closet. I finally have gotten around to clean out the corners of the room you left. I’m leaving the garage and the cellar for Robert and Don to take care of.

“Wendy, how are you doing? My face gets red with shame every time I think of you.”

“Gail please don’t. You have apologized and I have forgiven you. I’m not looking for anything left to me and never expected he would leave me anything. Franklin and I had a deal, I made it clear that I wasn’t looking for more than a decent home and a happy time with him. He would sometime try to give me trinkets to wear, but they were always too expensive I didn’t want him to spend on me, he should take care of his three children.

“I might even find it noted in one of these letters you were so kind to send me. Tell me what turned you against me so sudden? I looked on you as my step-daughter and then you changed.”

“I was eves dropping on Papa one time and he was discussing his assets with someone on the phone. They were talking about money. I never heard your name mentioned, but he said something about everyone getting something and he had settled that problem years ago. I supposed you were included.”

“That must have been after he retired?”

“It was”

“Honestly, Gail he never gave me any amount of money and never said he was going to. If this letter I have that is supposed to go to this Rudolf Gottlieb Attorney is a will, I’m sure that it doesn’t concern me in any way. I’m sending it to Robert to deal with anyway.”

“Wendy, I feel you are wrong and I hope it does concern you in some good way. How are you getting along with your family?”

“In some ways, great. The first person I contacted was a grandson I didn’t even know I had. He was a child of my son-in-laws first wife. Linda, my daughter took him into her home at a young age. He owns his own house and invited me to stay here with him. He is getting married in another month.

“My mother lives on the next street over and I can see her house from here. I go there every morning and have coffee with her before going to work. I never treated her very well, but she is warming to me and it just makes me more aware of what a damned fool I have been for things I have done in my life. She is in good health, so I should have time to make amends.”

“That’s great, Wendy. You know, don’t be too surprised that I will get one of my brothers to take me up to Vermont and see you someday. Maybe I can help convince them that you were great with my father in the last years of his life.”

“I’d like it if you would.”

“Wendy. I’ll be looking for that envelope and Robert will take care of it when he gets it. Call me anytime and I’ll call you. Love you!”

“Love you too, Gail. Goodnight.” Wendy turned back to the love letter she had written to Franklin. She blushed at some of the things she had suggested of a sexual nature and glad that Gail had not read these letters. A 50 year-old woman shouldn’t have been that explicit. She was older now by nine years, but it was nice remembering!

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Wendy arrived at work Monday morning and there was a rose lying on her desk. There was a small card that just said, “Have a great day, Wendy!” and it was signed “A Friend” Wendy knew it had to be from Cecil Pembrook.

When he walked by pushing a patient in a wheelchair she said to him, Good morning, Cecil. I see I have a rose on my desk this morning. I love roses. If you should happen to know who gave it to me, let that person how pleased I am with it.”

“You are really pleased?”

“I am and thank you”

“Wendy, will be having lunch at the same time today and if you are may I sit with you?”

“Of course, Cicil.”

“Good, I’ll be there.” This late lunch time the two had, again left them where they could talk. “Wendy, you seem particularly happy today.”

“Some of it is the rose from you. I love it. The happiness comes also from a phone call I received last night. I told you about my being companion to another man who died a year and a half ago. His daughter and I didn’t get along very well the last of my living there. She is being friendly now and sent me an apology and something I valued by mail and then called me later. I went to sleep satisfied that I could look back on that time with fondness for everyone.”

“That’s great for you.”

“Anyway, I realized I pushed you away when you just want to be friends. I would enjoy having you become my friend. I have collected quite a bit of family over the years and I pushed them away in a worse way than I just did you. I told you I’m staying with a grandson I never knew I had before coming back to Vermont. I love him to pieces and the girl he is going to marry soon.

“I’m going to move in with my mother in a week or two. My son-in-law’s mother has come from California back to Vermont and lives with Mom already. She is a pleasant person and I look forward to living with them. Every one here connected to me are talking about having a yearly reunion in August. I would be missing so much if I hadn’t decided to come back to Vermont.”

“Thank you. I’m happy for you.”

“Oh, dear, now, I’ve gone and talked all though our lunch. I promise tomorrow it is your turn to talk.”

“I guess that means I can sit with you tomorrow?’

“It does.”

Wendy thought about Gail and the two boys, Boys? Robert was in the late thirties. Don was two years younger, with Gail thirty. Robert would be getting the Priority Express package sometime tomorrow. He was going to check out Rudolf Gottlieb today and see him tomorrow. Then her thoughts turned to Cecil. He was so pleasant seeming. “I could fall for someone like that.” she thought. “No, I had better stick with the family I’m beginning to care for.”

It took awhile for her to get to sleep, but she did and slept too long and had to rush getting to work on time. There was no rose this morning and she was thankful for that. That is until Cecil stopped at her desk and told her to check out her top desk drawer. She looked and found a box of chocolates. “Those are for you to share with whoever covers for you so just tell them that you bought them to have when ever the mood hits you.”

“Thank you, Cecil. You have everything covered perfectly.” Just then, a nurse stopped to say hi. Wendy turned to her, “Would you like a chocolate? I need a pick me up sometimes.”

“Thank you, no. It’s too early in the day.” The nurse waved and moved on.

“Cecil, Chocolate?” He grinned and shook his head, no. Wendy slid the box into her drawer out of sight.

Wendy was getting nervous as the day wore on. By this time, the envelope should be in the hands of Attorney Gottlieb. If anyone asked, she would say she didn’t believe there was anything in it concerning her. In her mind she thought Framklin might have left something for her. But then he had died suddenly and his intent might have been to remember her, but his life was snuffed out so quickly and he never regained his faculties after the stroke that killed him two weeks later.

When Wendy came through the door at six, Jimmy met her, “Robert Pescetti called. You are to call him back. I tried to get details, but he said he would talk to only you.”

“I’ll call him now.”

Robert was waiting for her to call. “Hi Wendy, I talked to Gottlieb. The letter that I took to him wasn’t a will as such. What it is, is a vehicle listing the will and all of Papa assets. Gottlieb does have a draft of the will and a key to a safe deposit box with the original is inside. The catch is that you are the only one left who can open the safe deposit box. You are the only one who’s signature is on file at that particular bank. He didn’t even want to tell me that much, but I convinced him to tell me.”

“I’m the person who has been trying to settle the estate without a will and I really didn’t know where to start. Just a list of the assets will help me immeasurably. Wendy, you were closer to Papa than any of us, was he acting senile at all?”

“I didn’t see it, but old people have funny ideas about certain things. After all, Franklin was thirteen years older than me. He did rely on me for many things, but he never mentioned any of this.”

“You will come down Friday, won’t you?”

“Yes, I think so. Just a minute and I’ll ask my grandson to drive me.”

“Jimmy will you go to New Jersey this Friday. We may have to stay overnight.”

“Sure, I can get the time off. How about your job?”

“I know I can.” She switched back to Robert, “Yes I’ll be down. We’ll meet at your house won’t we and go to the lawyers or the bank from there.”

“Good, Get here at noon and Gail will have lunch prepared. It will be great to see you again. We have missed you. Not as much as when our mother passed, but missed you all the same.”

“Thank you, Robert, that means a lot to me. So, Friday before noon?”

“Right, Good bye Wendy.”

Wendy turned to Jimmy. “In case you are interested, Robert lives across the back lot from his father’s house and has a family. He has children, but I didn’t know them well. I was a kept woman and Robert’s wife didn’t approve of me.

“Gail and Don have been married but both are divorced. Gail dates some and she dresses nice and is looking for a new husband. Don works and watches TV when he comes home. Franklin was high up in some factory before he retired about the time I came on the scene. I overhead him tell Robert he retired under a golden parachute.”

“I’ll bet you will receive something.”

“I never asked for anything.”

“We’ll find out Friday.”

Wendy was distracted during the rest of the week, but didn’t tell anyone why. She did tell her boss that she had to go to New Jersey on Friday and was granted the day off. This was the first time she had asked for a day off.

Jimmy told Stanley that he was taking Gram to New Jersey to wind up some affairs. Stanley didn’t question Jimmy. Diana knew what this was about but she was asked not to share and didn’t. This was a four hour trip, but Jimmy said they had better plan on six. They left at 5:30 and were almost there before they stopped for breakfast.

When they sat for breakfast, Jimmy asked how Wendy met Franklin, “It was one of those cases where I would run into him while I was with the man I cared for. The man was hiring me to aid him in his home before he knew he should go into a nursing home. Shortly after the man did become institutionalized, I met Franklin and he asked me for a date. It very shortly became physical and I moved into his house with him. He was living alone at the time because all three of his children were married.

“First Don got divorced and a year later Gail did too. His home is beautiful and it is worth a lot. He asked me if I would manage it, he said he would respect me and we could travel some. We were on the go often and he did just as he said he would. I lived a good life with him and was happier than I had ever been before.

“It had to end sometime and I was sad when it did. This was what I was looking for all my life and I had a little over nine years of it. Now I’m back with my mother and your mom. I’m satisfied working for wages again and I’m slowly making progress being happy with the family and they with me. Different life, of course, but still I’m still living the good life.”

“You sound a little melancholy. Do you wish you were back here with Franklin’s family?”

“No, I’m looking forward to seeing them, but I like being just Wendy Eaton living with her family. That’s enough for me from now on.”

“Good.”

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Jimmy drove down a tree-lined street of beautiful houses. “We are coming to it. It doesn’t have quite as much charm as some of these houses, but is nice enough.”

“This it?”

“Yes, this is it.”

“I’d say Brattleboro doesn’t have any houses this nice. At one time maybe, but if they were, they are now utilized for businesses, nursing homes, or divided into apartments or offices.”

“I know. There is Gail’s car. Robert’s house is across the back lot next street over. They have a common boundary. His wife isn’t too sociable so he’ll be here.”