Chapter 6

April sat, nude, at Ron’s kitchen table. He removed an apron from around his waist and draped it over a rod. Then he placed plates and mugs before her and himself. He sat across from her. “That’s a sight I could get used to,” he remarked, “a nude April sitting at my kitchen table.”

“Do you usually cook in the nude?” she asked.

“I wasn’t nude — I had on an apron.”

“It offered a great view of your butt — not that I’m complaining. I appreciate your figure as much as you appreciate mine.”

“Not often buck nekkid but often enough in my skivvies.” He held up his mug of coffee. “Skumps.”

“Skumps. It’s a fancy breakfast you made.”

“Yeah — rather than boring poached eggs I used some sliced ham and English muffins ... and some mayo with a squirt of lemon juice for a makeshift Hollandaise for eggs Benedict.”

“It’s very nice.” April let out a contented sigh. “I could get used to this, too. The love that I sense from you — profound and unconditional — is beyond what I’ve sensed from anyone other than my own parents. It’s why I feel so good in your presence — it’s like a warm blanket.”

“What about Brad, Rayla and Mattie?” he asked.

She sighed, this time less contentedly. “Even though he’s my brother, I’ve never been close to Brad ... and, Rayla is a cold fish also. Actually, I’ve deliberately kept distant from them, emotionally. Mattie is a child. She hasn’t matured enough to project love the way an adult can — her emotions are too self-centered. I love her dearly and I can read her well. No, the depth of love I feel from you I’ve only ever felt before from my mom and dad.”

Ron sipped his coffee. “I think we should discuss what’s in our future together,” he said.

“These are uncharted waters for me,” she replied. “I’ve never reached this stage of a relationship with a man before.”

“Do you mean, sleeping together?”

“No. I mean, the emotional attachment, the breaking through the barriers that destroyed the other relationships. Sex is what triggered the inevitable smashups. I have a history with men, Ron. I’m being honest. You deserve to know the truth about me. Rayla thinks I’m a slut — I’ve overheard her referring to me as Bradley’s slutty sister — but I’m not one. I am choosey with whom I date and with whom I sleep, and I don’t sleep around.” She looked up at him. “I’m glad hearing that doesn’t bother you.”

“I don’t care how we got here. What matters to me is that we found each other.”

“Me, too. I had to kiss a lot of toads before I found my prince. I am always faithful to the man I’m with, Ron — and I will be faithful to you.”

“It’s uncharted waters for me, too. I’m going to need to learn a whole new paradigm for interacting with the woman I love.”

“I think we’re going to need to go slowly,” she added, “and feel our way through these strange waters.”

“I’d say cautiously,” he replied. “I do think our trajectory will end up with you moving in with me — if we keep on course, that is.”

“What about my obligation to Mattie?” she asked.

“What exactly is your situation with your brother?”

“I live in their house. I stay in their mother-in-law apartment with a kitchenette. Sometimes I join them for meals, sometimes not. Sometimes I prepare meals for Mattie. Brad gives me an allowance...”

“An allowance? He doesn’t pay you wages for your hours?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“That’s probably illegal,” he replied.

“Mattie is my niece. It’s a family thing — at least that’s what Brad told me when she was born and they asked me to care for her.”

“It’s probably still illegal, nonetheless.”

“My job as a teachers’ aide is part-time, but it’s the first income I’ve had that’s truly mine. It’s not enough to live on, though.”

“Do you enjoy the work?” he asked.

“Oh, very much. Ron — you need to understand that, except for that job, I’m unemployable. I have no credit cards, no bank account.”

“You have a car,” he observed.

“That car is registered in Brad’s name. He bought it, used, so I’d be able to drive Mattie around.”

“You have a phone.”

“It’s on Brad’s plan. You think you’ll want me to move in with you? I’d have no transportation, no communication and a poverty-level income. Why would you want an albatross like me around your neck?” She looked up at him. “Now you’re angry.”

“I’m not angry.”

“I feel it, Ron. I feel that frustrated-anger or angry-frustration from you every time I say something you don’t like.”

“All right — I am angry, but not with you. I think your brother and sister-in-law are taking advantage of you. April — you would not be an albatross. I make a good income and there’d be no need for you to contribute to expenses. That said, I do believe you should have your own income, bank account and your own credit record. You should own your own car and your own phone on your own plan. I think you can do better than a part-time job as a teachers’ aide.”

“I tried working in a grocery store in high school,” she replied. “I lasted about two weeks ... unable to follow procedure was why I was dismissed, they said. My learning disability...”

“You are intelligent, April. You can learn. You simply have a different style of learning. You learned how to use your phone.”

“Because you showed me.”

“You have a driver’s license.”

“I had to take the written test three times.”

“Maybe, but I’ll bet you passed the road test, first try with flying colors.”

She smiled. “Yes I did, and the examiner complimented me.” She looked into his eyes. “You are proud of me. I feel it.”

“I am. I’m proud to know you and proud to be in your life. I’m disturbed that you don’t seem to appreciate your own abilities.”

She propped her elbows on the table and supported her forehead with her fingers. “What have I ever known but failure? Brad knew about my learning disability ... about the trouble I had in school ... being kept back and put in special-ed. Brad’s about a dozen years older than I am. I’m twenty-five ... when Mattie was born I was nineteen and living at home. When he offered to have me move in, I was delighted to get out of the house.”

“In a handful of years, Mattie will be able to fend for herself. Then what happens to you?”

“You’re getting angry again. I’m getting angry, too. I realize that you’re right. They have taken advantage of me.”

He reached for her hand. “Let’s make figuring out how you fit into this big, broad world part of our trajectory together.”

She nodded. “Yes, lets. I feel your faith in me. I wish I had more in myself.”

“I think that will come.”

“Well — after last night and this morning, this was a downer of a conversation,” she remarked.

“But, a necessary one. We’re just getting to know each other.” He finished his coffee. “Warts and all. It’s Saturday. When do you need to be back home?”

“Probably first thing Monday. Brad’s not due back until late Saturday.” April retrieved her phone and placed a call. “Hi Rayla. It’s April.” She listened for a moment. “No, I’m with a friend. Will you need me to watch Mattie tonight?” She listened more. “What about Sunday? ... I’ll be sure to be home before you and Brad need to leave for work ... I said I’m with a friend ... think what you want. Good-bye, Rayla.” She approached Ron. “After our talk, I’m in no major hurry to go home. I’m back on duty seven in the morning on Monday.” She made a little chuckle. “Rayla didn’t even realize I wasn’t in my room or that my car was gone. She was surprised I was calling her.”

Ron embraced her and held her tight. “You feel so good in my arms.”

“I love it, too.”

“You want to spend the whole weekend with me?” he asked.

“Is that an invitation or a rhetorical question?”

“Both.” He kissed her lips and caressed her shoulder blades. “We should go shopping. I’d like it if you had a few things to wear on hand here, in case you need them.”

“Well ... I did bring a change of clothes.”

“Thinking ahead?”

“When I walked in your door last night, I had no idea how the evening would go.”

“I’d say it went well,” he replied.

“I’d say it went really well. On the chance it went well and I stayed, I packed an overnight bag I even packed a hair dryer. On the chance it wouldn’t go well, I left the bag in the trunk of my car.”

“I’ll go get it for you,” he said.

“Like that?”

“No, not like this. I’ll pull on a pair of jeans and retrieve your bag. I did stock the en suite with the toiletries on your list.”

“In that case, I’ll start my shower. My keys are in my bag.”

Ron watched as she climbed the stairs to the master bedroom.

April came down the stairs wearing a blue floral-printed, short-sleeved knee-length dress and sandals. Her chestnut hair was pulled into a ponytail. “That’s what you brought to wear?” he asked.

“Yeah, do you like it?”

Ron shook his head. “No. I love it. You look gorgeous, April. What do you say we head over to Hubbards and see what they have?”

“Sure, I’m game.”

“We’ll take my car.”

Ron steered the car towards downtown. “Brad’s your half-brother ... same mother, different father.”

“That’s right.”

“You said your mother has your ability.”

“To a degree, yes,” she replied. “I think she’s also somewhat learning-disabled. She was a stay-at-home mom.”

“Did Brad inherit it?”

“No. I don’t’ think so. He certainly isn’t learning-disabled. He went to college and graduated with honors.”

“What do Brad and Rayla do for a living?”

“My brother is a certified public accountant, and the senior partner in his firm. Rayla is the office manager. There are two junior partners — one of whom is your brother-in-law.”