Chapter 23

The Saturday morning move of Selena and Joe to their condo apartment across from the Fox Studios could not have gone any smoother. Since 95% of the furniture in the Four Seasons suite was part of the room they had few things to move after the 3 moving closets of mostly Selena’s wardrobe went out. There was a jewelry armoire, a shoe rack and a straight backed wing chair that Joe liked to relax in as it supported his back so well after workouts or long days.

Joseph had arranged with one of the restaurant suppliers to have a truck at the Four Seasons dock at 11 o’clock to roll the 3 moving closets and furniture onto. The closets were far too tall for any van and the trip to the new condo was a short one and an easy favor for Joseph to call in. The truck left the loading area at their new digs even before 11:30 and all that was left to do was move the things into the new condo.

As Selena transferred arm load after arm load of clothes from the wood framed cardboard closets to the deep wardrobe walk-in of the new place Joe simply chuckled to himself as she passed by him sitting on the bed.

“Can I help?” He asked.

“No, if I don’t arrange my own things I’ll never find them, besides I have to pull out the things we’re taking to Jamaica.” She answered brusquely as she tried to hurry so they could go out and get bedding for the bed, that they had forgotten they needed.

With the bedbug scare in New York, anyone who was moving into a new place had to buy new mattresses, box springs and bedding. The mattress and box spring were delivered and still sealed as Joe sat on them, but nothing to make the beds with was there.

“We COULD try out the new mattress this morning.” He joked.

“You COULD just lie there and jerk off and tell me how it was.” She answered sharply.

“My, aren’t you in a mood?” He said back indignantly.

“Joseph Johnson!” She scolded towards him, “I’ve worked myself into a sweat trying to get this done as soon as I can so we can get over to Macy’s and get stuff to sleep on tonight, and then take a shower to freshen up before we go to the theater tonight and still have time to pack for the weekend, have dinner and then maybe even take you up on the invitation to bed. PLUS, I’d like to get a submission in for the Sunday Night Letter to show Jamaica, or Jaye ... whatever, ... that one can’t get too busy not to make the effort.”

“We can skip the theatre if it’s that much of a burden. I just thought it might be fun to come home to the new place after a nice night out.” Joe explained.

“I agree, but I also want to have our weekend clothes sorted out, our Jamaica clothes sorted out, so we can leave early tomorrow and then not have to hassle next week with packing as long as everything has to be handled anyway!” She whined.

“If I can’t help you, I’ll be setting up the entertainment center in the living room. Let me know when you want to leave for Macy’s.” Joe said leaving her by herself.

A few blocks away at The Regency it was well after 1 o’clock but Lucy and Jeromy were just waking up from a long night of reunion. Jeromy looked over at his beauty and wondered how he was able to be apart from her for so long. She saw him appraising her and smiled.

“You know some of the best years of our marriage, the best times we ever had were after I committed what you called “the sin”. I said we wouldn’t talk of it again, but I have to get this off my chest. I sacrificed my pride and any virtue I had left to save our marriage that was spinning just above the downspout and ready to go into the sewer. You had gotten complacent and lazy and I had sold nearly everything I could to help make minimum payments on the credits cards. Even if we both got 50K jobs, it would have taken 4 or 5 years to get out from in under those monthly payments and we were already at each other’s throats. Admittedly, if I hadn’t got the job with The Toy Store while I was out there we might have paid off everything and walked away from each other clean. But getting that job made me believe in us, that fate wanted us to stay together. Once the pressure came off you to find work, it all happened for you. If I had a half a brain I should have refused to watch the porno that night when they came over. It’s not something married people do with other couples, and I was cocky that I could get a pass on it from you. Had that not happened it would have been no harm, no foul, because I was able to put it all behind me. The good it did for us made me justify it and NEVER feel any guilt, except when I had to admit it to friends, especially Selena. Now, THAT was the last word. I had to tell you that in fairness. My only regret was hurting you, not that I had done it, but that I had hurt you.”

“I accept that and I want to apologize for the time I spent punishing you. You should know that I was punished as badly as you, if not worse and more than anything, my goddam male ego and pride kept me from crawling back long ago. I was stupid and I’m ready to go on. Last words.” Jeromy said.

“So when do we see Selena and Joe?” He asked.

“Mmm, not sure. Their day is full today and they go upstate tomorrow. They won’t be back here until Tuesday morning, and I’ll be in Pittsburgh Tuesday. What’s your schedule?” She asked.

“I’m pitching a package in Atlanta on Monday and then Baltimore Tuesday, but then I float for the rest of the week, Thanksgiving, and all.” He answered.

“Float? You don’t float Mister. You’ll be with your wife back home. I’ve got a job jar so big you won’t believe it. You want to come live with me again, don’t you?” She teased.

“Of course, but how can we call our home in Saratoga, home? Your corporate is in Glendale, and central shipping is in Pittsburgh. My office is in Oakland, but I’m on the road 3 or 5 nights a week.” He wondered.

“You’ve always be able to be close to me, spying on me. Just where do you call home and how much stuff do you have to move?” She asked.

“Believe it or not, I just live in motels, and yes, I did always manage to stay close to where you were, or make it seem so. I have a storage unit back in Albany with a wardrobe and a dresser of my things. Just cheap furniture that I would pack from. Whenever you were home to Saratoga, I was usually having my laundry done. Most Sunday nights I was bringing my clean clothes and empty travel bags to the storage unit. I’d put things away and then pack for the week. I kept up with a few of our friends, but no one you’re really attached to without me. It wasn’t a great life, but it was organized.”