Chapter 4

I did not want to be tied up with Connie and Cindy today. I had a date tonight with Mitzi. I was nervous as I was out of my element. I could deal with adults and was comfortable with them, but kids my age, not so much.

I put on jeans and a polo shirt. I did throw a jacket and tie in the backseat of my four-year-old Volkswagen Jetta in case Mitzi expected to go to a high-class restaurant. I drove up and I knocked on her door. I expected Mitzi would introduce me to her folks, but she came out as soon as the door opened. "Hi. I knew you would be on time. You are a lot like Pete in that respect. I guess you are going to hear Pete's name a lot tonight. I talk about him all the time."

We got into the car and I asked if there was anywhere special she wanted to eat. "Nope, anywhere. Wendy's maybe. You pick. This is the first date I have had since Pete left. In fact, I have not had a date with anyone else since I was fifteen. Pete is the only boy I ever dated." Mitzi was right in one thing, I was going to hear Pete's name a lot.

Halfway through our meal Mitzi announced, "You know you aren't going to get lucky tonight. I didn't on the first date with Pete and I'm not going to with you."

"Okay, no problem. I wasn't going to try." The thought flashed through my mind, wondering if I was going to score on the second date. "Do you like working at the grocery store?"

"I do. I get to talk to all kinds of people. I have seen you buy stuff in there a lot, but the other day was the first time you came through my line. Lucky me." I laughed, declaring I was the lucky one.

It was going to be another half hour before the dance so we dawdled over our meal. "Tell me about your life."

"Pete's is my life. That said, I live with my father. My mother died when I was fourteen and dad never remarried. We get along great and I have always been close to him. He started treating me as an adult right after her funeral. He is smart about people and told me to use my gut feeling when meeting someone.

"He thinks Pete is a great guy for me, just because he has treated me with so much respect. I have had a lot more freedom to make my own choices, maybe because I could talk with Dad about anything. You know sex and stuff like that. I have watched you in school and when I have seen you around. You meet my idea of a good guy. That is why I was tickled when you asked me for a date tonight."

"What do you know about me? I'm asking, because I'm curious."

"Not too much, but I know you were nice to that Gypsy girl. She was so pretty and no one liked her because she is different and yet so pretty. I think the girls were jealous. That is afterward when she always got the lead in the school plays. I wonder where she is now."

"I heard she is in New York at acting school."

"That's great. I bet she will be a great actress."

"So tell me more about Pete and you?"

"He is my guy and we are totally committed to each other. That said, we are both highly sexed and so while we are apart, we have given each other a certain amount of freedom. He has to live in the dormitory this year. Next year we can get an apartment together. I am working and saving my money. My Dad is helping with his tuition. We all decided that Pete was smarter than I was so that is why we have gone that route. I will do something after he graduates and he is doing the earning of the big money.

"Pete doesn't have any folks and has been living with us for the last three years." She giggled, "People think we have been living like sister and brother, but actually we fuck like bunnies. After I talk to Pete about our date tonight maybe we will have a second date." There was a smirk on her face.

"Your life has been so much different than mine. Maybe if we have a second date, I will tell you what my life has been like. I think yours has been much more fun than mine."

"Except for always not having enough money to take care of the things you need I would say it has been. Let's go dance. I feel like having fun tonight."

We did have fun. Mitzi was on the floor constantly. I would finish a set with her and just get sat down when she would drag another girl by the hand over to me and tell me to dance with Carol, Phoebe, or Donna because she was going to dance with their boyfriend. I finally got with it and began enjoying myself. The dance lasted until 11:30.

We got into my car. "That was fun. What do you want to do now?"

"I have to stop at the grocery store. I'm going to try to cook dinner for my mother and her friend tomorrow."

"What are you cooking?"

"I thought a pot roast or roast of pork."

"I'll go with you and help you decide." When we got to the meat counter, I was looking at top round.

"Oh no, not that. You want a shoulder roast, it tastes better."

I laughed, "What do I know?"

"Cecil, I think I'm going to have to come cook this dinner for you. You'll spoil it if I don't."

I laughed again. "Mitzi, don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"Nope, day off. Well, I do have four hours to work tomorrow evening."

"Well, come home, be my guest and cook this for me."

She looked as if she was thinking. Then she said, "Let me have your cell."

She took it and dialed a number. "Dad, I won't be home tonight. Probably not tomorrow night either. I'll be home Sunday fairly early."

I put my hand on her arm. "Invite your father for dinner. The roast is big enough."

"Dad, I'm cooking a roast for the guy who took me dancing tonight. He wants you to come eat with us. We'll eat at 2:00."

I pulled into my yard and we carried the groceries into the apartment. Mitzi put her bags down and walked around looking at everything. She went into my room and then went into the other bedroom. She came out and stared at me.

"There are women's clothes in the closet. There is a picture of Roma on the bureau. Tell me about it."

"You told me about your life on our first date. I was supposed to tell you about mine on the second date." I grinned at her.

Suddenly she laughed. "Okay, let's call this our second date. Now explain."

"Roma has stayed here since graduation when she wasn't on tour. Maybe three weeks altogether and no not what you are thinking. She is in New York as I said. She is living with a widow whose husband was a friend of my father's. She will be going to school for the next two years. Does that answer your questions?"

"I don't know if I believe you or not. You lived here with her this summer. As beautiful as she is, you did not do her. Are you gay?"

"I didn't do her and I am definitely not gay. Sit down for a minute, Mitzi, I cannot tell you very much, because I promised. I will ask you something. If you saw someone who had so much talent and there was a way you could further their career, wouldn't you? Even if every time you got close to her, you wanted to grab her and make love to her?"

Mitzi thought that over. "You have more damned will power than I have. She is so beautiful I would want to make love to her myself."

"I know and I think that is why someday she is going to be a star. She appeals to both men and women. My worry is whether her life will be happy one."

"You care about her, don't you?"

"Very much so. Hey, it is late and I think we should get cleaned up and go to bed."

"I think so to. Cecil, I have had a wonderful night. May I use your phone to call Pete? I want to tell him all about this. Pete had a date tonight and I want to hear all about it?"

"Of course. I'll take my shower first." Mitzi was still talking to Pete when I got into bed. I figured she could talk as long as she wanted too and would sleep in Roma's room.

I woke up around 4:00 for a bathroom break. Mitzi was in bed with me. I knew we had come home sweaty and she did not have a change of clothes. I went into the other room and found Roma's ratty old robe and a set of sweat clothes, bringing them out and laying them on her bedside chair. I crawled back into bed and went back to sleep.

"Morning Cecil." I opened my eyes and there was Mitzi laying there smiling at me. "Would you like the day to begin by making love to me?"

"I would, but give me a minute for the bathroom."

"Good idea." To hurry me on my way, she sat up and let the blanket fall away from her. I was not long, but I did take time to rinse off in the shower and to shave. Her eyes examined me all over as I walked out of the bathroom and toward her.

"How long has it been for you?"

"Three months or more."

"Pete has been gone almost a month. I don't want foreplay and I'm ready for you now." I slid into her and what a heavenly feeling. A very short while later, Mitzi stretched and smiled. "Whew, I needed that, and I can tell you did too. Now is the time I want some foreplay." An hour later, we showered and sat for coffee in the kitchen.

"You know it is going to be crowded for five of us to eat here. Can we use your mother's house?"

"Sure, I'll call. She has all kinds of cooking utensils we can use."

I rang my mother. "Mom, can I cook the dinner in your kitchen and eat there. I have a girl who is going to help and her father will be joining us."

"The girl doesn't have a mother?"

"No, her father is a widower about your age. We would like to plan dinner for two this afternoon."

"Good. I'll help."

"No need, I believe this girl has it all under control. She is with me now and I have everything we need. We'll be bringing it around to the kitchen in a little bit." I listened to mother as she suggested one thing. I agreed it was a good idea.

I turned to Mitzi. "So tell me about Pete."

"He is great. Last night was the first time he went out on a date. He misses me, of course. His intention was to have the same kind of morning as we are having. His roommate stayed over someplace else so he had the dorm room to himself. His date was with him when I called."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Yes it bothers me, but it would bother me more if I hadn't had you to love me this morning. We discussed this a lot before we came up with this solution. It is going to be a long lonely year for both of us before we can be together." "I'll help as much as I can."

"You don't have any girlfriend at all?"

"No. I will be seeing Roma on the holidays, but I don't have anyone to be intimate with."

"You have me. I like you. You're safe, clean and the sex is great."

"You figured out I'm not gay which is something I'm sure you wondered about."

"I did when you told me how close you and Roma were. Let's go see your mother's kitchen. I would like to meet her before I get busy."

"Mom, this is Mitzi Radnor. We had a date last night and she stayed over to cook the meal I promised you and Pat. She and her dad are really close so I invited him too."

"That was nice of you. There will be one other person here for your dinner. I have invited Chelsea Wycoff, thinking you wouldn't mind."

"I don't mind. She is one of your cadre women."

Mitzi looked puzzled. Mom explained. "Cecil was with his father after he got old enough to sit quietly in Samson's office. Samson did not seem to mind him being there. As far as my husband and me, we had an unusual relationship. I suppose if you took the sex out of it there would not have been anything. I must say and I am sorry I did not pay much attention to Cecil until Samson died.

"I bonded with Cecil at that time and since then we get along quite well together. The people I was closest to all of these years were women who were lonely like I was. Cecil knows many of them and they seem to like him just because they were around here so much at the same time. He calls them my cadre of lonely women and they treat him like a son.

"I gave Cecil a party at eighteen and he rounded up a mate for me. You will meet him this afternoon. He is a wonderful person and gives me all of the attention I missed so much with my husband. I have not forgotten my friends and still have them around. Chelsea is one of them."

We gravitated to the kitchen and Mitzi chose the cooking vessels she needed and set about preparing the dinner. When the roast was in the pot, Mitzi said, "Cecil, I need to go home and change out of Roma's sweats and get my work clothes. I have to be at work at 6:00."

"Take my car so you can change and you can bring your father back with you. I'll drop your father at home at the same time I take you to work."

"Okay, that will be good."

As Mitzi left with my car, mom said, "The girl looks familiar."

"You probably have seen her in the grocery store. She handles one of the checkouts."

"Is this another one of your girls where station in life doesn't matter?"

"She is. Her father has raised her since she was fourteen when her mother died. I'm sure social services wouldn't approve of how he has done it, but I think she is a fine honest person."

"Is she going to be your love interest?"

"No, she has a boyfriend that is going to school. They are totally committed to each other except for one thing. They knew they could not live apart without sex, so each was free to find a partner for that. I am lucky to have been chosen to be her paramour."

Mom stared at me. "You young people amaze me. Back in my day that wouldn't have even been spoken or thought of."

"I admit I was surprised when she told me and it was sprung on me suddenly, just last night in fact. She is a nice person and I have the utmost respect for her. Enough of that. Mom, I do not know what her father is like. I do know he is helping pay for Mitzi's boyfriend to attend school. He must be quite a guy,"

"Do you think he would be a fitting mate for Chelsea?"

I laughed. Mom was up to her old tricks of trying to find someone for her lonely friends to love. I wondered how this would work out because Chelsea was quite rich. I cautioned my mother, "Mom when you introduce the two, leave it up to them to find out if they are attracted to each other. That way if it doesn't work out, you won't be blamed."

"I know enough to do that, so don't worry."

Chelsea had been one of my father's clients and if her financial situation had not changed since he had made investments for her, she really should be well off. You would not know it because she did not flaunt her wealth, dressed very conservatively, and drove an old vehicle. She also had never married. Why, I did not know. She was nice looking and kept herself well.

Pat arrived and kissed mother. Her eyes were shining. He and mother went into the dining room and set the table. He had mixed them both a drink and offered me one. For some reason liquor held no attraction for me and I declined. Chelsea arrived in a six-year-old Ford and Pat mixed her a drink. Ten minutes later Mitzi and her father came in. She introduced her father as Foster. She headed for the kitchen after she introduced herself.

She said to me, "Dad only drinks beer. Do you have any?"

"Yes, that is what Chelsea usually drinks. She will switch after she finishes her highball." The pot roast was deemed ready for the vegetables and Mitzi announced to those in the dinning room that it would all be ready in 40 minutes.

"What did you plan for dessert?"

"Ice cream."

"That won't do, Cecil. Go down to the grocery and get some apple strudel without glaze. I know we carry it. I'll make a hard sauce to drizzle over the top."

Dinner came off without a hitch. We all learned a little something about each other. Specifically, Foster Radnor. He was a middle school-teacher and part-time coach for both the boys and girls. Chelsea announced she had been quite good playing basketball. She had been on the championship team in college during her years there.

Foster picked up on that. "Miss Wycoff, you wouldn't be interested in volunteering at the school would you? We are in desperate need of a woman to coach the girls' basketball team. There is no money in the budget to hire someone. The season is starting soon. I did it last year, but I'm slated to coach two of the boys' teams this year."

"I'm afraid it has been too many years for me to be of much help."

"I wouldn't think so. Remember these are middle-school children. Even if they only get good exercise, they are better off than they would be otherwise. Would you at least consider it?"

"Let me think about it. I'll let you know."

"Thank you. We really do need someone."

Pat announced that the bridge to the Plaza was being totally blocked off the last day of October. That was just one week away. "There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new access. They have asked me to sponsor a block dance in the parking lot as part of the festivities. I will need your help. Sharon and most of her friends are involved, right Chelsea?"

"Yes, of course."

Pat asked Mitzi what she did. "I work in the grocery store down the street."

"You should be working in the food industry. The meal you just served was excellent."

"I have planned to find something different to do, but I am helping my boyfriend through school and I hate to quit one job before I have another."

"How about the catering service industry? Have you ever considered working in that?"

"I hadn't."

"There is a catering service working out of the plaza. They are always short of help and they have appointments months in advance. Let me put your name in."

"Thank you. I will talk to them."

Foster asked me what I did. "Not too much with my life yet. I have just started studying for a real estate license. That is the way my father began his life's work as a financial advisor. He was quite successful." Pat and mother were waiting for me to explain my other involvements. I waited for the conversation to move on to someone else without contributing more about myself.

Mom, Chelsea and Mitzi picked up and cleaned the kitchen. Foster had to go to the bathroom. Pat asked, "You didn't do any bragging about what you have done in the last three months. Why not?"

"That's just it Pat. I would have seemed as if I was bragging."

He snorted, "Well, you and I aren't finished yet. I promised you part of the Plaza for what you did. I haven't paid that bill yet."

"Pat, I made a lot of money on the property transaction. I made money on the construction contract. You are soon family if I read you and Mom correctly. I don't need or want more." Pat just shook his head saying nothing and smiled.

Mitzi took my car to drive her dad home and to go to work. I gave her a key to my apartment when she informed me she would be sleeping with me again tonight. I waited up for her and we snuggled together and went to sleep.

Mitzi and I clarified our association for the future later in the morning before she went home to cook dinner for her father. "Cecil, I'm not moving in with you or living with you. That would be replacing Pete in my life. The sex with you is a different story. I would like to keep this key and slip into bed when I get to feeling sexy. Would you be okay with this?"

"I would. I will caution you that occasionally Roma is staying here for this is her home. At some point she will reunite with her mother when she can afford it."

"Should I call every time before I stay over?"

"No, that won't be necessary. If she is here when you arrive, it will not cause any problems."

"It would for me if you were with me and Pete showed up."

"Ours is a different situation. I may sleep here with Roma in the next room, but we do not have sex. That makes a world of difference."

"Roma is crazy. She does not know what she is missing. I do not mean just the sex part either, but not living with you for the rest of her life. If I did not love Pete so much, I would go after you myself. Does that make me crazy?"

"Crazy, maybe, but you are both my friends and I wouldn't have you two any different than you are for the world." How my life had changed in the last two days. Maybe it was me that was crazy and not Mitzi and Roma.

Connie came into my office Monday morning and looked around. "Hey pretty nice." She seemed nervous. Was it because we were alone? "Cecil, I want to tell you what Cindy said and how she acted. I could barely hear her when she called Friday morning. I asked her where she was and she said she was at a hospital and could come home any time. I impressed on her how worried I had been.

"I picked her up at the front entrance and asked how she was."

"I'm fine according to the doctor. The worst of it is I do not know what happened or who dumped me here. I knew when the evening started that I was in trouble with Alex. He was going to force me to have sex with him. That is the last thing I remember.

"The doctor said I was lucky. I had been drugged and could have been terribly hurt or even killed. They checked me over. I had not been raped. I am sorry, Mom. I'm going to do just what you say from now on."

"That is what she said and I believe she will too."

Connie paused and then continued, "I want to thank you again for helping me. You know if Cindy gets so I can trust her to behave, I can go ahead and marry George. I am looking forward to that. I think when he sees a change in Cindy, he will ask me."

"We still don't know why she dislikes me so, do we?"

"No, we don't. I cannot figure it out and I do not want to question her about it. I did not tell you, but I tried to find out what the problem was before you stopped work at the store. She went into a towering rage and cussed you out. Since then I haven't dared mention you."

"I'll just stay away from her, especially now when she is back to being your loving daughter. Now let's look at the books for the store." Connie and I studied the records. She told me that George thought we should increase the inventory. After looking at the trend in our sales, I agreed.

"Good, can I use some of the profit we have to buy what we need? The business will support it."

"Of course, you are in charge and it is your decision."

"Don't say that. If it were not for you, by this time I would not have anything. We are partners so you have as much say as I have."

"Okay, do it." I was not worried and I knew the value would be with the increase in inventory. The business was faithfully paying off the original loan I had made for stock when I became a partner.

"Cecil, can we make this a monthly meeting here in your office? I do like seeing you and talking with you." I penciled in the date for November and walked Connie to the door. She looked up at me and then hugged me. I held her for a moment and she turned and went out. I turned back and started on a lesson I needed to become a realtor.

My back cramped up from concentrating so hard. I needed to do something about that. I got up and walked around the desk. I had done two lessons today. That should be enough to start, but I needed exercise. Maybe I should do something such as workout at a gym if I was sitting at a desk a lot. I did not need to lose any weight, because I was lean as a whip. I chuckled to myself, thinking of Mitzi, I might need to be stronger if I was going to keep up with her during the next year.

I stepped into the law office on the first floor and asked the elderly receptionist if there was a gym in the area. "Down the street, around the corner on the left, and two doors down. Are you in this building?"

"Yes, I just opened an office upstairs at the end of the hall. Go left when you get of the elevator. I do investments." She did not look as if she believed me. Maybe I should bulk up as well. I also wondered when I was going to have to start shaving more often. I knew I looked young. I said thanks and left.

I entered the gym and talked with one of the staff. I was asked what I wanted to accomplish and why. "You have to have a goal. You set a goal and when you reach that level, you set another one." It took twenty-five minutes of questions and answers before I was assigned to Winifred. She was black, forty-two, looked thirty-five and had muscles showing where women never were supposed to have any. I learned later that she had been a Physical Training Drill Instructor in the service.

"Are you serious about this? If you aren't and are going to quit after a week or two there is no sense in starting a program."

"I am serious."

"Ok, I'll start you on some of the machines. Can you stay for two hours today? This is your evaluation. I want to see how strong you are."

I was rung out at the end of the day. Winifred had me change from one machine to another every ten minutes. I struggled, but kept at it until told, enough. "Cecil, I'm impressed. You are weak, I do not need to tell you that. I am impressed that you went ahead and did everything I asked of you. I want to work with you. What you will be doing now will stay with you through the rest of your life.

"When you gain strength, maybe you will want to take up training in defensive moves in case you ever get into a situation where you have to defend yourself. I am qualified in that area as well. Go take a shower and I'll give you a massage." Later she offered me her phone number in case I had questions about some defensive moves. I never expected I would be calling her, but I accepted it anyway.

My days were getting busier. I had a session with Winifred three times a week. I also had a pass for the pool that was part of the gym and fitness center. I intended to go in and swim several laps on off-days and weekends. I was working through my real estate lessons. I also was downloading excerpts from different books and articles that pertained to the real estate industry as well.

Mitzi slid into bed with me Wednesday evening. Thursday morning I had intended to go to the pool, but I did not make it. Her schedule at the grocery this week would leave her free to go out with me Friday night and Sunday night. When she announced this, I wondered if I would be in any shape to work out on Monday morning. Winifred and Mitzi were pushing my stamina to the limit, just in two different ways.

The official ribbon cutting for the new access took place on Saturday morning the last day of October. This was going to be an all day block party. There was food and even rides for the kids. Pat had a small stage constructed in the plaza parking lot for some dignitaries to sit on while waiting for their chance to speak at the podium.

The mayor of course, had words to say. It sounded more like an election speech to me than about the subject at hand. The lieutenant governor was there and his speech was much the same. The city councilman from our district took credit for pushing the agenda along. Three of the business owners on the strip said they were pleased they had not lost parking for their customers.

Pat was the last to speak. Pat repeated all of the worry he had about his business when first informed of the bridge closing. He was so happy the Plaza continued to be open without real disruption through the access construction. He finished with, "Please, ladies and gentleman, everyone has had something to say about what has gone on here to save my business and the businesses that populate the plaza. Yes, and those businesses that needed the parking as well.

"I want to thank the city workers on traffic control that did a fine job directing traffic. So many people have worked to see this project completed on time. There is one person here today that had the vision for this to get done. I have not heard his name spoken yet and it should be for he was behind it all.

"Cecil Corliss, would you come up and say a few words?"

I had been standing with my mother and her cadre of women. Mitzi was with me as was Foster. He was there with Chelsea Wycoff. Mary and James Canady were in the crowd. Cindy Williams was too, but would not come close to us because Connie was with me in mother's group.

I walked up the four steps to the raised stand. Very few in the crowd other then my mother and Pat knew me. Sam Sanford, the Canadys, and Mom's friends did, but that was all.

I stood at the podium. "I don't really know why Pat Herkimer wanted me to say something here today. It might be because he is sweet on my mother and we all know that a man will do anything to gain the love of a pretty woman. That works both ways. Mom asked me to talk with Pat when the state first raised the specter of the bridge closing which would leave the plaza isolated without access.

"I did talk with Pat and he had his attorney, Tony Bishop, with us while we had dinner. I bounced around a few ideas and a solution of how to proceed was formulated. Whatever it was, it worked and you can see the results. To conclude, I think Mom and Pat are closer than ever and I have not done anymore than be a dutiful son to my mother. Thank you."

I do not think anyone in the crowd knew anymore about me now or why I was asked to speak. That was the way I wanted it. I came down off the stand. Tony was standing there. "Cecil, you will never make a politician. You just don't know how to toot your own horn."

I grinned. "This is the way I want things to be. You are on retainer and I do not want you to expand on actions about what I do. Okay?"