Chapter 23

“Shit, shit, shit,” he said, and said aloud, though to himself. His wife entered and could clearly see that the man was upset.

“Rodney?” said Riley. Her man looked at her and he did not look happy.

“So, you did talk to Emma,” he said.

“Yes, like we agreed,” she said.

“No, no, not like we agreed.”

“Huh? I don’t understand,” she said.

“Well, let’s start with a couple of things. One: Emma has found a suitable woman. One with considerable baggage, and apparently a good fit for our man,” he said.

“Really! That’s wonderful,” she said.

“Hmm, yes, as far as it goes,” he said.

“Okay?” she said.

“Yes, Emma wants to know when we can meet with the woman and make plans on how to go forward with recruiting her,” he said.

“Huh?”

“Riley, I ain’t speaking Greek. All of a sudden we’re involved! Involved in the man’s personal life, love life. He’s gonna kill me! Maybe you too!” he said.

“But...”

“We cannot, that’s cannot be involved on any level with the man’s love life. That was the deal we made with each other last week,” he said. “But according to Emma, we are not only going to be involved, but actually the main cog in the wheel!” he said.

“Rod, I didn’t tell Emma that we were going to be doing anything more than having her look around on her own,” said Riley.

“She said, that you said, that if she needed any help with all of this, to just call,” he said. “Well, she called.” The man fell into his usual seat at the table, and looked down. He seemed to be thinking, making a decision. He made it. He looked up.

“Riley, sit down. You’re going to need a seat. I have something to tell you,” he said.

“Rodney, what? You’re scaring me,” she said. He looked seriously sad. She suddenly became more than scared. She became terrified. “Rod?”

“A couple of years ago, Horace made me privy to something that I swore I would never make you privy to. But this, situation, that we now find ourselves in, at least potentially makes it necessary, that’s necessary, to tell you about. And, Riley, I don’t want to.

“I know all you want to do is help the guy, and so do I. But there are limits. And the limits are the limits that he has set for himself, and by inference, us. Do you understand?” he said.

“Yes, of course, but...” she started.

“Long ago, now, while the man was still in prison, he was raped and beaten half to death. That part you know about. But there is more,” he said. “Oh, and I admit, I did agree to put a bug in Emma’s ear because she was already privy to what I am about to make you privy to. She was his nurse at the time.”

“More? What more,” she said. Her husband stared at her. She inclined her head waiting to hear what she feared that she did not want to hear.

“In addition to all of that, the part that you know. They did something else to him. Riley, they cut off his penis, at the root. He doesn’t have one anymore, none. He’s not a technical eunuch; he’s still got his balls, but nothing else down there, nothing,” he said. “He will never have a woman again, not ever, unless Emma’s right and this candidate of hers can deal with the man’s lack,” said Rodney. “And yes, again, Emma does know about it, his lack; like I said, again, she was his nurse at the time.”

“Huh? Wha...” she said. “I mean what?” Her man remained silent. He was actually crying. And then so was she. She felt faint.

Willa and I split for our homes Friday night intent on meeting up again the next day. We didn’t set a time, but she knew my habit. I’d be there around 6:00 p.m. I wondered if she would be rethinking her proposal and not show. I didn’t really think she would, but there was more than one piece to this puzzle for sure, so maybe. And now it was the next day. And now it was 6:00.

“Have a seat,” I said, as she drew up to my booth. “I wondered.”

“About?” she said.

“Whether or not you’d have rethought what you originally thought,” I said. She snorted.

“No, no rethinking required. Look, Adam, I’m fifty-four which is what, ten years older than you. I’m not the looker I once was. My career is over; I’ve gotten to the bottom of the wrong side of the hill as one might say. I got a little place, house; it’s an old one bedroom, single car garage, well, a small place like I said. And not much money in the bank, and that’s pretty much my situation. You would definitely be a notch up on the scale for me; I mean I know you’re employed. So there you have it, my pitch,” she said.

“But you don’t love me?” I said.

“Not yet. You gotta give me time to work on that one. I’ve been with a really long parade of men, some of whom at one time or another, I deluded myself into thinking that I was in love with. You have no idea what a joke each and every one of those turned out to be,” she said.

“Okay, in my case, well you know my biggest downside, I guess. I do have a nice condo—it was mine before I went inside. I’ve got me the best car ever made, my 1962 Buick Wildcat. I am employed. I have a family, but that’s basically in name only. My brother married the love of my life and rubbed my nose in it after I was sent up. And, I don’t love you either, yet, something I am also willing to work on. Oh, and I’m forty-nine; so you’re only five years older than me,” I said.

“Really? Forty-nine? I’m surprised,” she said, and she was being sincere. “You are kinda skinny, maybe that’s why you look younger than you are. Anyway so...” she said.

“If it’s my choice, you sell your house, and bank the money in your name only; or you can keep it and just wait and see how things develop. You move in with me; my place is nice. And, I do have a two car garage. Like I say, for the time being we live together, and just see how it goes.”

“Okay, and...” she said.

“If and when we do anything at all in bed; it’ll be the high school thing if you get my meaning. Or maybe a bit more than that,” I said. She was nodding.

“Okay, sounds good to me. So when...”

“Right away, kinda late to get to it tonight, but tomorrow?” I said.

“Yes, that would be good by me,” she said.

“Tomorrow is Sunday. Breakfast at IHOP on 23rd. at say 9:00 a.m.” I said.

“That’d be good,” she said. And we ordered a couple more drinks. Arrived at some ideas as to how we would be going forward, and what all, and just like that I had me, at least for now, a roommate.