Chapter 39

"You'll all be back for fittings in a week," said the tailor.

Although Dad and I wanted this over and done, Mother said, "Yes." She snapped her fingers at me and held out her palm.

Dutiful son that I am, I spat in it ... no! Silly! It's what I wanted ... no, longed to do ... but I placed my Carte Blanche card in her hot little hand. Her fingers were hot enough that I expected a permanent warp.

The card was laid on the machine, the bill for each suit was placed on top and the roller imprinter embossed the carbon-copies and original. I signed. The collector of monies (shop clerk ... probably ... but then again ... it IS Savile Row ... so shop clerk seems 'cheap.') called in the sale and received a confirmation number. He had to call in for each suit ... one at a time ... but the shirts went through as a batch ... so did the boxers. Did I mention I was getting silk underwear? I'll bet I didn't. Amber insisted.

"It's me that'll be wearing the undershirts, Darling. I love the feel of silk on my nipples."

Which embarrassed the shit outta me ... but the tailor laughed.

After three call ins the phone rang ... it was for me.

"Yes."

"David James Austin ... the third." I'm not the third but it was part of the confirmation.

"Yes, Gieves and Hawkes"

"Savile Row."

"At this establishment, three to six more."

"One moment..."

"Ya'all get out of hearing ... you too," I said the clerk.

They all moved away ... except mom ... There was something going on that I had seen before. Her face changed, she looked almost feral. There was a wildness in her eyes that I remembered. She asked for the phone.

"Hello."

"His mother."

"No."

"What do you mean I have no choice ... he's my son."

"The sale will be void?"

"In 10 seconds?"

"Can you do that?"

"Mom ... give me the phone and get out!"

"I'll get to the bottom of this."

"The phone."

She was seething but she stepped away and I started spouting numbers and letters and codewords ... to let the person at Carte Blanche know I wasn't under duress.

"No ... she is not." I said, "I mean, she is my mother but she isn't authorized."

"Only my signature."

"Yes. Thank you."

The phone was on the cradle and mother was in my face.

"I'm your mother, I have the right..."

Daddy stepped in, "No. Vera, you don't ... I don't ... no one else but David can use that card."

"I'll cancel the card. He's a minor."

"Not in England."

I have a feeling mother wasn't happy with a million pounds. The first time around mother hated me and I was beginning to see that things weren't all that different.

I was born on the same day that the carrier Lexington was sunk during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Mother referred to me as the second National disaster in May of '42 ... the carrier being the first.

The first time around Grandmother said, "Your mother hates you, David ... you're the only blond ... you have blue eyes ... and you're thin. The only one."

For past three years mother had been mostly nice to me ... as long as I was nice to Chuck. Now, Chuck was gone but I thought the nice was going to continue.

The Assistant Director of the Second Chance Unit said I'd remember everything ... he didn't say WHEN I'd remember it. They never promised me I'd remember it all at once.

"Good Lord, mom," I said to dad, "Can I divorce my mother?"

Mom got great big eyes.

"No, David."

Mother relaxed and settled back into schemer mode ... until Daddy said, " ... but you can apply for emancipation."

That put mother's back up.

"You're very wealthy ... the court would probably appoint a trustee for your estate, you would have an allowance, probably not more than a hundred a week ... and they may put other limitations on you ... the judge might decree that the estate be held in trust until you reach a designated age.

"Other similar cases have had that age be anywhere from 21 to 35 ... depends on the judge. I have read case law where the minor was ordered to attend high school until age 18 ... I don't know what they would do in your case ... but a judge could. I would hate to see you do it ... but I can understand why."

Mother fumed while the rest of my purchases ... Dads suits and the one for Sergeant Major Smythe ... were processed.

The total bill was only 35 ... thousand ... pounds... 2.8 dollars to the pound.

I still had fittings and shoes ... and a visit to Lock for some very english hats and caps ... whee!!

There was a cab waiting outside. Daddy hustled Vera into the backseat and they left. Daddy got slapped several times stuffing her in the door and she was still swinging and he was fending off when they went round the corner. The insertion drew a crowd ... and a Bobby ... who wanted to know the fuss.