Chapter 9

Other things were taking place in my world. I could not think of Cindy all of the time. I still dated Pamela, but the fire had gone out of our lovemaking. When I explained to her how I felt about Cindy shortly after the New Year, she understood and the intimate part of our relationship ceased. We still went out and had fun together.

Moreover, there was Roma. She and Jamie arrived on Wednesday for the Memorial Day weekend coming up. Drina was with them and Drina of course stayed with Melanie. Roma and Jamie stayed with me in my apartment when I invited them. Jamie was not much taller than Roma. He had dark curly hair, a dark cast to his skin and I am positive, considered handsome to women. He seemed to always have a smile as we got comfortable and acquainted. I knew I would like him.

"Cecil, where will I be sleeping? I mean in whose bed?"

"Are you sleeping with Jamie on a steady basis?"

"Yes."

"Well, sleep with him then."

"But I want to sleep with you."

"How does Jamie feel about that?"

"He thinks I should sleep with you. Knowing our background, in his mind it is only right."

"I would like to sleep with you too. You are going to be here several nights. How about you sleep with me the first night and then you can choose between us?"

"Cecil, you two are so much alike. I feel so loved and I love you both." I looked forward to having her love.

"So Jamie and Roma, what can I do to entertain you this afternoon?" I could entertain Roma or talk with her, but with Jamie, I was uncertain how to deal with him.

"Cecil, Jamie and I have been discussing my life. He knows everything of my background. Mom told him about what it was like to be of the Roma heritage. Jamie laughed at her and told her to read her cards. It seems as if Jamie is as much Gypsy as I am. His mother's family is Jewish and Romani from Serbia and his father is Roma from the United Kindom. He claims that he and Sir Michael Caine, the renowned British actor and a Gypsy, are distantly related. It has never been substantiated, but Caine has never denied it.

"That may be why he as a producer has done so well in finding scripts for me to act in. Wouldn't it be wonderful if my name someday would be put with others of Gypsy heritage?"

"Are there others, Roma?"

"Yes. Elvis Presley here in the states. Charlie Chaplin worked in a studio not far from where I work. There is Yul Brenner, and two actors who played James Bond, Sean Connery and Sir Roger Moore. I know I am just dropping names, but I never knew about of any of them being Gypsy before. It is you who has made it all possible."

"So it looks as if your life is in good hands with Jamie and his father."

"Yes, now it is. I want to give some of my success back and that brings me to something you can do for Jamie and me. He thinks we should help my people here in the city. To start with, I am going to build a home in the enclave here if you can find a suitable piece of land for me to build on. Jamie says people need something or someone to be proud of and building a home here should do it. He thinks poor little Roma Sadowski, the actress, is someone to be proud of and then they will be proud of themselves too.

"Mama will soon be living here again all of the time. She has some authority due her status as princess of the Roma people. She now has a purpose in life and you have been the one who has given her the confidence to speak to our people in a way that will make them want to better themselves. They will see what hard work has done for me and I will be contributig much of my salary to make it happen. Jamie is with me on this as well."

"Roma, you mention Jamie in every other breath." I grinned as I said this.

"Yes, we are a couple. In fact, we are getting married before we leave on Tuesday. No one in California knows about it yet. We did not want it any place but with the people where I grew up. I am choosing you as best man for Jamie. I'm going to ask Sharon to be my matron of honor." I looked at Jamie, and he nodded that was what he wanted.

"Whoa, that can't happen. Mom and Pat are on vacation."

"Some one of her friends then. Which one should I ask?"

"Any of them will be pleased to be asked to be your matron, but may I suggest Polly Olson? You don't know her as well as some of the others, but she would appreciate it more if you did."

Jamie asked, "Who is Polly and why her? Roma has never mentioned a Polly."

"I guess you could say that it would be for me more than for you two. She was my father's mistress and soul mate. She looks on me as her son. She has had a lot of disappointment in her life. I do what I can to make her happy."

"I'll call her now. No, you call her. This is not a dress-up affair. I have already called Connie, Chelsea, Melanie, and Caroline. Is there anyone else?"

"Roma, could I invite Cindy Williams from school, and Pamela, whom I'm dating at present?"

"Invite both. I've talked to the judge already and I have reserved the lounge that you all frequent for a simple lunch. As I said this is no big deal. You understand, don't you?"

"Jamie, what about your parents? Won't they be put out if they are not here?"

"Not really as they are throwing a big reception and photo op for us sometime after we get back home and announce that we are already wed. Attending are actors and actresses we both know. Many of Pop's friends and financiers will be there, along with several public relations people. Pops never lets something like this pass and Roma is becoming newsworthy."

We made the calls. Cindy could not come, as she had a test on Tuesday. She inquired about my plans. "Have fun Cecil. Are you taking anyone?"

"I'm escorting Pamela to the luncheon that is all." I wanted to get one point across to her so she would not be jealous. "Cindy, I'm not intimate with her anymore."

"That's okay. I have not really minded you being intimate with her or with anyone. I cannot expect you to not be when I am being intimate occasionally myself. Well, I might object if you connected with my mother again. I'd hate that."

"No danger. She is a happily married woman."

"I know, but she got horny once and I'm afraid she might again."

"No reason to worry. I would turn her down, anyway."

"Somehow I believe you. Just another ten days and I will be home. You know my feelings have changed for you, don't you?"

"I hope so. Mine have not changed for you even when there didn't seem to be any hope of capitalizing on them. I still remember the day you came into the knitting store and I met you for the first time."

"Really, that long ago?"

"That long ago."

"We had better make up for all the time we have lost then. I will count the days off. Only ten of them. Bye Cecil." I hung up and almost immediately, my phone rang.

"Cecil, I forgot to tell you. I applied for the position of Weather Girl at the television station. They are interviewing me the second day I am home. They realize I am still in school and am on vacation. I will be covering for the regular girl. They will give me seven days reporting the weather and if they like me they may hire me when I finish my schooling. I am excited about this. I have no experience, but I have been applying myself. At least I will know what broadcasting in front of an audience will be about."

"Congratulations Cindy. Wow a celebrity."

"You're so funny. Nice to dream though. You know if you and my mom had not leveled with me when you did, I would not have gotten the chance at an interview. I will tell you why sometime. Cecil, I could tell you I love you and it wouldn't be a lie."

"Cindy, I could tell you the same. We'll talk about it when you get here in a few more days."

Roma did sleep with me. I had no idea what the night would bring with her in bed with me so I wore pajamas. She came to my room dressed the same way. "Cecil, I had a feeling you would have your p-js on. Do you want to take them off?"

"No, Roma, I think our time for that is past. Saying that does not mean I do not love you just as much as I ever have. How do you feel about us?"

"I love you and I always will. I still am the way I am and I still cannot help it. Can we just lie in bed and talk?"

"I'd like that."

"So tell me about your life and loves. Is it Pamela or Cindy who has captured your heart? It must be one of the two."

"Pamela is a good friend, but Cindy is the girl I love. It has been a long rocky trip for us, but I think we are finally going to have a relationship. For a long time I thought it was impossible. Can you bury what I tell you? It is all very personal."

"Of course I can."

"I guess I had fallen for Cindy the first time I met her in the knitting shop. This concerns Cindy and her mother, Connie. Something happened two years ago just as I was coming of age. Connie and I both needed something. We had been friendly for years and we felt as if it was okay to satisfy our desires. Unfortunately, Cindy heard us being intimate. Cindy blamed me and had the notion that I had forced her mother to have sex with me.

"It all seemed hopeless until a few months ago. When Connie found out why Cindy hated me, Connie explained to her. It is all coming together now. I have made known my attraction for Cindy, and I think she feels the same way about me. I talked to her yesterday afternoon and she will be home in ten days. We will talk about us then. I am thinking there is going to be an 'us' in the future and maybe for the rest of our life as well."

"Does she suspect that you and I have been intimate and it could come between you and her if she found out?"

"It wouldn't matter. She has been sexually active both before and after she reached college. I would not be surprised if she has not been wild. I do not care about that too much, because I have had my own lovers during this time. If we do begin a relationship, I think we will be true to each other. I know I will be."

Roma was silent thinking about what I had told her. "She is so lucky to have your love. I know I have it too, but she can be so much more for you than I am. I have Jamie and his love as well. I think my first love will continue to be my career. Nothing has changed and it will continue. Jamie and I will marry here in a couple of days and it is a marriage of convenience, but we do have love and we don't need the sex that most couples want and need."

"Roma I do believe you are unique and are going to be happy. Please keep me in your life?"

"I will, that I can promise."

I was sorry my mother wasn't here to see Roma and Jamie married. We went up to visit Polly the next day and spent several hours there with her. Jamie was very impressed with Polly's work. He said he was friends with an art gallery dealer in San Francisco. He said he would be seeing him shortly and would talk to him about showing a few canvases of her work.

When we got home that night after a late dinner, we showered and sat around in our pajamas joking about any and everything that came to mind. It was a quarter to ten when there was a knock on my door. I opened it to find Cindy standing there with a grin on her face. I stood there shocked as she said she had a test today.

"Hi, Cecil, may I come in? I'm sober and I haven't puked all over myself either."

"Only if you let me kiss you." She came into my arms then. That was when Cindy became aware that I had Roma and Jamie here with me.

"Oh, you must thnk I am awful, the way I talk."

"That's fine Cindy. From what you said there must be a story in there somewhere."

"Roma, there is. If a person can ever embarrass themselves I'm a master at it." Cindy looked at me to see if she should continue and answer Roma's question. I smiled as if to say that it was up to her.

"Okay, here I go with the story. Picture a girl who was a high school senior. She has just met the boy she just knew was going to be her boyfriend and maybe eventually her husband. She didn't say very much because she did not want to scare him away. She watched him for two weeks and dreamed about him every night.

"Anyway she was staying over at her girl friend's house and the girl friend got sick and so she left to go home. When she got home, she heard her mother in the bedroom screaming her head off. She thought her mother was being raped. Hurt, knowing it was the dreamy person that was doing the raping. It crushed her and she left, huddling in the park all night. She was going to offer to be a witness for her mother in the morning.

"This was me, of course. In the morning, my mother was as happy as could be. Well if my mother wanted to hide the terrible deed, then she was being blackmailed, and did not want it known. You know that almost tore me apart. I hated the boy and made him aware that I did. I used every occasion to needle him. It was last winter, my thinking about it got so bad, and I was not in control anymore. I was in school and just about destroyed myself with my wild parties.

"My studies were never done on time and I was always cutting classes. I came home for New Year's. Cecil did not have a date at first and then he asked Pamela to go with him for the New Year's ball. I got pissed. I called Pamela, but she said she had been invited. If Cecil wanted to take me out, then she would back off. He never came near me. I got drunk and I guess I made a real fool of myself. I do not remember much. I did wake up here in the morning.

"My mom brought me clean clothes, because I had been sick. She got here and then they told me just what a fool I had been and still was."

"That's enough, Cindy. You're just beating yourself up now."

"No, I want Roma to know how big a fool I was and how great you have been to put up with me for so long." I knew she was going to continue, and I would not be able to stop her. "Mom came in and told me why I was so wrong about Cecil. She took all of the blame, telling me that she was just horny and what I had heard was her screaming with pleasure. Do you know something else? I found out Cecil had replaced the money in my college fund that my mother had to spend caring for my father."

I was shaking my head, hoping she would stop. I walked up behind her and put my arms around her. Cindy twisted around and freeing her arms, pulled my head down and kissed me. "Cecil, I swear I love you and have since the first time I met you." Then she kissed me again.

"Roma, I'm sorry, but I still won't be able to attend your wedding. Today was the holiday and Tuesday I have to take my test. If you will excuse Cecil and me, there are some things we have to discuss."

Roma and Jamie were laughing. I spoke up. "Cindy these are my guests."

"I know, but they will understand that I have a lot to make up for. They wouldn't like to watch how I'm going to proceed."

Roma and Jamie said in unison, "Go to bed. We'll see you in the morning."

Cindy took a shower and got ready for bed. I was waiting for her. "Cecil, I have dreamed of being in bed with you for so long. Even when I hated you and thought you had raped my mother, I dreamed of you. I have figured out in the last few months that much of this was because I was jealous of my mom."

"I guess that makes sense. I wondered about it sometimes when you would see me with her. That was when you were at your worst."

"Let's not talk about it anymore. This can be the beginning of our life together."

"Cindy, just a little more. I was attracted to you when I first met you, but that could have ended because I was attracted to many girls. Then when you acted as if you hated me, I was so puzzled by those same actions, it kept me thinking about you. Then when you shared why you hated me, I wanted to set you straight, but I had promised your mother I wouldn't discuss what she and I did."

"You are saying if I had gone on and lived a life without hating you, you would have got over the attraction for me and we wouldn't be here together tonight?"

"Maybe. We will never know. Cindy, enough talking as you said. Let me show you how much I love you." We did consummate our commitment to each other and that was well into the wee hours of the morning. We then cuddled and caressed telling each other of our hopes and dreams.

We were going to have a life together, but we both had different careers. We discussed how we could work out the problems as they arose. Cindy would be traveling a lot as a reporter for her job would be at the direction of her editor. If there was breaking news somewhere, it was possible she would be assigned to cover the story, wherever it might be. We were facing that one thing.

"What about children?"

"I would like two anyway."

"Cecil, I want three. I think we can do it. I graduate next year and I know I will find work, maybe right here at the television station. I am going to be the best reporter there ever was. I'll work until I am twenty-eight or nine, have our family, and then go back when I am around forty or so. You can be the soccer mom and I'll bring home the bacon."

"You mean it is me who will be raising our kids?" I did not envision my future this way.

"Yes, but you will have all the help you need. Your mom and all of her friends. Two grandmothers and a bunch of aunts should do it. You of course, will be in charge. They all love you and will do anything you ask." She could feel that I was not too thrilled with her plan for our life. "You don't care for my plan?"

"Not really, but nothing has to be decided tonight. You have another year of school before we are committed."

"I was kinda' hoping to become committed tonight."

"I was too, but this is too big a thing to decide without thinking it over. I have a career too you know?"

"Why is it bothering so much? You don't like kids?"

"I love kids, but what you are suggesting is no way to raise a kid. Look how I was raised. I sat in my father's office while he worked and my mother was out to charity balls and paid no attention to me at all. With all the grandmothers and aunts in the world and with a working father it is no way to bring up my son or daughter."

Cindy was silent and then I felt her shudder and sniffle. "But Cecil we are made for each other."

"There are other options. We could choose to not have children."

"That won't work as Mom wants a grandchild."

"We have a year to come up with a solution. One should come to us in that time."

"What about now?"

"We could become engaged. For years, people are engaged. Sometimes they never marry. They are faithful to each other. Then one day one of them comes up with a solution to the problem why they aren't married yet."

"You want to become engaged?"

"I could buy a ring."

"You want committed and faithful, Cecil?"

"Yes."

"You got it. Actually I have been committed and faithful since New Year's."

"Me too, Cindy. Let's go out in the kitchen and have a coffee. I can't sleep now."

"Okay, I'll make it. Where will I find everything?"

"In the left-hand cupboard over the counter." Cindy put on her pajama top and headed for the kitchen. I slipped on my bottoms, leaned over to my bedside table and removed a small velvet box. I arrived in the kitchen, got the cups out and waiting my chance. I put the box in the cup covering it with a napkin. "Okay if I just sit here and watch you make coffee?"

"Sure, I will be doing this a lot for you in the future. Get used to it." She busied herself, and every minute or so, threw me a smile. Finishing putting the coffee together, she came around and hugged me from behind, kissing my neck. "I love you."

I pulled Cindy into my lap. Two minutes or maybe longer, she said, "Stop it. We came for coffee, not that. Later in bed, Cecil."

"Well, get off my lap then, either that or put your bottoms on."

"You're no fun!" She flounced over and checked the coffee pot. "Two minutes."

Cindy sat down in her chair, and picked the napkin off the coffee cup. I thought she would look in it, but no. She filled my coffee cup when brewed. I watched as Cindy was just about to fill her cup. She did this without paying attention. "Cindy, is your cup clean? It looks like a spot on it." The coffee pot was set gently on the table and then she looked at me and screamed."

She did not pick the little box out of her cup, but did slide the cup across the table to me. Just then Roma and Jamie burst out the other bedroom. Roma had a coverlet around her, so I knew she was in bed without sleepwear on. I was grinning from ear to ear. By now, I had the box in my hand ready to open it. Cindy stood there with her hand extended, ready for me to place the ring on her finger.

"You weren't supposed to get this for another few days." I slid the ring onto her finger and she hugged it to her breast.

"Cindy, I have to see it."

"Roma, I'm so happy. I'm so in love." Finally, she extended her hand. Roma and Jamie oohed and aahed.

"Wow, that's some stone. Mine is not that big. Jamie and I decided on just a small one for now. I will have a golden matching band to go with it on Tuesday. Jamie and I are getting married for a much different reason than you people. Cecil can tell you about it sometime, but not tonight. When are you getting married?"

"I don't know Roma, as we are having some problems on how to both have a career and still have a life together. We are committed, though. I am going to finish school and we have faith it will sort itself out. In the meantime I belong to Cecil and he belongs to me."

Jamie asked, "Are you satisfied with that Cecil?"

"Yes. It takes only two hours to get to Cindy's school, but she is at the end of the drive, so it will be worth going up to see her."

"Yes, and I will welcome him with open arms." We went back to bed. I was the only one who had a taste of the coffee Cindy brewed. I cuddled Cindy to me and she twitched around and got comfortable. In about two minutes, she was sleeping. I outlasted her by one.

Roma and Jamie went down to the Gypsy section of town to meet Drina. I had made a suggestion about a piece of property for Roma to build on and they wanted to see it. Cindy wanted to go see her mother and show off her ring and tell her about her new status. George had gone over to the knitting shop so Connie was at home alone. She was not even aware that Cindy was in town. "Cindy and Cecil what are you doing here?"

"Hi Mom. I came down to surprise Cecil. He asked me to Roma's wedding, but I have a class tomorrow and am leaving to go back after lunch today. Cecil surprised me the most though. Mom, I have committed myself to Cecil and this is the symbol of it."

She flashed her ring in her mother's face. Tears started in Connie's eyes. "Oh my baby, you are so blessed to have Cecil love you. I prayed for this to happen. He will make you so very, very happy."

"Is that because he made you happy for a short time?"

"Yes, but we were never serious about it. I will say he was a very apt pupil and you will find that out."

Cindy came into her mother's arms and whispered to her mother. Connie smiled and blushed. "Yes, I did teach him that little trick. I learned it from your father, but Cecil took it and made it better."

"Okay ladies, enough of that." Both giggled at making me so uncomfortable. I was used to keeping my intimacies secret. Apparently, things were going to change. I loved one and still had great affection for the other.

Connie made us lunch. George came home, as the store was not open on this holiday. He congratulated us, saying he was glad Cindy had got over her problems with me. It was time for Cindy to leave. She clung to me and promised just as soon as classes were finished next week, she would be home and in my arms. I hung around kidding George saying he was now going to be my father-in-law.

Leaving them, I searched for Roma and Jamie. I found them with Drina at Melanie's house. Rick and Tammy were there. Tammy was excited. She was going to have a brother. Rick and Melanie had contacted an orphanage and chosen a boy two years younger than Tammy. He would be coming to live with them in two weeks when school was finished for the year.

Roma was disappointed in the property I said might be suitable for her and Jamie to build a home on. "Cecil, it is an old burned-out motel."

"I know, but you would be purchasing the land and the motel would be cleared away. I am not trying to influence you very much, but if you listen to my thoughts, it might give you some idea how to utilize that particular property. This is what I am thinking.

"The lot is very deep and you could build your home on the back portion. You will be entertaining a lot, so you might want housing for your guests separate from your home. There is room across the front, next to the street, for the guest home construction. Between the two, you would have parking, a nice lawn and shrubs, and maybe a fountain. "I have a book of designs so you can look at those at your leisure for ideas."

"Who owns the property? Do we have to make a decision right now?"

"No."

"Let's go look at it again with you to explain what your ideas are."

I stopped at the end of the street as we entered the enclave. The old motel was way down at the farther end. It looked as if the street was a dead end, but the street turned left beyond the one large grocery that serviced the area. The street looked much like a slum area. There were three empty lots and there was trash and a couple of abandoned vehicles without wheels on these. The houses were small and decrepit. There was a bar halfway down on the right. Kids were playing in the street and a few old people were sitting on the porches.

The street was actually named, "Beacon Street" but someone had hand lettered a wooden board saying. "Gypsyville" and bolted that to the signpost.

Roma said, "Pretty depressing isn't it? According to the cards, though, Mama says we should build here."

The house where Roma had grown up with her brother and mother was empty. There was still a mailbox lettered "Sadowski" in front of it. I knew her brother was dead so it was just the two of them. One advantage to the little enclave was that the street was quite wide.

"Cecil, tell me how this is going to be. I don't see it yet."

"Okay, before we get to your place if you build here. Let us say all of these houses are fixed up and repaired. Maybe the few big houses are painted in colors and the small ones white. The street will be torn up and resurfaced and new sidewalks put in. Where the motel is now, you should have an architect design something eye catching, but not too ostentatious. It could take up most of where it fronts on the street, just leaving room to drive through to the rear on one side. Maybe have an arch over the entrance.

"As I say, for your own home, I have some designs, but maybe you will want an architect draw your own design." I stopped talking as we sat there and looked down the street to where the motel was now. After a bit, I drove down and parked on the street. We got out and walked around the remains of the motel. "Just as soon as you drive through here where I imagine the driveway, you will be able to see where you will be living. It will be semi-private, which I imagine is something that you will need."

Roma looked at Jamie and they both spoke at the same time directing me to buy it.

"This is actually two lots, one behind the other. I have a binder on the front lot already where the motel is. The back lot, I'm giving that to you as a wedding present."

"Cecil, it is too much."

"No it isn't. I paid less for the lot than I did for Cindy's engagement ring. Remember, I deal in real estate and I know a bargain when I see one. The back lot was a bargain. Do you remember those three vacant lots up and down the street? I own those as well. What I'm doing is betting on you and the movie star you are about to become. I'm betting that you will be putting our fair city on the map and I'm going to cash in on it."

Jamie looked at me. "What makes you so certain?"

"Drina has urged her to return here and build. That tells me she knows something that the rest of us might only suspect."

"You may be right."

We went back to my apartment and Roma and Jamie called around confirming all the details set in place for their wedding tomorrow. I called Pamela whom I was escorting. I told her that Cindy had surprised me by coming down over the weekend. I had given her a ring and we were now a committed couple.

"She is getting a good man, I know that. Have you two finally straightened out your differences for good?"

"Yes we have."

"I'm glad. She has loved you ever since she met you. What was her problem with you? Can you share?"

"No, not really. It's highly personal and just between us."

"Okay, I won't pry."

The wedding between Roma Sadowski and Jamie Reed was just about the calmest wedding and so uninspired, and I felt sad. When the judge said the man and wife could kiss, Jamie kissed Roma on the cheek, and then she kissed him the same way. It was a little livelier when we reached the lounge. People were winding down from the holiday knowing they would be working tomorrow. Our party was the largest group present and we wished there was a live band. None for this early in the week.