The Fourth Day of November

by Mark Campbell

  Lucy flipped through the collection of snapshots, stopping at an old black and white photograph of a young boy. He stood alone and wore the suit of a businessman, even though he looked no older than fifteen. The boy’s face wore a distinct frown. Lee and Lacy inquired of their mother, asking if the boy in the picture was their father. Lucy nodded yes.

  Willie looked over the girls shoulder. “I recall that day. My parents made me have that picture taken after a wedding. Boy was I upset. Your grandfather hit me with his cane when he saw how the picture turned out.”

  Did grandpa have a walking cane back then too? Lee asked.

  “Oh no. He didn’t use it for walking. He kept that cane handy to keep me in line.” Willie grunted.

  Both girls looked in the direction of their grandparents, and jokingly slid down the settee distancing themselves from the old couple.

  May 8, 1989

  Today was show time for me and my soon to be business partners. The bank meeting had been scheduled for late morning, giving me plenty of time to drop my wife off at the doctors for a routine checkup. She thought she had picked up a bug or something and wanted to see her doctor. I wanted to stay with Lee at her appointment, but she insisted on going alone. During the drive, she reassured me that everything would be fine in my absence.

  Just a few short blocks away from the doctor’s office, I met with Peter and Ronnie inside the bank. We were all suited and ready to go. We went over the reports for a final time while drinking our complementary cup of coffee. The caffeine made us jittery. We readied ourselves as a young, dark-haired woman approached us. She informed us that Mr. Martin would be with us shortly.

  The three of us exhaled and reviewed our personal tasks for the collective presentation. Minutes later, the young lady returned, asking us to follow her.

  ---

  Lee sat at the table eating a pack of biscuits and drinking a cup of tea when we returned home.

  “So, sweetheart are you going to tell me how things went at the doctors?” I inquired, removing my tie.

  “Not until you say how things went at the bank with you guys.” Lee dipped a biscuits in her teacup.

  “My nerves got the best of me, especially after drinking coffee.” I admitted.

  “Oh no, why did you drink coffee? You know how it gives you jitters. Lee responded in a concerned tone, as I got up to fill my teacup.

  “Honey, pass me some rich tea biscuits please.”

  I looked at Lee peculiarly. “Are you okay?”

  “I'm fine. Umm, hurry up honey.” Lee stammered, grabbing the pack of biscuit from my hand before I could hand them to her.

  “You’ve been acting strange lately.” I squinted my eyes as if trying to discern my wife’s mood.

  “Don’t change the subject. One thing at a time Alistair…These are delicious!” Lee rambled.

  “Sweetheart they’re the same rich tea biscuits that we've been eating.”

  “I know. They just taste so much better than before. Sorry for interrupting honey; carry on.” Lee hummed while eating.

  “As I was saying, the presentation went great! Mr. Martin, the loan officer, sat there and listened to every word. Once we wrapped up, he rubbed his chin and said he needed a little more insurance that the bank would be making a sound investment. Peter, Ronnie and I told him that there were other banks that could give us a loan if he refused to finance the project. For a few tense moments, Mr. Martin looked like he was going to tell us to get lost. Instead, he asked the secretary to start drawing up the papers! They should be ready day after tomorrow!” I exclaimed clapping my hands for emphasis.

  “I’m really proud of you and the guys!” Lee squealed hopping to her feet. “I knew the three of you could pull it off.”

  “Now your turn.” I refocused Lee’s attention on her doctor’s visit.

  “Okay.” She hesitated. Doctor Pang ran some tests and then told me to return home. He said he would call me later with the results.”

  “Is that it?” I was slightly perplexed.

  “Yes, that’s it.” Lee gave me an awkward smile.

  “I thought there would be a more logical explanation to why you’ve been sick all the time.” I scratched my head.

  “Honey, don’t be so dramatic. I'm not sick all the time, just once a day.”

  “Isn't that all the time?”

  “No, it's not, I--” The sudden ringing telephone interrupted Lee’s sentence.

  “Hello, is Lee Scott there?” the voice on the other end of the phone asked.

  “Yes, she is. May I ask who's calling?” I asked.

  “Yes, sure. This is Doctor Pang’s receptionist.”

  “Okay, in that case, I’ll get my wife.”

  “Lee the phone is for you.”

  “Who is it?”

  “The receptionist at Doctor Pang’s office.”

  “Oh, they must have the results from my test.” Lee got up from the kitchen table to grab the phone, but instead made a dash for the bathroom, claiming she needed to have a wee. Shortly afterwards, she returned and sat back down, forgetting I still had the phone in my hand.

  “Lee aren't you forgetting something?”

  She looked over to me and remembered the phone call. Lee took the phone, and had a brief conversation with the nurse then hung up.

  “Well, that confirms any suspicion I may have had.” Lee exhaled.

  “What are you talking about?” I wasn’t sure whether to be happy or nervous.

  Lee put her arms around my waist, hugging me from behind. “Nothing really, honey. Doctor Pang’s nurse just said that we’re going to have a baby.”

  “Did you say baby? We’re going to have a baby?” my knees buckled.

  “That’s right!” Lee screamed.

  “How did that happen?” I had to sit down to brace myself.

  “Alistair honey, don’t be silly. You know how this happened!” Lee giggled.

  “I didn't mean it like that.”

  “I know honey, I’m just playing with you.” Lee smiled. “There's more. Doctor Pang would like me to come in for a sonogram. He's going to get his receptionist to call back with a date.”

  The morning sickness, cravings and forgetfulness began to make sense. That afternoon we drove to my in-laws house to share the good news. The family sat in the living room, eagerly waiting, trying to understand what the excitement was about.

  I stood up and disclosed the reason for our coming to their home unexpectedly. “Lucy, Willie, grandma, grandpa and Lacy, Lee and I are going to have a baby.” Lucy rose to her feet, clasping her hands together with great emotion. Everyone was overjoyed with the news.

  Grandpa Chang called me over. “Alistair, you were told to look for the signs.”

  “I didn’t know that you were actually referring to Lee.”

  “You younger generation are so soft-centered and stupid.”

  “I'm no imbecile.” I joked. I'm smarter than you old man.”

  “Are you smarter than this whack?” the old man connected his walking cane to my back.

  “Alright, that’s it! I've had enough. That really hurt!” I held on to his stick, but got worked on by grandma whose cane connected twice on the hand and leg.

  Willie and Lucy broke up the fight between us because grandma and grandpa were clearly getting the upper hand. Willie made the mistake of turning his back to say that I should forgive his mother and father because they were old and maybe a little senile. Willie Sr. heard the comment, and got up to tap Willie Jr. on the shoulder. “Who are you calling senile?” He took a swing at his son, with a 360-degree spin. Willie Jr. smirked, but Willie Sr. caught him on the back, before sitting back down. Lee burst out with laughter and got caught with grandma’s cane.

  “That hurt!” Lee winced. She was no longer laughing as she rubbed the back of her leg.

  “Maybe next time you won’t be quick to laugh. I can't believe it; big baby having little baby.” The elderly couple sat there laughing after having assaulted us. />
  May 13, 1989

  Doctor Pang grew up in New York, and attended local schools before graduating with honors from Harvard University. He had been my physician since moving to New York, and had always done his best to make me feel comfortable whenever I had a appointment. His office overlooked the busy streets of Merrick Road, which ran between the margins of Queens and Long Island. Bold lettering displayed the doctor’s practice and address as a certified physician.

  Upon opening the office door, a small bell rang alerting the entrance of patients. Behind an oval desk sat the receptionist. “Good morning, Mr. Scott. How are you today?”

  “I'm fine, thank you, Mary.”

  Mary always made a point of chatting with me. She loved my accent, and often mimicked me. Her personality made even the most reticent person open up.

  “Are you here to see the doctor?”

  “No, not today. My wife is here for a scheduled ultrasound.”

  Mary was shocked. “You’re married now, Alistair? Wow, when did this happen?”

  Mary was always late on getting news. She once told me she just looked forward to reading and treating herself to the movies now and again. There was no one special in her life, after having lost her husband from cancer. Her life was almost that of a recluse, because more time was needed to deal with his untimely death two years previous to our meeting.

  “Mrs. Scott, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I didn’t realize Alistair was your husband. Congratulations to you both. Mary greeted Lee on her entrance into the office. “Please sign in Mrs. Scott and have a seat. I will let the doctor know you’re here.”

  ---

  Doctor Pang appeared in his white lab coat. “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Scott. Come this way please.” He led us to his office from the waiting room. “Have a seat. I know both of you must be very excited about the good news of becoming parents.” He smiled in our direction. “Right now, I would like Mrs. Scott to go in the next room and lay on the bed so we can take a look at the baby. Mr. Scott you can go with your wife if you’d like.”

  “Do I have to take my top off too?” I teased. Doctor Pang chuckled and Lee told me to stop being so silly between laughs.

  We went into the adjacent room, and minutes later, Lee was lying on the bed. Doctor Pang squeezed a clear gel on her belly. Lee flinched from the cold jellylike substance. Doctor Pang pulled a small mobile machine closer to him and pressed a green button to power it up. He placed what looked like an air hockey mallet on Lee’s belly, moving it around in the same manner as one would play air hockey.

  “Do you hear that?” Doctor Pang asked as he turned up the volume to enhance the sound of our baby’s steady heartbeat. “If you look just here…” the doctor ran his finger on the screen pointing out a image of our baby. It was the most amazing thing either one of us had witnessed.

  Doctor Pang asked if we wanted him to disclose the gender of the baby. Lee and I declined. We wanted it to be a surprise. He then wiped the gel from Lee's belly.

  “You can pull your top down Mrs. Scott.” Doctor Pang directed. “As you can see, your baby is perfect. You’re almost four months pregnant. I'm going to recommend a course of ferrous sulfate because you seem to have an iron deficiency. I will start you on 325 mg twice a day.

  “There’s nothing to worry about. Like I said earlier, mother and baby are fine. Any questions?”

  Lee threw an assortment of questions at Doctor Pang. I could see the doctor’s brain going into overload. Nonetheless, Lee got the information she sought. Her follow-up appointment would be in the coming weeks.

  May 15, 1989

  Working together as a team was never an issue for Peter, Ronnie and me. It was something we’d done well together. In fact, we were busy clearing out what used to be an old commercial parking lot, sold to us by Mr. Silverman. He was an aging Jewish man who spent many years in New York with no family of his own. He wanted to relocate to a much warmer climate.

  My friends and I came upon the vacant lot four weeks prior to becoming the owners of the 15- acre property. We had been scouting commercial lots for sale when we happened to drive by a lot on the corner of Brookville Blvd. and Hook Creek. A FOR SALE sign was hanging from the property fence. We decided to investigate further once Peter jotted down the phone numbers from the sign. The three of us walked around the wire fence, looking inside. We spotted a skip used for disposing of rubbish, and old truck tires scattered the ground. There was also a single mobile unit which looked as if served as a office of some sort. Theoretically, we thought the land had potential. All we needed was to get in contact with the proprietor.

  After a lengthy conversation by phone, we finally met with Mr. Silverman two days after first discovering the property. He showed us around, not that there was much to see. The land was cluttered with broken down old tractors and trailers. Silverman’s good nature shined. He took a liking to us as we did to him. There's a saying that “good deals are never done on an empty stomach.” We invited Mr. Silverman to eat with us at a nearby diner for negotiations. He gladly obliged.

  ---

  Peter wrote down some figures and passed it to Silverman. He looked at Peter, misshaped his face and quickly scribbled down some figures of his own. Peter made a hmmm sound as if he were ruminating the matter before scribing once again on the paper. The old man took the paper like a chess player snatching a key player from his opponent. Ronnie and I looked back and fourth as both men made exchanges. Silverman looked at what Peter had written the final time and then tore the paper in two. “You have a deal!” We agreed to sign the contact before the end of the week.

  From that day on, Mr. Silverman became a very close friend to us all. We made sure to invite him to our homes for the holidays.

  ---

  As every businessman knows, there are times when we question ourselves. “Did

  I do the right thing by venturing out?” is what we ask. I had my doubts for awhile, but Lee was optimistic in every sense of the word. She knew how much hard work my two friends and I had put in. We were out of options. It was nowhere to turn.

  They say, behind a successful businessman is a good woman. Peter, Ronnie and I would find out just how true this statement was. We were beating our heads together trying to come up with the best course of action to help generate clientage for our business before we ended up in the unemployment line. The only idea we could muster was to advertise in the local newspaper. However, the women had ideas of their own. They thought that a wiser and more global approach was to utilize the World Wide Web. Everyone was getting into the new computer craze, so they suggested that we hop in too. There was one problem, however. Neither one of us was computer savvy. But, Lee had the fantastic idea for us to enlist Hyacinth Burton.

  “The woman from England, who works for the IRS?” Ronnie questioned Lee.

  “That’s the one.” Lee said getting up making her way to the lavvy.

  “You’re a genius sweetheart!” I pulled Lee close to land a kiss on her lips.

  “Oh please get a room you two.” Peter and Ronnie said playfully.

  Lee wobbled off to the loo. When she returned, she continued where she had left off. “Hyacinth is the perfect person to help you guys. She speaks and writes fluent French, German, Italian, Mandarin and a few other languages.” She also has a degree in computer technology and computer science.”

  Lee knew Hyacinth personally. The two of them had become good friends after having worked together at the airlines, before Hyacinth got an offer from the government to travel around the country working for the IRS. It was hard to reach Hyacinth nowadays since she was so busy. But once again, Lee proved that girl power was all that we needed to get things started. Hyacinth agreed to meet me at the office after a succinct conversation on the phone.

  May 22, 1989

  A week later, I sat in my small office going over mountains of bills. My distracted thoughts were interrupted by a single tap on the door. “Come in.” I sighed.

  A young woman poked her
head around the door. “Hello, I'm Hyacinth.” She smiled.

  “Nice to meet you. Thanks for coming on such short notice. Please, have a seat.” I motioned.

  “Now, what can I do for you, Alistair.” asked the polite and well-dressed woman.

  “My esteemed colleagues and I started this business. So far, we’ve got very little clientele. My beautiful wife suggested that we have a word with you, to possibly hire you sometime in the near future to help us out.”

  Peter and Ronnie entered into the office. “Hyacinth, these are the men I was telling you about.”

  Hyacinth took a pen and notebook from her attaché case. “ Let’s see what we've got to work with.” She asked to use my computer to conduct some quick research. Thirty minutes later,