Chapter 13

April came down the stairs carrying a soft duffel bag. “I’m off to Matt and Gloria’s,” she said.

“I’ll walk with you,” Ron replied. They headed toward April’s car. “Will you be all right tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

“Have you forgiven your parents?”

“I believe to forgive means to forget. There’s no way I can forget what they did. I have reconciled myself to it, though. Brad’s the one I can never forgive.”

“What he did was criminal.”

“Just one in a long string of crimes. I do understand why they kept it a secret. If I had known Mattie was really mine, I would’ve done what I could to take her from there and probably gotten into trouble. I’m delighted and relieved to know the truth. Living a lie like that is its own burden and I know they’re relieved to have it out in the open. Think of he heartache of not acknowledging their own granddaughter.”

“I still don’t understand why they had to keep up that charade,” Ron replied.

“I don’t either. Brad was estranged from them. He never liked my dad and my dad never liked him. Neither of my parents approved of Rayla. When Brad asked me to live with them I thought I was going to be their housekeeper. It was only once I got there I learned I was to be the nanny.”

“It certainly was a tangled web,” he remarked.

“One thing I don’t understand -- how they kept it from me. I should’ve sensed deceit from both of them.”

“Easy -- they moved to Florida.”

“Right ... I couldn’t read them from that distance. They avoided traveling here or me traveling there -- for Dad’s health, Mom said. Maybe I am as naive as everyone thought.”

“You’re certainly not.” He kissed her. “Have a good time with Gloria, and I’ll see you tomorrow at our wedding.”

He watched April drive out of the condo and then headed back inside. “Eleanor -- would you mind watching Mattie for the evening?”

“Mind? It would be my pleasure.”

He turned to April’s dad. “Carter -- my brother-in-law is having a little penny-ante hold-em game for the men in the wedding party -- in lieu of a bachelor party. I’d love it if you’d join us.”

“I’d be delighted, Ron.”

“It’s only a short drive.”

Carter slipped into a light jacket. “We had forgotten how cold it gets here,” he said. “We didn’t come prepared ... but I’ll be all right.” Ron sat behind the wheel and started the engine. “I can be designated driver if you’d like,” Carter said.

“I’m always designated driver,” Ron replied. “I don’t drink alcohol.”

“A smart policy.”

“With me it’s a necessary policy. I have an arrhythmia and alcohol aggravates it.” Ron headed out of the condo.

“Is it serious?” Carter asked.

“No -- it’s more of a nuisance. Say, do you know how to play hold-em?” he asked.

“It’s a poker variant, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. I’d say it’s closest to seven-card stud, except the face-up cards are community ones. Each player is dealt two hole cards and you make up your hand from them and the community cards.”

“Sounds straight-forward enough,” Carter replied. “I’ve played my share of poker but mainly of the draw variety.”

“I’m sure you’ll catch on.”

“Ron -- I want to know how you did it.”

“Did what?”

“April -- how did you ... unlock her? She is a different woman than the last time I saw her.”

Ron drew in a breath. “I am a believer in the power of the self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t expect much from someone, they won’t deliver much. If you set higher expectations, they usually rise to them. I think all her life, April has dwelt on her shortcomings. I recognized her strengths.”

“As simple as that.”

“Yes, as simple as that. April is learning-disabled. There’s no doubt about that. It doesn’t mean she’s incapable of learning. She has a different style of learning. Mattie is the same way.”

“Yes -- Mattie was showing us some of what you are doing with her for math. She’s proud of the progress she’s made.”

“It’s going to be a struggle for her. I keep telling her what one of my college professors told us -- if it’s easy, it’s not worth doing. That’s the problem with public schools -- if you don’t fit their mold, you don’t succeed. April has a full-time job as a teachers’ aide in the special ed department.”

“Yes, she told us. It’s a minimum-wage job. I’m not quite sure what she does.”

“What she does is to give the kids unconditional love and they respond to it. It’s full-time with full benefits, and it’s good money for her. She grosses over four hundred a week, and having some independence is what’s really behind her blossoming.”

“There’s no doubt you’ve been good for her, Ron. I’ll be proud to have you my son-in-law.”

“Thanks. April does hold you in high regard, Carter. She told me how much she loves you.”

“Even after the past few days?”

“Even after.” Ron parked the car in the driveway leading to Steve’s house. “This is where it started ... Fourth of July picnic. I was fairly recently single again and my sister invited me, out of pity I think. Steve was one of Brad’s legitimate business partners. Brad and Rayla were here, along with Mattie and April to watch her. I was out back nursing a Sharps when Mattie fell into the deep end of the pool. I fished her out and April came running. We sat and talked and I was head-over-heels in love with her from that moment. I still am.”

Ron stepped to the door and rang the bell. Steve opened it. “The man of the hour,” he remarked and shook Ron’s hand. Connie gave him a hug. Ron spotted his father.

“Carter,” Ron said, “this is Matthew Quick, my dad, and Connie and Steve Cottor, my sister and brother-in-law. Folks, this is Carter Hannigan, April’s dad.”

“Pleased to meet you. Come in.”

Steve led them to a table with a wooden box of casino-quality gaming chips, a cardboard box and two decks of cards. On a server was an ice bucket holding bottles of beer and a bowls of pretzels, potato chips and onion dip.

Ron picked a Sharps from the ice bucket. “So, what does Gloria have planned for April?” he asked his father.

“She has some sort of a hen party planned with her friends from the condo. They’re not all oldsters like her and me. April might make some friends.”

“Are we going to stand around or play cards?” Steve said.

“You buy in for five bucks,” Ron explained to Carter. “Five bucks gets you five hundred in chips.” Ron took out his wallet. “I’ll buy in for myself and for Carter.” He took out a ten-dollar bill.

“Small bills, please,” Steve said.

Ron replaced the ten and placed a five and five singles in the cardboard box. Steve counted out two piles of chips. The men sat at the table and arranged their chips.

“Before I forget,” Steve said and reached into his shirt pocket. He handed Ron a business card.

“Amanda Bludstein, Attorney,” Ron read from the card.

“She’s a client and a friend,” Steve replied. “She specializes in family law and was in the office the other day. I mentioned a bit of your situation with Mattie and asked if her caseload could accommodate another client. She’s expecting your call. She’s good, Ron. Real good.”

“Thanks.” Ron pocketed the card. “We’ll set up an appointment next week.

Steve began shuffling cards. “House rules,” he announced. Minimum bid is ten and there’s no going all-in. I don’t want to have to figure out side pots.”

Connie approached with five singles. “Can I buy in?” she asked.

“Sorry,” Steve replied, “this is men’s night ... in honor of Ron’s last hours as a bachelor.”

“Humph...” Connie stalked away.

She returned shortly having drawn a moustache onto her upper lip with an eyebrow pencil and wearing one of Steve’s fedoras. “Now may I buy in?” she asked in a deep voice.

Steve glanced at her and at Ron. “It’s up to you.”

“Sure, why not? The more players the better.”

Connie dropped her singles in the box and pulled up a chair. Steve counted out her stake and handed her the chips.

Ron put a five chip on the table. “Since I’m to the left of the dealer I’m the small blind,” he explained to Carter. “Since you’re to the left of me, you’re the big blind -- you need to ante up ten.”

Carter placed a ten chip on the table and Steve dealt the hole cards. Ron looked at his -- a king and a ten.

“I’m in,” Matthew said and placed a ten chip on the table. Connie and Steve followed. Ron placed a five chip on top of his small blind.

Steve dealt the three cards of the flop -- a nine, a jack and a deuce. “I fold,” Matthew said and pushed his ten-chip to the center of the table. Connie placed another ten chip in front of her.

“Fold,” said Steve and pushed his ten toward the center. Ron added a ten to his pile and Carter did the same.

Ron regarded the cards -- he was looking at filling an inside straight. Steve dealt the turn -- an eight. “Your bet, Ron,” Steve said. Ron added a ten to his stack.

“I’m out,” Carter said and pushed his chips to the center.

Connie added a ten chip to her stack. “Just you and me, sis,” Ron remarked as Steve dealt the river -- a ten.

Ron placed a ten chip on the table. His sister picked up a ten and a five and added it to her bet. Ron replied with a twenty-five. Connie matched his twenty-five and Ron added another twenty-five to his bet. He stared into her eyes.

She drew in a deep breath. “Fold,” she said and pushed her chips to the center.

“It’s Ron’s pot,” Steve said and Ron scooped the chips from the center of the table.

“Would you show me your hole cards?” Carter whispered to Ron. Ron lifted them and Carter nodded.

Play continued until the tall-case clock in the foyer struck eleven. “I think that’s enough,” Steve remarked. “Let’s cash them in. Looks like Ron’s the big winner tonight.”

“Yeah -- I won three whole dollars. Good night everyone -- see you tomorrow.”

Carter sat in the passenger seat as Ron headed toward the condo. “That first hand,” he said. “I couldn’t believe you were betting so high on a pair of tens.”

“I was hoping to fill an inside straight. Then you folded and it was Connie and I. I know my sister -- she gets cold feet when the betting gets hot. I wonder what she held, though.”

“It was nice to get to know your family, Ron.”

“They’re a good bunch.” Ron parked in his carport and unlocked the condo’s front door. “Place is dark and quiet. Good night, Carter -- we’ll see you in the morning.”

Ron carried a suitcase to his carport and dropped it in the trunk of his car. He headed for the lodge. A sign near the front door read December 27 noon to closing -- Ron Quick party. He opened the door, stepped inside and began moving tables around, using one for a makeshift altar and clearing room for the caterers.