Chapter 17

They returned from running, rehydrated themselves, and managed to get a reasonably healthy breakfast on the table. Justin was fussy hungry. As Ashley was happily feeding him, Natalie said, "Under other circumstances, I would have breast fed him, but I couldn't. Next time I will if I decide to have more."

Ashley said, "I think it's the best and healthiest way to go. At least, that's what I read in the literature."

"Same here. So, I have to get myself home and get back on the grind. I'm writing a paper with my professor and he is demanding a draft. If we can get it accepted soon, it improves my chances of getting a good job."

"I understand. I think I'll drop Wu off at the center so she can get used to her new owners. I hope she gets along with Benny."

"I'm sure they'll work it out. They are often better at getting along than people are."

"Can we find some time early in the week before your trip to go see my lawyer?"

"Not going to sue me are you?"

"We need to know what, if anything, my father did in his will or whatever for Justin. I'm sure he can help us decide what's best."

"For that kind of meeting, I can make time any day. Just tell me when."

"I want you to bring Justin, too."

"I can pick him up at daycare and bring him along. You do know that trying to have a meeting with him present won't be easy."

"I suppose. I just want he lawyer to see him before we get into any hassles."

"You know what you are doing. I'll see that he's there wearing his best outfit."

Ashley helped gather all of Justin's things and get them in Nat's car. She carried him out and put him in his car seat. She leaned in to kiss him and said, "I'm going to miss you. My name is Ashley. I hope you learn to say it."

Nat said, "You will regret that. When he can say your name, he'll be after you all the time."

"Never thought of that! However, if he's going to stay with me, we have to call each other something."

"He mastered 'Mama' at an early age and hasn't stopped using it."

When Nat drove away, Ashley felt certain emptiness; a kind of vague feeling of really being alone. Then, Wu stood wagging her tail and looking hopeful. Ashley thought, "We ate, but she was sleeping. She hasn't had anything to eat."

"Come on, Wu, I'll get you something to eat and take you out." The dog bounded to her and stuck her nose in Benny's dish before Ashley could put the kernels in it. "No, Wu. Wait until I finish putting it in. No!" Wu put her head down. "You'll have to learn that. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She pulled the dog's head to her and cuddled her.

After her shower, Ashley sat combing out her hair trying to formulate questions for the person in the mirror. In her inventory of the present, she missed Bill. Being around him for those two months made her happier than at any time she could remember. He'd even fixed the leaking shower.

She thought about Nat's situation. Finding a good man who would want to rear Justin would be more difficult. "If I have to go out looking, at least I don't have her problem to drag me back. I don't want to go out looking! I have found him. Why is he so damn hung up on that age thing?" Wu was sitting beside her, still wagging her tail.

As she put on her jeans she remembered something Bill said about his older colleague with a new family, "He'll never live to see them graduate." She started adding up their ages only to find that the true number shocked her. "Even if I was pregnant today, he'd be sixty when she was born. So, say, sixty plus18 more for graduation. So, he's 78 at the soonest possible." She felt a startling uneasy feeling in her gut. What had she read? How long do widows have to live alone or go out and try to remarry? Years and years. "Suppose our first child graduates from college in three or four years, so he's 81 or 82. I know academics live a long time, but that's really pushing it."

She looked around and found a spare leash. "C'mon, Wu, it's time for you to go earn your keep." Wu jumped up and pranced around the room. She found her computer and put Wu in the car to drive to the office.

Inside the office, she put her computer on her desk and went down to the lounge area where several of the residents were sitting and talking. Benny saw her and came running, then he sighted Wu. He started sniffing around and let out some growls. "Bennnnny!" He looked surprised. Then, he stood by Wu and they continued sniffing. Finally, he turned and went back to the lap he had been occupying.

Ashley said, "Ladies, this is Wu. She's new here. Just picked her up yesterday. I figured that there wasn't enough of Benny to go around, so I brought him some relief."

An eight-year-old girl came over and asked, "May I take her leash?"

Ashley handed her the leash and said, "Walk her around the House for a while, then, we'll take off her leash and let her play with the others."

"Thank you, Ms. Wilson. I'll give her a good walk." She skipped along the corridor with a confused Wu coming along behind her.

After about thirty minutes, the young girl came to the office. "Ms. Wilson, she's been all up and down the stairs and the dining room and everywhere. Should I let her go?"

Ashley went around and said, "Let's take her back to the lounge and I'll watch her a while, just to be sure that she doesn't get in any trouble."

Within ten minutes, Wu had managed to develop her own set of devoted fans and was happily moving around the room, not quite knowing where to go for her next petting. Ashley thought, "Great! She'll fit right in. No Problems."

Within minutes after she returned to her desk, Benny whined and she let him jump in her lap. He acted as happy to see her, as she was to hold him. "Hi, Benny! You've been working hard around here. You deserve a rest right there." He put his head against her belly and was soon asleep.

She ran through her emails and found the latest one from Bill: "Dearest. We're having a holiday next weekend for Columbus Day or something and I have plans to visit you. I can be there Thursday evening and catch the redeye back on Monday night to get back in time for class."

Ashley put her head back and her feet up as she punched his number code into her cell phone. He answered, "Hello, darling. I was going to call you shortly. How are you?"

Ashley reviewed yesterday's events and told him about her running and conversations with Nat. She brought him up to date on Benny, who was still in her lap, and how he had greeted Wu. Then, she said, "I just read your email. I can't wait to see you! You're coming Thursday?"

"I can leave after my class and be there by about eight. I need to see you."

"Me, too. Celibacy isn't my calling."

"So, you had a nice time running with your brother. Sounds like you all got along just fine, mother and all."

"I feel like she's my soul sister, after knowing her really for only one day. We graduated in the same class, but ran in different circles. I knew who she was, but that's about it. You know, if you've seen one busty majorette, you've seen them all. I never thought she was smart enough to get into Davis, but I guess she burned up the league once she made up her mind."

"We get students all the time who discover themselves when their minds get engaged. It's wonderful to see someone do that. You always seemed like you knew exactly why you were here and where you were going. No doubts.""

"She told me that she had to maintain her airhead image around school to attract the boys she wanted to date. She managed. Girls do a lot of dumb things to attract boys. Believe me!"

Bill guffawed. "Yeah, I guess they do. All we do is beat on our chests and act like Tarzan."

"I'm told they beat other things from time to time."

"Ashley, you're on fire today. You must feel good."

"I am on fire. I have a loving dog in my lap, my lover is coming to see me, and I just made lots of people happy with a new dog. Couldn't be better."

"Have you talked to Courtney?"

"She was out of town for a while. I'll call her this afternoon. Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow or sometime."

"I haven't heard a word. I'm sure they're on the verge of a decision."

After they finished their call and making plans for getting together, she thought again. "I want to see him. I need to see him. I don't know what to do about him."

She had avoided calling Courtney because she knew it was inopportune for her to have an affair with her. She knew that's what Courtney wanted. Amusement and something to occupy her away from her busy husband. Under other circumstances, she might have given it a try, but she was worried about the consequences for Bill if anyone learned of it.

"Hey, Courtney, it's Ashley."

"Hi, girl. How are you?"

"Pins and needles, of course."

"Don't want to talk on the phone now. Lunch tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah. Same time and place?"

"I'll be there."

Ashley quickly called Bill back and reported the latest information.

"Well, it seems like they're about ready for a decision. I fee like one of those TV brides, waiting to see if I'm picked."

She finished up the remainder of her work, went to check to see if Wu was behaving herself and found a delighted group having a love-fest with the dog. She said, "I have to take Benny home tonight. He deserves a day off and I'm lonely."

"Boo! Hiss! Then they laughed. Hey, we love Wu. Bring Benny back when he's rested."

One of the little girls came running over to kiss Benny goodbye, and then said, "Don't forget to bring him back, Ms. Wilson."

She said, "He'd never let me forget it if I did. He loves an audience."

She put Benny's leash on and walked him briskly to her car. She felt elated inside, like something good was happening. She hummed all the way home.

As she cuddled up to Benny for the night's sleep, she thought, "It was only last night that Nat was here with Justin. I loved having her here. He smiled at me this morning, too. Tomorrow I think I'll find out something I want to know. She wouldn't have asked me to lunch if it had been bad news." Surprisingly, she fell asleep.

She awakened to Benny's tromping around on her and licking her face. "OK. OK. I'll let you out. I have to pee first." As she sat on the toilet, he looked at her. "Just a damn minute. You'll get your turn."

Benny sniffed all around his empty bowl before Ashley filled it with his crunchies. "Don't be so damn picky. Wu just ate out of it. It isn't poison."

She walked into the Vineyards at lunchtime, looking for Courtney. Courtney waved and they were soon seated with a perfect view of the golf course and the mountains in the distance. Courtney said, "It's be a while."

"Too long. You were away and I've been up to my ears at the House."

"Things going OK with you?"

Ashley decided not to go into the Justin saga right then and said, "Yeah, My guy is coming to see me in a week or so. I'm anxious. Been a while."

Courtney replied, "I can think of no benefit ever for going without. I mean, when you're used to action and then it goes away, live gets ragged."

Ashley laughed, "Ragged? I wouldn't have used that word, but it is precise. Ragged."

"I know you want to know what I know. No point in putting it off. A little birdie whispered in my ear that they're going to offer Bill the job."

"Really? When?"

"Today or tomorrow. They have to go through some administrative hoops, but it should take only a couple of days." She smiled and took Ashley's hand, "God, I didn't want you to go to Georgia." Her eyes focused directly on Ashley.

Ashley beamed. "I have been holding my breath. Can I tell him?"

"I'd rather you didn't. Any little word that escapes later could get me in trouble. Can you hold it for a day or two?" Courtney caressed Ashley's hand. There was no mistake in the invitation.

Ashley replied, "Yes, I can hold it. I may die! I would love to hug you and kiss you and spend the day with you in bed, but I can't. Not until this is all over. Someone would surely find out and it wouldn't be good for either of us."

Courtney was slightly surprised by the revelation and recovered quickly. "I guess you have more control than I do. I would have gone for it, but I think you're right. I know you're right. That does nothing for my desire, though."