Chapter 8: Jim and Caroline are married

Wedding plans were being made for Caroline and I and I had little say in the matter. Too many women had inserted themselves into our business and I complained. Caroline didn’t feel this way. “Jimmy these people have been so good to me and to you. They want to see our ceremony and our reception. What did you want for our wedding?”

“Something along the lines of what your father and Ramona had.”

“Oh no, that won’t do at all. Your father and Kimberly are planning on twenty people at the rehearsal dinner for us. Most everyone we know want to be at the ceremony and the reception party is a must. The weather should be fine to have both out doors. Kim has been watching the weather forecasts for a week. Charlie and Kim said they want it in your back yard behind the house. I think Charlie wants to brag about how well you have kept the property and grounds since you were a teenager.

“It is odd that he is promoting you now when before you were ignored for so long. My father is paying for the reception. Well, Erin is paying for some of it. Dad and Erin went round and round. She said it was her right because I gave her such a beautiful granddaughter. Dad and Ramona gave in finally and said okay. I wonder sometimes who this party is for? Karen seems to have more going for her than I ever have.”

“Jealous of your daughter?”

Caroline grinned, “No, but you have to admit a lot of the decisions being made concern her.”

“Honey, we soon will be married and living in our own home. Things will change and we will have total control of our lives.”

“Don’t bet on it. We are involved in a certain group of friends and relatives. I don’t seeing it changing that much. Ramona’s escorts still need a place to hang out and I’ll wager it will be with us. Erin will be here more often than not. Even the Mayor loves the child.”

“True, but remember when we get settled into our home, Karen will have many children her own age who will be playing with her. That is why we picked this place to live. We’ll be widening our own circle of friends as well. I suspect Dad will be selling the house and moving to some place where he and Kim will have a new circle of friends their own age and interests. All this is exciting for me.”

“Me to, I guess. It will be different for all of us, that’s for sure.”

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Ramona was getting Matt’s and my new office quarters ready to move into. That would be finished when Caroline and I returned from our honeymoon. We took a time finalizing where we would go. Karen would be with us, of course. We made reservations at a bed and breakfast in the Amish country in Pennsylvania.

The house we had purchased didn’t need much done to it because it was in good shape. We would be changing some things but all could be done after we had moved in. I would be mowing my own lawn though, rather than have a service do it. Caroline wanted to try her hand at planting different arrangement of flowers. This would be all new to her. She had no chance to do this because she had been banished from her father’s home and contained in the small apartment in the city.

The appliances weren’t too old in the house so they would do. Much of the furniture in my home was quality and Dad said I could take anything I wanted from the wing I lived in. “If I marry Kimberly, I’ll buy new for her. If I purchase a condo, I’ll buy new as well. What do you want to do with the nursery furnishings that are here?”

“I’ll take everything that I don’t use now and store it up over the garage. We are planning on children soon. What if Kim is looking to have a baby?”

“I haven’t asked. Too soon to go there, anyway.”

“You should go there before you propose.”

“I’ll have to make up my own mind about it first. Right now I’m not thinking of having kids.

“Dad, I believe when everyone moves out of the house and you and Kim are alone, she’ll bring up children.” Dad grunted, but didn’t say anything more on the subject.

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I would be walking to work because the office was only two streets over from our house. Caroline would be going into work at Winnie’s bake and coffee shop. Her hours would be from five am until noon. The shop will open at six in the morning and be open until seven in the evening. I would be the one to make sure Karen was up and off to school on time. Her needs for school would be laid out the night before when Caroline was at home.

I was mowing the lawn the first time after taking possession. I looked up as someone came around the corner of the garage. It was Maggie Bolster, the agent who had shown me this property and almost had a sale before Father had injected himself into the negotiation. I shut the mower off and waited for her to come up to me. “Hi, Maggie.”

“Hi, Jim, how is the new home owner?”

“Great. We love the place. We don’t have the place fully furnished yet, but it has only been a week. I’m taking some furniture from my dad’s place and Caroline is getting some from her father. He is going to move it in while we are away for a few days. How are things going for you?”

“There has been a change for me. I’m working at the Ace Realty now. C&C fired me the same day you took possession here. I had been looking around for a change anyway and it happened the next day. I didn’t even get the commission I should have from this sale even though it was I who showed it to you.”

“That’s terrible.”

“I know, but I didn’t expect to, knowing who I was working for. I just stopped by to see how you and Caroline are doing and to leave my new card in case you knew of someone who was buying or selling.”

I thought a minute, “Does your new agency have any condos or town houses in this area?”

“Half dozen of each, I think. Why?”

“My dad and his lady friend may be looking. It won’t be until after I’m married in ten more days though.”

“How much are they thinking of spending?”

“I have no idea. It is just something my father has talked about. Tell you what; run off copies of what you have listed. Probably Dad would be looking at something in the $300,000 and up range. If you sold him something, that would make up for getting cheated out of the commission on this place.”

“In a way it was worth losing it. I’ve still laughing about your dad walking all over my ex-boss. He even accused me of telling your father the situation he was in.”

“Did you?”

“No, I didn’t, but my husband works for your father and I discuss everything with him. Enough said anyway, I’ll get the condo and town house listings back to you in a day or so. Jimmy, enjoy your new home. I’m glad you didn’t have to pay the asking price due to the intervention of your father.

Maggie turned away. “Thank you. Goodbye. Mrs. Bolster.”

Caroline felt awkward about staying over at my house and facing my father in the morning. So she often stayed in her apartment. She did go and help Winnie getting ready to open the new coffee shop. Karen was able to be there with her mother. We had two hours together in the afternoon. This was after Matt and Winnie returned.

Sometimes if Ramona was at her new home with Roy, Caroline and Karen would spend some time with them until I got out of work. I had the option of staying with Caroline at her apartment nights as well.

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It was a week before our wedding when Caroline came up to the attic as I was winding up for the day. She was concerned and pushing Karen ahead of her. “Jimmy, a car with out of state plates was parked across the street from my dad’s when I got ready to leave. It pulled in behind me real close and followed me all the way to here. I’m a little scared about it.”

“Is it still out side?”

“I don’t know. Would you check out if that the car has gone? The only person I know who would do that is Jacob Horner.”

Matt asked, “Do you want me to go down with you?”

“Nah, the car is probably gone.” I stepped out and the car was parked right behind where Caroline had parked. I guess whoever it was had done this on purpose to prevent Caroline from coming out and driving off because she had parked close to Matt’s car ahead of her, this effectively blocking her car in. I walked behind the strange vehicle. It was a man and the driver’s window was open with the driver slouched down.

I grabbed the door handle and found the door was locked. I reached through the window opening and unlocked the door. “Hey, what are you doing?”

By this time I had opened the door and grabbed the guy’s shirt, pulling him from his seat, dragging him from the car. He was a small man and I recognized him as Caroline’s ex from the pictures she had showed me one time. “My wife says you were stalking her when she left her father’s house. What’s your name, anyway?”

“I don’t have to tell you squat. I’m calling the cops for attacking me. I’ll have your ass in jail for this.”

“Call them then, or I will.”

“Well maybe we can settle this without the cops. So you are married to a woman with a bastard child? That’s my kid.”

“Then you must be Jacob Horner. I don’t think the child is yours. In fact I know it isn’t.”

“That doesn’t prove anything. The birth certificate says it is mine.”

“I’ll settle this. Give me the keys to your car until I can get someone to bring a copy of the birth certificate.”

“Okay, but you’re wrong.” I was handed the keys and Jacob got back into his car. I went behind his car and called Erin to bring a copy of the birth certificate.

“Where are you, Jimmy?”

“I’m at Caroline’s apartment. Your son has been stalking her and I managed to get his car keys. We are in the street.”

“Jimmy, I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Are you having any trouble with him?”

“No, not really. I figure you are the one to stop him, though.”

“I guess I am.”

“Jacob, someone is bringing papers that you aren’t the father.” I then went and sat in my car ahead of his. Ten minutes later two police cars came. One parked opposite and the other one pulled in back of Horner’s vehicle. Neither cop got out, but Horner did and came up to ask me about the police.

“I didn’t call the police, but maybe your mother did or maybe Caroline did. She was really worried when she got here.”

“I wouldn’t hurt her. I love her.”

“She doesn’t love you, she loves someone else.”

It was fifteen minutes more before Erin’s car pulled up. She didn’t park, she just stopped it in the street and rolled the passenger’s window down. “Jacob, get in here.”

I was out of my car too. “Hey, don’t forget your keys.” I tossed them to him. Erin drove away after Jacob got into her car. Both police vehicles started their engines and pulled away. One of them followed Erin’s car.

I looked up at the windows above me. Caroline and Matt were looking down at me. Caroline motioned for me to come up. “What did Jacob say?”

“Not much; He wanted to see you and tell you he stilled loved you. I told him you had put him into the past and loved me now. He also wanted to claim Karen. That’s when I called Erin. I asked Erin to remind Jacob that he had abandoned Caroline and the fetus.

“I asked her to bring a copy of Karen’s birth certificate. I suspect she did bring the other paper that she and Roy had created, stating Jacob had long abandoned any claim to Caroline’s possible pregnancy. But I don’t know and we may never know. We’ll just have to wait and talk to Erin now. Erin must be feeling abandoned just like you were.”

“I know.”

“But, I suspect, knowing the kind, generous person Erin is, she will buy her son off again to protect Karen.”

“I agree.” –––––––––––––––––

Caroline had news about Karen being not able to enter first grade this coming year. It wasn’t a surprise because Karen was two weeks too young even with the waiver Caroline had asked for. I was secretly pleased, for I knew in my mind that Karen had to gain much more in her social interaction with other children. She also had been living in a small apartment alone with her mother and adults who doted on her because she was so cute and lovable. Living at our new address should be a good remedy for that.

Matt finished up and left. I had closed the window. “Caroline, give me a half hour and we’ll go along to Dad’s house. You might as well spend the night there with me.”

“Okay. I’ll take Karen with me tomorrow because I’m working at Winnie’s place. She is almost ready to open. I almost wish we were getting married before the opening so I could be here for it. Matt is going to be working alone in your new office until we get back as well. We just didn’t plan for all the changes.”

“Hey, we had our plans first. Winnie, Matt, your father, and Ramona made their plans after we did.”

“I know. I don’t mind really. Being able to be with you all night and getting up with you in the morning is as good as I anticipated it would be. The first night when your dad made the offer to stay the night is when our marriage began as far as I am concerned.”

“Wow, I’m acting being married and wasn’t aware. I’ve wondered these last few days why I’m so happy.”

“You certainly know how to make me happy with words like these.”

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Erin didn’t call that evening and not the next day either. Should we call? I decided not to. It was her business and I was positive she would handle Jacob and keep him away from bothering Caroline again. More importantly, she would keep him from having any contact or claim to Karen.

It was evening of the second day when Erin did call. She and Richard were going to stop by to talk to us. The Mayor was with her and he brought Karen a doll with him. We met at Dad’s place. Richard was in the same room, but was being entertained by the Karen while the discussion about Jacob went on between me, Caroline, and Erin.

Erin had a satisfied look on her face as she opened the conversation. “Caroline, I think I have done something to block Jacob from bothering you again about Karen. First of all, when he told Jimmy that he loved you, that was just to see if Jim would buy him off because he is broke and was looking for money. With him, it is always about money.

“I believe I had enough paperwork so he never can claim Karen as his child. He could see where he would need to spend money to hire a lawyer to further that claim so it would be pointless for him to continue.”

I asked, “You say he has given up?”

“That’s correct. I did give up something to convince him though. First, I said I was dis-owning him as my son so he couldn’t claim me as his mother any longer. That hurt him, which surprised me so I do have some regrets of taking that action. But then, my future happiness lies more with Karen than it does with him.

“I can truthfully say my disappointment in him started long before he had gotten together with Caroline. He didn’t handle the death of his father well and I did everything to help him at that time.”

“Erin, I have the feeling you did a bit more than disown him?”

There was silence before she answered and she didn’t look at either Caroline or me. Finally she looked up, “I did. I have kept some of what was his father’s estate separate of what was left. I never told him about it, figuring he would mature by the time he was thirty years of age and I would turn it over to him at that time. He was twenty-nine this year. I arranged to have it distributed to him today.

“Most of it is in stocks and bonds with not much in cash. If he would work and use the income from it, he could live well, but I don’t have much hope of him living that way. His problem now, for I have washed my hands of him.”

Erin looked sad and Caroline got up and pulled her into a hug. I looked at Richard across the room and he indicated I should hug her as well. He picked up Karen and brought her over and handed her to Erin when I backed away so Karen could hug her too.

The Mayor spoke to us, “Jimmy and Caroline, Erin looks on you two, along with Karen, to take Jacob’s place in her heart. I’m in favor of this as well.”

“Thank you, Richard. We promise to always be here for both of you.” I thought to myself that the mayor and Erin were regular people, just like Caroline and I were.

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Ramona and Erin took charge of putting on our wedding. Caroline was more distracted and was almost unable to get her mind together enough to answer questions put to her about what she wanted. Finally, Ramona began coming to me with the queries. “I always answered, “I believe Caroline would like this,” and made a suggestion of it.