It was a Friday in the mid-afternoon and the phone on my desk rang. I thought, ‘Ah, Crap. That’s probably my boss wanting me to do something that I’ll have to work over an hour or two to finish before I leave for the day and the weekend. I really wanted to leave work on time to start my weekend without having to work a couple of extra hours.

Either that or it was one of my buddies, Max Meier, wanting to know if I was going to join him and the rest of the guys after work for happy hour.’ I grabbed the phone and answered it kind of irritated because I was trying to get an Engineering Report finished before quitting time that evening.

In my best professional voice, I identified myself and our office in case it was actually my boss wanting me to do something this afternoon or if he wanted to know the status of the report I was working on and if it would be finished this afternoon. To my pleasant surprise a sweet sounding feminine voice asked, “Is this Kurt Miller I’m speaking with?”

My irritation quickly vanished with the sound of the girl’s, or ladies, soft, soothing voice and I said, still in my professional voice, “Yes, this is Kurt Miller speaking. How can I help you, Miss?” thinking it could be a client calling about some of our present or past work with a question or maybe even praise of our work that I could pass on to my boss.

She quickly replied, “Mr. Miller this is Candace Wolf and you may not remember me but, I am an assistant to Ruth Blum at the Mental Health Services clinic. You may remember me by my shortened name of Candy and I was on duty at the receptionist’s desk when Mrs. Blum brought Carol Braun into the clinic one Friday evening with your help.

Ruth and I were talking about Carol and I asked her how Carol was doing. She was a very disturbed young woman when you and Ruth Blum brought her into the clinic that evening.

Ruth had treated her and helped her return to her former mental health and her physical health and we were wondering how she has been getting along? Ruth told me she hadn’t heard anything from her in sometime and she suggested that I give you a call when I had the time and see what you might know about her and how well she is doing now.”

“Well Miss Wolf...”

“Please call me Candy, Mr. Miller.”

“Ok, Candy, I’ll do that if you will call me Kurt...”

“Sure, Kurt, but, you were about to say?”

“Yes, Candy, I was about to tell you I haven’t heard anything about her in a few months either and there is a lot I need to tell you about what I do know. But, Candy, it will take a lot more time than I have available this afternoon.

I have an Engineering Report that I really need to finish this afternoon for my boss. Can we get together for a drink tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow evening as we go out to eat and we can have an in-depth discussion about this?”

“I have to work at the clinic tomorrow but, I’ll be free tomorrow evening and I can go out to eat with you if that is agreeable with you, Kurt.”

“Ok, Candy, where and what time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow evening?

“Well, most days I ride to work with Ruth and you can pick me up here at the clinic. I get off work at six o’clock and I can meet you out in front of the clinic at that time.”

“That’ll be fine, Candy. I’ll see you at six tomorrow evening then.” I continued, “I’ll be seeing Max this evening after work at happy hour and I’ll talk to him and have him fill me in on what has been happening with them in the last few months. And I’ll fill you in on what additional information I hear from Max this evening. You can then fill Ruth in on the information I can relate to you then.”

“Thank you, Kurt. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you tomorrow evening at 6.”

While I was talking to her I remembered that she was rather bright and she was very cute with a really attractive figure. I never had the time to pay much attention to her when I was going there to visit with Ruth and Carol at the clinic with regard to Carol’s treatment progress.

But, this was going to give me another chance to see her again and really get to know her. I thought, ‘Just how did I get so lucky to have such a marvelous opportunity to do this again, or actually, for the first time I guess.’

Later that afternoon, just before quitting time when I had just put the finishing comments on my Engineering Report and dropped it off in my boss’ office my desk phone rang again. It was Max and he asked, “Kurt, are you going to meet me and the rest of the guys for happy hour this evening?”

“Yeah, Man, I have been thinking about that all afternoon and I have been waiting on one of you guys to give me a call and tell me where we are going to meet for happy hour this evening, Max.”

“Well, Kurt, the guys all agreed that they wanted to go someplace that we haven’t been to before. I suggested that there’s a bar that’s only about a mile from Carol’s and my house, Man. I know you have seen it on your way to our house. It’s right on the main drag just before you make the turn to come into our subdivision.”

“Yeah, I remember seeing that bar and I’ll be there after I get off work here this evening. I have something I want to talk to you about, too, Max.”

At five o’clock I shut my computer down, locked my desk and my files and locked my office door and walked out to the parking lot to my car. I arrived at the bar at 5:30 and most of the guys had already arrived and they already had a beer in their hands.

They all shook hands with me and told me they were glad I could make it this evening. Max shook my hand and handed me a beer. Then he said, “Kurt, let’s sit down and talk about what’s on your mind tonight, Bud.”

“Ok, Max, thanks for the beer to start out with but, what I wanted to talk to you about is this. Max, I got a call from one of Ruth Blum’s assistants this afternoon. I’m pretty sure it was probably at Ruth’s direction but, this lady was asking for an update on Carol.

I had to tell her I hadn’t heard anything about her in several months and since I was going to be seeing you this evening I’d talk to you and see how Carol and you and the kids are doing. I told her I’d talk to you and give her an update tomorrow night when I take her out to eat.”

“Man, Kurt, you’re pretty quick to jump in with the chicks. You don’t let any grass grow under your feet, do you, Bud? But, that aside, Kurt, you haven’t been over to see us in months. If you’d ever come see us you’d have been able to see that Carol and the kids are doing well. Carol keeps asking about you pretty often and the kids are doing well also.

You won’t believe how well Billy and Carrie are doing and little Kurt is growing like a weed. Why don’t you come over and have lunch or supper with us Kurt? I know that Carol and the kids would love to see you since they have been asking about you. I know that Carol would love to have you over and fix lunch or supper for you, Man.”

“Max, I can make it for lunch tomorrow but, not for supper since I’m going to take Ruth’s assistant out to eat tomorrow evening. That’s the only time she has available to go out.”

“Ok, Kurt. I’ll call Carol and tell her that I have talked to you and I have invited you to come to the house for lunch tomorrow. I know that she and the kids will be excited to see you tomorrow when you get there.”

Max got out his phone and called Carol and told her that he had invited me to come to lunch with them tomorrow. After his phone call he told me, “When I told her you were coming to lunch with us tomorrow she was excited and she told me to tell you hello and she and the kids were looking forward to seeing you and having you there to eat lunch with us, Bud.”

“Yeah, I’m excited about seeing them and having lunch with them, too, Max. While you were on the phone I got to thinking it has been a really long time since I have been over there to see you and Carol and the kids. I think it has been something like three or four months since I have been over to see you. And I know a lot of things can change in that period of time, too.”

“Kurt, it’s been longer than that. I think it has been something like six or seven months and you’re right things have changed but, I’ll let Carol tell you about that when you get there tomorrow for lunch.”

I didn’t drink much more beer at happy hour since I was spending most of my time talking with Max and the other guys. I didn’t want to go home with a snoot full and wake up in the morning feeling like warmed over death.

In addition, I was going to lunch with Carol and Max and I was going to take Candy out to eat that evening and I didn’t want to sleep until nearly noon getting over being nearly drunk tonight.

On saying goodnight to Max and all of the other guys about 7:30 I headed home. After straightening up my apartment and fixing something to eat I decided to hit the sack a little early since I had a busy day planned the next day.

On getting up around 8:30 the next morning I did all of my weekly Suzi Homemaker chores then I took a shower and shaved because I wanted to look good for Carol and the kids when I got there for lunch. I left about an hour before lunch time to go see Carol, Max and the kids.

When I arrived at Carol’s and Max’s house they all met me at the door and greeted me warmly, Carol wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me on the lips just like she used to do when I visited her at the clinic. She quickly said, “Kurt, it’s so good to see you and have you here to visit with us again. We have all missed you very much, but, we understand that you have been very busy at work.”

Once Carol stepped back Max shook my hand and said, “Welcome back to our home, Man. We’re all very happy to have you come visit us again after all of this time. Have a seat and do you want to have a beer before lunch?”

“No thanks, Max, I think I’m going to wait until later this evening to have anything to drink.”

I sat down on the couch and Carol said, “Lunch will be ready in a little while, guys.”

As I sat down Billy and Carrie stepped up in front of me and Billy said, “We haven’t seen you in a long time, Kurt. Mom and Carrie and I have often asked Dad how you are and when you can come over to see us again.”

Carrie quickly said in her cute little girl’s voice, “Yeah, Kurt, we have all been wondering about you and when you were going to come see us again. I don’t think we have had a pizza since the last time you were here.”

Before I could respond Max said, “Oh, Kids, we had pizza about a month ago. You know your Mom wants you to be eating more healthy food than pizza every day. She wants you to eat your vegetables and not pizza all of the time.”

“Well, Kids, I guess I’m going to have to make sure I come back here to visit with you more often than I have in the past few months so you can have more pizza. But, I really want you to know I have had a number of business trips out of town for my work and I have been very busy catching up on all of the work that has stacked up on my desk while I have been out of town.”

At that time Carol called out from the kitchen, Kids, you come in here and set the table for us.” Then there was a cry from the bedroom and Carol said, “Max, I think that little Kurt just woke up from his nap. Please go in the bedroom and check on him while I finish lunch for us would you, please, Honey?”

Max went into the bedroom and a few minutes later he came out carrying little Kurt in his arms as he was rubbing his eyes like all little kids do when waking up from a nap. I was amazed at how much he had grown since I had seen him the last time.

I looked at Max and said, “I can’t believe how much he has grown since I was here the last time, Man. What have you and Carol been feeding him, anyway?”

Well, Kurt, I told you there have been a lot of changes since you were here the last time.” as he just chuckled.

Max was just about to sit down still holding little Kurt when Carol called from the kitchen door, “Max, you and Kurt and the Kids come into the kitchen. “We’re ready to sit down and eat lunch, Honey.”

Max immediately responded, “Ok Carol. We’ll be right there.” He turned to me and said, “Come on, Kurt. Let’s go eat lunch.” Looking at little Kurt, he said, “Are you ready to go eat, too, little guy? I know that Kurt is and I am, too. Come on Kids, your Mom has lunch ready for us to eat and she wants us to come in there to sit down at the table.”

When we walked into the kitchen Carol said, “Kids, have you washed your hands? If not go wash them now. They both turned and ran into the other room to wash their hands. She said, “Max, move his high chair over here between us and put him in it and Kurt you can sit in that chair across from Max.”

As Carol turned to tend to little Kurt in his high chair I could see a side view of her tummy. It had a little bump to it that I hadn’t noticed before. Carol looked at me and saw that I was looking at her tummy.

A big grin spread across her face and she said, “I saw what you were looking at Kurt. I know what you’re thinking and you are right. Our next little one is well on the way. Max and I wondered how long it would take you to notice.”

Stepping over to her, I put my arms around her, kissed her and said, “I’m so happy for you and Max, Carol. I think you now know why I was destined to help you a couple of years ago and now I’m even happier that I did.

And I’d do it all over again just to see this and how happy you are now, Honey. You look so radiant and pretty in your condition. Life is so precious and it has so many twists and turns you can never give up on it.”

I quickly turned to Max and said, “Congratulations, Man. You have the most precious lady you could ever find.” Glancing back at Carol I could see that she was blushing looking back in my eyes like she was saying, ‘You could have had all of this at any time before I left the clinic, you know.’

Max quickly replied, “Thank you, Man. I think so too. She makes me so proud of her and I love her more every day. If it hadn’t been for you we would not have ever had the chance to meet and get married.

I told you there were a lot of changes and Carol asked me to let you find out her big change for yourself and I told her, Ok. This time she wants us to have another little girl for us to enjoy. Now let’s eat our lunch.”

We sat down and began to eat our lunch. All during lunch when I looked at Carol she had a bright smile on her face when she looked at me. As I looked at her I thought I sure hope I can find a young woman as pretty and as good and loving as Carol is. I guess I should be even happier that I pulled that terrified young woman off those railroad tracks just before those two big diesel-electric power units could grind her into hamburger.

Carol looked pretty forlorn and pathetic that day and she was so terrified I had wondered if she could be helped back to health both mentally and physically. She was so frail and terrified all she could do was hang onto me like a drowning person hanging onto a life preserver.

Ruth Blum did a superb job in helping Carol return to her mental and physical health. Now she looked so full of life and so vivacious and so much in charge of herself and her family.

Coming back to the present, after lunch Carol shooed us out of the kitchen to the living room to relax and visit. Max said, “Kurt, I have something in the kitchen I know you can’t turn down.”

As he got up and walked back into the kitchen. I heard ice cubes being dropped into a couple of glasses and a couple of minutes later he came back with two glasses and two fingers of Jack Black in each of them. I looked at my glass and looked back at Max, took a small sip and he said, “Yeah, I knew you couldn’t turn it down, Man. Just sip away and enjoy, Buddy.”

Max and I began sipping our drinks and Carol came back in with little Kurt in one arm and a cup of coffee in her hand. She said, “It takes me a little longer after I clean up the kitchen because I have to clean this one up too. He really doesn’t like to have his face and hands washed after he eats. I think he gets more on himself and his high chair than he gets in his mouth.”

I looked at Max and asked, “You didn’t pour a drink for Carol, Man?”

“No, her doctor told her she shouldn’t drink any alcohol during her pregnancy and that’s why she’s drinking coffee.”

Laughing back at Max I said, “Well, I guess we are mighty fortunate we can’t get pregnant. What in the world would we do if we couldn’t drink beer or a glass of Jack like this for nine months?”

Max replied, “I think we would quickly start having the DTs.” As we both got a hearty laugh out of that and Carol scowled at Max.

We sat and visited for about an hour and little Kurt looked like he was getting sleepy again. He put his arms around his Momma’s neck and fussed a little. Carol kissed him and got up saying it’s about his nap time so I’m going to go put him in his crib for his nap.”

I said, “Carol, I’m going to have to get back home to do a few things before I have to go pick up Candy this evening.”

“But, Kurt, I really haven’t had the time to visit with you this afternoon and I really wanted to do that and see how you are and how you’re doing, too.”

“I’ll tell you what, Carol. I expect to be in town through next weekend. I’ll come back over here next Saturday evening and visit with you and Max and the kids again. We can order a couple of pizzas and I’m sure Max will have a couple of beers here for us. I know the Kids will love that and you won’t even have to cook for all of us either.”

“Ok, Kurt. I know you have to go but, we’re going to expect you to come back here next Saturday night as you have just promised us.” as she stepped over to me and hugged me. I could feel her little bulging tummy against mine as she hugged me.

“Alright, Carol. You and Max and the kids have a good week and I’ll see you next Saturday. And thanks for the lunch. I enjoyed it since I didn’t have to make it for myself.”

I left for my apartment relaxed for a while and freshened up before I had to go pick up Candy. I pulled up in front of the clinic just before 6 o’clock and Candy came hurriedly down the steps to greet me. She said, “Hi, Kurt, I’ve been looking for you to get here. Please come on in for a few minutes. Ruth wants to say hello to you.”

Watching Candy bounce down the steps of the clinic I couldn’t get over how pretty she was with her dark hair swaying just over her shoulders, her very cute and alluring breasts bobbing up and down with each step she took and her fabulous figure prominently on display.

As I was getting out of my car, Candy took my hand leading me into the clinic to Ruth’s office. When we walked into her office I said, “Hello, Ruth. How are you? You look like you are doing well. You’re still just as pretty as ever.”

Ruth stepped around her desk, hugged me and said, “Hi, Kurt. I’m fine. It’s been a long time since we have seen you. How have you been?”

“I’m doing well. It’s just that I have been awful busy in the past few months.”

“Yeah, I know. I have tried to call you and your voice mail always switches over to a recording that says you’re not available. I was totally surprised that Candy was able to talk to you yesterday on the phone.”

“Well, Candy asked me about Carol and I had to tell her that I hadn’t heard anything from her in several months. I had lunch with Carol and Max today and she and the rest of her family are happy and doing very well.

Carol really wanted me to know she has another little one on the way while I was visiting with them. I told Candy I’d take her out to eat this evening and fill her in on everything about them.”

Candy interrupted our chat and said, “Ruth, I need to go back to my work station and get my wrap and my purse before we leave.”

“Ok, Candy.” When Candy left Ruth’s office, she quietly said to me, “Kurt, Candy is one of my best employees and that’s why I have assigned her to the receptionist’s desk. She has such a pleasing appearance and she has a really great pleasing disposition for working with my patients and dealing with visitors who come into the clinic.

I don’t think you ever knew it but, she was really taken with you when you were coming here to visit with Carol. She just gushed and could hardly contain herself when she came in to tell me the results of her phone conversation with you yesterday afternoon, Kurt. And she was so excited that you are going to take her out to eat this evening.”

When Ruth finished her sentence, I said, “I’ll fill Candy in with all of what I learned about Carol and Max today at lunch and she can relate that to you when she gets back here to talk with you.” I looked at Candy and said, “Are you ready to go get something to eat, Candy?”

“She quickly replied, “Yes, I am, Kurt, and I’ll bet you are, too.”

I said good bye to Ruth. And Candy and I left the clinic. I asked Candy, “Have you ever been to Pappacito’s before, Candy?”

“Yes, I have but, it has been a very long time ago before I was in high school, I think.”

“Well, it’s time you had a chance to go back there tonight if you would like to.”

“Yes, I’d like that very much, Kurt.” She replied.

We arrived at the restaurant, were seated at a table and ordered our meals. I began to tell Candy what I had learned on my visit with Carol, Max and their kids at lunch. “Candy, I found that Carol is doing very well. Her baby boy is growing like a weed and I only thought that it had been three or four months since I had last seen them. Max told me it was more like close to twice that long.”

“Who is Max, Kurt? I don’t think I know him?”

Max is a good friend of mine who was very interested in Carol’s progress while she was still there in the clinic. He never came to the clinic but the day Ruth and I took her home he came by her house and they were immediately attracted to one another. They later got married and then Carol had his baby for them.

“I’m really surprised that Carol didn’t marry you, Kurt. She was always talking about you and asking about you when you weren’t there.”

“Yeah, Candy. Ruth told me that Carol told her she loved me. I told her that I loved her but, it wasn’t a romantic love. I told Ruth that I loved Carol like a little sister. And I still do love her like she’s my little sister. So you can see why we did not get married, Candy.”

By that time we had talked so long, we had finished our meal. I paid the check and we left the restaurant. As we walked out to my car I asked her, “Candy it’s still early would you like to go somewhere and have a glass of wine or a cocktail?

I know a quiet little cocktail lounge that has a small dance floor but, it doesn’t have a live band. It only has a juke box and couples can dance to that music. Would you like to go there with me?”

“Yeah, Kurt, I’d really love to go there with you tonight and I love to dance even if it is to juke box music.”

Since the cocktail lounge was not very far, we were there in ten minutes. We went in the lounge and Candy asked for a glass of wine and I ordered her wine and a beer for me. We were sitting sipping our drinks and talking when the juke box began to play music that we both liked.

I asked Candy to go out on the dance floor. I found that Candy is a good dancer either to the fast songs or to the slow songs, too. I especially liked dancing to the slow songs with her. I really loved having her warm soft body pressed against mine as we were dancing.

After the last song on the juke box we went back to our table and resumed sipping on our drinks and chatting. As we neared the end of our drinks I went over to the juke box and chose several fast and slow songs mostly slow songs.

When the music started playing Candy and I went out on the dance floor again. During the slow songs she snuggled her warm soft body up against mine and laid her head on my chest. I just had to kiss her temple and her forehead while we were dancing.

Candy looked up into my eyes with a dreamy look in her eyes and she said, “I’m really glad we came here tonight, Kurt.” Then she laid her head back down on my chest. After the juke box music had quit playing we went back to our table and I ordered another round of drinks for us.

We sat and sipped our cool drinks and when the juke box started playing we went out on the dance floor again. During the last slow song I kissed her temple and forehead.

This time she looked up into my eyes with not just a dreamy look but, a huge smile on her pretty face. She then reached up and kissed me on the lips. She quietly said to me, “You have been egging me on and you finally got what you asked for didn’t you, Kurt?”

“Well, I guess my egging you on worked didn’t it?” Candy softly giggled to me and we continued dancing to the juke box music. When the songs finished playing we went back to our table and finished our drinks. We then left the lounge to take her home.

On seeing her to her door she said to me, “Thank you for taking me out to eat this evening and to the lounge afterword. I really don’t want this evening to end and I’d invite you to come in but I live with my parents and I’d rather for us to be alone, Kurt.

I can certainly see what Carol saw in you when she was there at the clinic. I still don’t understand why you two didn’t get married with each other. I think you’re very sweet and I’d really love to go out with you again, Kurt.”

“Ok, Candy, I told Carol and Max that I would come back over to their house this coming Saturday evening. Would you like to go with me and see her, meet her kids and her husband, Max?”

“Yeah, Kurt, I’d love to go with you then. I like being with you but, you need to tell me what time you want to pick me up?”

“I’ll have to check with Carol and see what time they want me to come out there and I’ll have to call you and let you know next week after I talk to Carol. How early can I pick you up Saturday evening, Candy?”

“You can pick me up here as early as 5 o’clock. Just let me know when you need me to be ready to go with you to see Carol and I’ll be ready to go with you then, Kurt.”

That next day I called Carol and asked her, “Carol, I told you that I’d come back to your house this coming Saturday evening and visit with you. What time would be convenient for me to come see you and Max and the kids?”

“Kurt, we would like you to come here early enough to have supper with us. I’d like you to be here by 6 o’clock if that’s Ok with you.”

“Ok, Carol, but, would you mind, I’d like to bring another person with me on Saturday evening, too?”

“That’ll be fine, Kurt. We’ll have plenty for another person to eat with us.”

On Monday morning I called Candy and said, “Candy, I talked to Carol and she said that she would like for us to be there by 6 o’clock Saturday evening. So, I’ll pick you up at 5:30 that evening.”

“Ok, Kurt. I’ll be ready when you get to my house as I told you last Saturday evening.”

Saturday evening I got to Candy’s house and she came out of the door before I could get to it. When she stepped out and closed the door she kissed me and said, “Hi, Kurt, I’m happy to see you again this evening.”

Candy looked very pretty as she was all dolled up and when we got into my car she pulled me over to her and kissed me again. We pulled up in front of Carol’s and Max’s house a few minutes before 6 o’clock.

Carol and Max met us at the door and they greeted us warmly. I introduced Candy to them telling them, “This lady is the friend I have brought with me tonight.”

Carol immediately recognized Candy and said, “I remember you. You’re Candace Wolf and you were an assistant to Ruth Blum when I was there. I can remember how sweet and helpful you were to me when I was at the clinic.”

“Yes, Carol, I’m Ruth’s assistant and she has asked me to say hello to you this evening. She and I were talking and we were wondering how you’re doing and getting along. I called and asked Kurt about you and he said he hadn’t heard from you in several months.”

At that time Billy and Carrie came out of their bedroom to see me and Carol introduced them to Candy. Candy’s face and eyes lit up when she talked to the kids showing her fondness for children.

Carol quickly added, “We have another little one Max and I have added to our family not all that long ago. I just fed him his supper before you two arrived and I haven’t had the time to clean him up yet. I have already fed the kids because they just couldn’t wait this long to eat.”

“Carol, let me wash his face and hands while you finish up supper for us.” Carol and Candy walked into the kitchen where Carol finished fixing supper and Candy washed little Kurt’s face and hands.”