Chapter 25: Spring Break

My quarterly examination schedule was crazy. I'd drawn two exams on Friday while almost everyone I knew left early for their spring break. That left only Victor and me to have pizza and beer. We talked mainly about the architectural class we were in.

I knew he was looking forward to staying in my apartment with Gladys for eight nights, and saw no need to ruin his spring break by telling him that another company had purchased the Omaha building. In some respects, I envied him. He would work in the cabinet shop during the day, and sleep with easy-going Gladys at night.

He drove me to the airport the next morning.

"I'll be back on Sunday, the twenty-first. Be careful with my car," I said, as he dropped me off.

"I'll be here when you land. Don't worry about the car, Sammy."

It was Saturday, the thirteenth of March, 1993, one week before my twenty-second birthday. Spring break marked one year since Kelley and I'd had sex for the first time. We'd been alone in the house for one week, and we'd taken full advantage of the hammock. Now, we would celebrate one year of being together, and I would celebrate my birthday. Only this time we would be joined by Mr. Oldham and Suzanne in the house, and I wasn't planning on our having sex.

I would have preferred to be some other place, but there was no way I could not go. Kelley had invited Mr. Oldham and Suzanne to join us for the week. If I didn't show up they would think I was slighting them. I would go and have a good time. Perhaps being with Kelley for a week and a day would make me forget that she'd let Roger fuck her, twice. I resolved to make the best of things.

Mr. Oldham met my flight. He was wearing a black shirt, black shorts, black sneakers, and he was driving a rental car. We shook hands, and then he took my bag and put his arm around me, seemingly happy that I was there. We chatted about the weather and the things he had planned for us to do. "I hope you brought your tennis racket," he said. I didn't get a chance to tell him that I hadn't.

We were barely on the road when he changed the subject. "I don't know what they're teaching in those business classes these days, but I'm sure it isn't dominoes. Business is not a game; it's hard work. Decisions must be based on hard facts. Once a decision is made, it must be acted upon. Otherwise, a competitor will seize the opportunity, and all the hard work will go for naught."

I'd never seen Mr. Oldham so emotional. But I'd never seen him wear a silk shirt and pants before either. Perhaps their black color was affecting his mood. Obviously he was blaming me for holding up the purchase of the Omaha building. I waited for him to bring up Neill Fenton leaving the company, but it didn't come.

He looked my way. I guess he thought my silence was an indication that I was in a state of shock. He would have been right, but not for the reason he thought. I could have told him that he was wrong about me seeing a domino. It wasn't that at all, but since I didn't know how I'd reached the conclusion that the Omaha building was not right for us, I said nothing. I was pretty sure that he wouldn't have accepted that it was a hunch.

"That's all I have to say on the subject, Sam. I've certainly made some expensive mistakes in my time. Let's put it behind us and have a good time," he said, smiling at me.

I wasn't ready to put it behind me. If I'd made an expensive mistake I wanted to find out how it happened. But for now, I accepted his criticism. "Thank you, Sir."

"I've got some houses lined up for us to look at this afternoon," he said, sounding excited at the prospects of house hunting.

We stopped in front of the vacation house and were greeted by Kelley and Suzanne. They kissed me, and Kelley showed me to our room.

"Your parents took the master bedroom, so we'll have to go across the hall to the bathroom," she whispered, and then she added, "Your father monopolizes the hammock."

I laughed, picturing John Oldham wearing his silk shirt and shorts while swinging in the hammock.

Kelley watched as I unpacked my bag. "Is that the only thing you brought to wear to dinner?" she asked, as I hung the summer-weight blue blazer in the closet.

I counted seven of her dresses before answering. "I didn't know you planned to eat out every night."

"I forgot I'd left some of them here. Suzanne must have moved them from the master bedroom closet," she whispered, adding, "They got here before me."

I was changing into short pants and a summer shirt when Suzanne called us to lunch. We sat on the deck, starting with a green salad, followed by lobster rolls and iced tea. Mr. Oldham split a second lobster roll with me, and then we had strawberry shortcake for dessert.

I praised Suzanne for her cooking. She blushed, saying that she'd picked up everything from a nearby deli that morning.

Mr. Oldham was anxious to start the tour of the houses. He helped Suzanne clear the table, leaving Kelley and me alone. She moved her chair next to mine so she could be heard over the waves splashing against the rocks.

"I hope you've put that nasty mood behind you," she began.

"What do you mean?" I asked, knowing full well what she meant.

For a second, I thought she was going to burst into tears. "When are you going to stop blaming me for my mistake?"

"I don't know, Kelley. I'm having a hard time ridding my mind of that image."

"What image?"

"I can't seem to shake the image of you experiencing the moment of truth. You could have said no, but instead, you spread your legs and said, 'bring it on, Roger'."

"I did NOT say that. I told you exactly how it happened. Don't you think I get crazy thoughts about you having sex with other girls, and women old enough to be your mother?"

Her lips were trembling, but she pulled herself together when Mr. Oldham said it was time to go.

He introduced us to Adeline, a realtor who said she was going to show us three properties. We were to follow her S-U-V. "I'll ride with Adeline," I said.

"I believe I'll stay here," Kelley said, looking at me, almost pleading for me to ask her to come with us. I didn't.

I could see that Adeline wasn't pleased that I was riding with her, but I was the client's son and there wasn't much she could say about it.

"What's your story, Adeline?" I asked, as soon as she shifted the big car into drive.

"What do you mean?" she asked, following my eyes to the way her dress was riding up above her knees. She pulled it down, but when she applied the brakes, her knees became visible again.

"What are you, forty-two, married with two children? What does the old man do?"

This is where she dropped all pretense of tolerating the inquisitive client's son. "Look, Sonny, it's none of your business how old I am or how many children I have. I sell houses because my old man left us. That's all you need to know."

"I'm sorry, Adeline. I'm in a 'don't-give-a-shit-for-nothin' mood. I shouldn't have taken out my problems on you."

Adeline looked over at me, clearly amused. "What does a rich spoiled boy have to be moody about?"

Was she really interested in hearing about my problems, or was she trying to appease the client's son.

"Did you see the redhead?"

"She's lovely. Is she your wife?"

"She's my girlfriend, and she cheated."

Adeline nodded her head, "I've been there. It's really got you down, huh?"

Her sympathetic side was touching. We grinned at each other as she pulled over to the curb and came to a stop. She jumped out of the car and went into sales mode, directing Mr. Oldham's attention to the best features of the house.

We were in the entrance when Suzanne tugged at my arm. "What's going on between you and Kelley?"

"She thinks I've been mean to her, and she may have a point," I answered.

"Does it have anything to do with the blonde?"

"In her mind it does, but in my mind it has more to do with someone named Roger."

Suzanne bumped her hip against mine. "If you want to talk about it, I'm a good listener."

"Thanks, Suz," I said, returning her bump.

We caught up with Adeline and Mr. Oldham. I was impressed by the way she was reciting room dimensions and pointing out unique characteristics without referring to the listing sheet. He kept looking back at Suzanne, obviously wanting her approval.

She wasn't showing much enthusiasm. I wondered if Suzanne was keen on having a second home. "Very nice, John," was her standard response.

Back in the car, Adeline asked me why I hadn't commented on the house we'd just toured.

"I soured one of his deals recently, and have just about everyone in the company pissed at me. Today, I'm just along for the ride."

She nodded, but didn't look my way. "I've been there."

"How far off was I on your age?"

Adeline blushed. "You really are a randy little shit, aren't you?"

"It's like I said. I'm in a 'don't-give-a-shit-for-nothin' mood today."

"I want your opinion about this next house," she said, as she stopped the car in front of a large hacienda style home.

Again, Adeline took Mr. Oldham by the arm, and I hung back with Suzanne. It was a large home, clean and well cared for. When we got outside, Mr. Oldham smiled and shook his head.

"What am I doing wrong?" Adeline asked as soon as we were in the car. I could tell she was warming to my shitty mood.

"Did he tell you they like to play golf?"

"Yes, that's the first question I asked. There are three courses within fifteen minutes of all three homes."

"Did he tell you that they practically live in a sun-room at home?"

"No, but all these showings have Florida rooms," she retorted.

"Their sunroom overlooks the pool," I said.

"The next house has a pool," she said, and I noticed that she didn't cover her knees when I looked at the way her dress was outlining her legs.

"You have nice legs," I observed.

"I'm old enough to be your mother," she said, blushing again.

"My friend's mother was forty-three the last time we got together."

Adeline looked at me. "Did you cheat on the redhead?"

"It was before the redhead. I don't cheat," I answered her, adamantly.

She didn't respond. Anyway, we were at the third house, and although there was a pool, Adeline merely went through the motions of showing us the house.

As we were saying goodbye, Adeline looked at me, and then spoke to Mr. Oldham.

"Your house is on my way. Sammy will ride with me," she said, guiding me to her car before Mr. Oldham or Suzanne had a chance to respond.

We followed them for a mile before Adeline pulled over to the curb and made a call. I listened to her tell her office that she wouldn't be back that day.

"Don't get the idea that I'm putting a move on you," she said, as she put the car in gear. "I just want to pick your brain."

"That's what they all say, 'lie down, I want to pick your brain, '" I said, paraphrasing Caroline's remark from a few weeks before.

It was three-forty P M when Adeline stopped the car in front of a cocktail lounge. There were very few customers inside. She ordered a scotch and soda; I had the same.

During the next hour, we had two drinks and found out everything we wanted to know about the other. Adeline was forty-two, had two daughters, and had been divorced for six years. I told her that I was having trouble clearing Kelley's vacation from being faithful from my head. I tried to justify Kelley's actions, but Adeline didn't buy it. Doing the non-penetration thing with the blonde, she said, did not constitute cheating.

"Would your mother be receptive to a gated community?" Adeline asked, as we were taking our first sip from our second scotch and soda.

I recognized the question as the one she'd wanted to ask ever since we'd taken our seats. She was sitting on the other side of a small, glass-topped table, and making sure I had a view of her bare thighs. I considered telling her that she didn't need to show me her panties. She had me won over. Hell, she'd listened to my problems. I owed her.

"Is there golf?"

"There's a beautiful lot right on the fairway leading to the fifth green."

"A lot would mean building?"

"You'll love my builder. Everything will be custom. Your father will have his sunroom overlooking a pool, and your mother will design her dream kitchen."

"Sound's expensive. That would appeal to Suzanne."

Adeline cupped her hand to show confidentiality. "It's a very exclusive community, but the operative word is value."

"Building would take months."

"We have a nice selection of timeshares. Give me twenty-four hours notice and I'll make one available any time you want to check on the building progress," she was quick to assure me.

"Sounds good, but don't take my word for it. In fact, it would probably be better if I'm not there when you pitch it to them."

Adeline wanted to order a third drink, but I told her to take me to the house.

"You must have really fucked up your dad's deal," she said when we were on the road again.

"He called it an expensive mistake," I said, grinning.

"And that's only half of it. Are you going to give your girlfriend another chance?"

"I don't know if I can. She claims it was just a mistake, but you'd think she would complain about me treating her shabbily. She doesn't."

"How did you treat her shabbily?"

I turned her way and laughed. Maybe it was the two drinks I'd had, but she wasn't bad looking at all. Her hair was short, bleached, parted on the left side, and hugged her round face. Her full lips looked kissable. She was tanned, probably all over. Her breasts were small, and her legs were definitely muscular. I wondered if she played tennis. I pictured her in a bikini.

"Kelley wanted me to propose by sending eleven roses to her house. When they arrived, she was to wait for me in the pool. I was to strip my clothes off, and stand on the diving board with the twelfth rose between my lips. After she told me that she'd cheated, I sent eleven roses to her house, and never showed up."

Adeline lips formed an 'O'. "Nice."

"That's not all. She came to my school. I made her pretend to be with a friend while I was with the blonde. We had dinner and then we saw a movie. I made her hold hands with my friend, while I held hands with the blonde."

Adeline raised an eyebrow, as if to ask, "What's shabby about that?"

"The movie we saw was Unforgiven."

Adeline roared.

When she dropped me off at the house, I warned her to avoid mentioning that we'd talked about building a custom home. "I'm sure we'll see each other again," she said, giving me the impression that she wanted to thank me properly for the information I'd supplied.

Kelley's greeting was a cold stare. She didn't voice her ire, but I knew she was pissed that I'd stopped for a drink with the older woman.

Suzanne told us to dress casually for dinner. We went to a restaurant that served any kind of meat you wanted as long as it could be bar-b-cued. Mr. Oldham and Suzanne talked about our afternoon of looking at houses. Suzanne kidded me, saying she thought it was hilarious that I'd gotten on so well with the realtor.

"Too bad she didn't have anything of interest for us," Mr. Oldham said. I didn't comment.

After stuffing my stomach with ribs, all I wanted to do was to lie in the hammock. Listening to the waves hit the rocks was restful, and I must have fallen asleep. I awoke when I felt a blanket being thrown over me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" a voice asked, as she lay down next to me and pulled the blanket over us.

I wasn't fully awake, but I knew it was Suzanne by her perfume. I put my arm around her, and felt her bare back where the nightgown rode low. I felt her soft breasts against my chest, and her hand on my hip.

"Careful, Suz," I warned her.

"Sammy, I know you're twenty-one. Your boner doesn't shock me."

"Okay, as long as we've got that straight," I said, and felt her body shake with laughter.

"Don't think harshly of John. He's been taking a lot of abuse from angry stockholders."

"How could that be? There was never a group formed. How could there be stockholders?"

"I should have said would-be stockholders. Edith Rowell and five others were ready to jump in as soon as we published a prospectus."

"Wanda!"

"What does Wanda have to ... oh, she told her mother about the search for an under-priced building, and Edith spread the word?"

"Wanda told me that her mother wanted to invest in the new group, but I had no idea she would enlist other investors."

"John's concerned that Edith and her group will join Lynch and Lynch, the same way Neill may do."

"Neill hasn't gone with them yet?"

"Not yet, but we expect his resignation as soon as Lynch is ready to start the rehab."

"I'll talk to Wanda and she'll convince her mother it's not a sound investment."

I felt Suzanne's body tense. Did she know my cock was sandwiched between her tummy and mine? "How can you say that, Sammy? You have no concrete evidence."

"I don't know how I know, but I do. Another building will turn up."

"You'll need more than a hunch to convince Edith Rowell to wait until we locate another distressed building."

"I know," I said.

"Take your shoes off and go back to sleep, Honey," Suzanne said as she kissed me on the cheek and got out of the hammock.

I don't know how long it took me to go back to sleep. I kept thinking about what I would say to Wanda when I spoke to her the next day. As it turned out, I overslept and woke up to find Mr. Oldham, Suzanne, and Kelley having breakfast. They wanted me to join them, but I told hem I was going out for a run. I needed to think about what I was going to say to Wanda.

"It's Sunday morning," Wanda complained.

"Were you sleeping?"

"What do you think?"

"Wanda, I want you to assure your mother that we'll find another building to invest in."

"She won't listen to me."

"Wanda, she listened to you when you told her what a great deal we were going to make."

"It was a great deal until you pissed in the soup."

"It was also proprietary information. You had no right to pass on confidential information to your mother."

"Are you going to fire me, Sammy?"

"No, of course not, but I want you to talk to your mother. You've got to convince her that she and her friends must not invest in that building."

"How am I going to do that, Sammy? You know how pompous my mother can be. You've seen her naked."

"You've got to find a way to convince her to wait!"

"I'll try."

She didn't sound confident. I was at wits end, until I remembered the shorts with the smiley faces. "Remind her that I saved her a bundle by unveiling Roscoe's motive."

"That might work. You're a genius, Sammy."

"I love you for saying that, Wanda," I told her as we hung up.

Adeline called while we were having lunch. I overheard Mr. Oldham ask for particulars about the property she wanted him to see, but he was unsuccessful in getting any specifics. He handed the phone to Suzanne, who agreed to go. "She was so insistent that I couldn't refuse her. She'll pick us up in an hour," Suzanne explained.

Kelley said she wanted to go to the beach, and I used that as my excuse for not going with them to see the property.

We were walking to the beach when Adeline drove by. She smiled, and I waved at her.

"Who paid for the drinks yesterday?" Kelley asked. She was wearing a pale green bikini that left nothing to the imagination.

I was carrying the blanket and a four bottles of water. Kelley had the sun-screen and two towels.

"She picked up the tab."

"What did you talk about?"

"She wants to make a sale. She was picking my brain."

"She picked up the tab, and she picked your brain. Is that all she picked?"

I laughed. "Are you going to be picky today, Kelley?"