Chapter 3

Business was good all winter long. New repeat customers were naming our diner the place to eat. Our seatings for all three meals were nearly full to capacity. Bertha was the first to mention expansion. Roxy and I discussed it, but we knew it would mean a heavier debt load. Then suddenly a factory went into production and we were asked to cater their lunches. The bank that held our note was more than willing to lend money for the expansion at the diner. Money for equipment to set up in the factory was available as well.

Getting experienced help was the biggest problem and we were having to advertise out of the area. Often we went through three applicants before we were satisfied with a cook who could prepare our menu to our satisfaction. The lunch program at the factory was handled by one full time person and one part time worker at serving time. The meals were all cooked and prepared in the diner and transported to the site.

I turned twenty-one in January and discovered I had found my life's work in managing the diner. Finally we were able to hire enough help so that Roxy and Bertha had to wait on only two of the three meals each day. They alternated each week, doing breakfast and lunch one week and lunch and dinner the next. Lunch time was the busiest so both women were there for that meal.

I came back from transporting the hot containers of food and trays of sandwiches to the factory on April 19th. Bertha met me at the door as I came into the kitchen. "Rodney, some woman named Sylvie Burns called. She said your wife gave birth to a boy this morning about six a.m. She has named him Rodney Roger Thomas, Jr."

"That's nice." I pushed by her and came into the kitchen. Somehow this wasn't a surprise. I knew the baby was coming, of course, and knowing Ginger, the name wasn't that much of a surprise either. I would have to think about this before I decided if what Ginger had done bothered me all that much.

Bertha stood there watching me as I ignored her and went about my duties in the kitchen. "I didn't know you were married. Congratulations. You must be very happy." She was fishing for information.

I gave her some. "I'm married. The baby isn't mine. We are estranged because he is someone elses. What she named the baby was her choice and I wasn't involved at all. We will not be having a conversation again about my life before I arrived here. Is that understood?" Bertha nodded her head.

I did see Bertha and Roxy with their heads together off and on throughout the rest of the day. Roxy tackled me about the information I had given Bertha. We had the evening meal to serve together and Bertha wasn't present. I pretty much shut Roxy down the same as I did Bertha. I just didn't want to discuss it with anyone.

June 10th I received a letter from Aunt Sylvie addressed to me here at the diner. Bertha, as luck would have it, was the one that happened to sort the mail that day. The letter just had a note and a snapshot in it.

"Rodney, Ginger isn't aware that I am sending you this note and the picture of her holding your namesake. She is wearing the dress you handed me when you were here last. Motherhood becomes her and Ginger is fast returning to the woman she was when you and she were happy together. She never mentions you, but I know you are in her thoughts. It is the loving way she talks to Junior. Most of the time I never know who she is talking to--you or the baby. I know I am meddling and shouldn't be writing, but I feel so sad that Rodney Jr. doesn't have the love of a father. Love, Aunt Sylvie

I was angry at first, but then I remembered that this was Ginger's only relative. That made me think of my own aunt. I had really neglected her. I would visit her soon. Sometime this summer for sure!

Women do meddle. Roxy was a woman. "I understand you received a letter from home today."

"Yes, a note from Ginger's aunt."

"Well what did it say? Come on Rodney, share with me. We left town together and in a way I'm involved, especially if there are any changes coming up."

"No changes that I know of. The note just said that Ginger was reasonably happy because she now has a baby to love. I had Bertha buy a dress last December for Ginger's birthday, although she didn't know it was for my wife. I left it there, even after I found out Ginger was pregnant and the dress wouldn't fit her. Aunt Sylvie sent a picture of Ginger in the dress holding the baby."

"Show it to me."

"I will if you don't make any comments of what I should or shouldn't do. Promise that and you can see the note and the picture."

"I promise."

She did keep her promise. Tears were in Roxy's eyes as she stared at the image. All she said was, "He is so beautiful. Rodney, I want a baby just like him." She came into my arms and kissed me. There was hunger and some passion in the kiss. Wouldn't you know I looked up and Bertha stood behind us.

"What you just did is incest. That's no kiss that a brother and sister should share. Are you two kinky or something?"

We turned and faced our partner. We looked at each other and then burst out laughing. Roxy was the one to explain our relationship. "Bertha, that wasn't incest. Rodney and I are just friends and not the sister and brother we have led you and others to believe. We go back as far as first grade in school. We grew up in houses only two doors apart. We were friends all through the years until Rodney first became attracted to Ginger, the girl he later married.

"By the time he met her, I discovered what I had between my legs was something that other boys would give anything to see or feel. So I gave it to everyone, except Rodney. After we graduated, I started getting paid for what I was giving away for free. I was making good money at it too. You know how much I came here with. I made that on my back with my legs wide and in the air.

"Rodney and Ginger were married and I hung out my shingle as a prostitute. A couple of years later, and just before we arrived here, Rodney discovered she was cheating. He was badly hurt, and he did the meanest thing he could think of to his wife. He hired a prostitute and did her right in the marriage bed, just as his wife was coming home from work. Just so she would see him. That was as far ahead as he had planned.

"She was humiliated just the same as he was. Ginger was aware that Rodney and I had been close friends for years. She also knew what my reputation was and what business I was in.

"Insulted and probably believing we had been carrying on for years, she kicked him out, never wanting to see him again. Rodney left and stayed with me for about five days before we left town. During that time we had one session of ten-hour non-stop sex. When the marathon was over, we decided we would go somewhere and find jobs and treat each other as if we were brother and sister.

"We would leave my reputation and his cheating wife behind and start a life. That's how and why we came here. Rodney and I have lived in the same room many times and now we live in the same home together. Not once have we had sex since that time a year ago. Actually we haven't had any with anyone else either.

"So the kiss you observed was more than what would happen between brother and sister--more than should happen between good friends as well. I was carried away with wanting something when I saw the picture of his wife and her baby. Rodney is a good man and always will be, so it isn't going to happen with me."

Roxy defended me. I could only do the same for her. "Don't you ever disrespect Roxy. She is a wonderful woman, no matter what she says or what she was. Laugh if you want, but I have always respected her. I wish she could say the same for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll answer that. Rodney thinks he traded on our friendship by hiring me to get back at his wife. I give it no thought, but he has always felt guilty about asking it of me."

"Rodney, may I see a picture of your wife? I can't visualize her at all."

I handed Bertha the picture. "I recognize the dress. I wondered who you planned to give it to. Your wife is so beautiful. And the baby is adorable! You have to bring your wife back into your life if there is any chance at all."

I looked at Roxy. "You tell her what I made you promise. The same applies to her. I'm leaving." I was almost out the door when I thought about the picture and the note. Going back, I took it out of Bertha's hand.

I didn't sleep much that night. I was up twice to look at the picture. First of course, I studied my wife's image. My thoughts ran the gamut, from anger, to sadness, and finally to love. Love, but if only the kid wasn't there. I could see love shining in her eyes for the baby she was holding. I could remember when at one time that love shining in her eyes was for me.

I was back to being sad again. Could I ever have that much love for two people at the same time? It didn't seem possible. Especially with all that happened between the two of us. Was it possible? Given what had transpired, I would have to show that amount of love for Ginger, then double it, and then transfer half to the baby she was holding.

I studied his image. He was a baby, for God's sake! He had a mother and that is about all he had going for him. What would he have--say if I was father to him? Would he grow up to have my values? Would he follow in my footsteps? Could I give him a better life than I had?

So many questions and so much turmoil in my mind. I suppose even if a man and a woman had a child together, could they be sure their kid would turn out to be one they were proud of?

I did sleep for a bit. Then I woke with the question in my mind about Ginger. Could I trust her to be faithful to me, as she vowed to do when we were first married? Her track record wasn't good at all. Before going to sleep the second time, I looked at the image again. I no more than glanced at Ginger's image. I centered on the baby. Rodney Roger Thomas Jr., not bad at all--had a nice sound to it.

Bertha had the morning shift. She was almost as haggard as I was. I wasn't needed now in the kitchen and I often did my paperwork--ordering supplies and doing payroll--sitting in a corner booth. Whoever was waiting table kept my coffee cup filled. We stopped serving breakfast at ten. Shortly thereafter, Bertha said to me, "I need to talk to you. I want to tell you the story of my life."

"I suspect this has something to do with my wife. I asked Roxy and you not to discuss this with me."

"It has nothing to do with you and your wife. I just want to talk, that is all."