by Paul Watkins
She looks at me and our eyes lock as if at opposite ends of a laser beam. Karen seems to stare forever without blinking.
“Now what do you have to tell me about Jennifer?” she asks.
For a second I want to defer my answer and ask her about her letter where she implied something a bit stronger than her current explanation would indicate. But whatever Karen is, I don’t think she’s a liar… I must have been mistaken in what I inferred. I’m having trouble switching gears. It seems every time I turn around I’m getting over or around some obstacle that apparently wasn’t there in the first place. Gosh, are all relationships this much work, or is it just this one? Karen and I seem to be having one misunderstanding after another. It’s enervating to say the least. I’m not one of those people who enjoys fighting because making up is so much fun. And now still another misunderstanding … over Jennifer of all people.
“Jennifer is a neighbor,” I begin, “and a friend of the Jacksons. That’s my connection. She is anextremely nice person from all I can tell… she has always been nice to me. The only times I have seen her are at events like this evening, here or at her place. We went running together a couple of times in the morning, but that’s only when we happen to bump into each other on the road… there’s not a lot of conversation at six o’clock in the morning. At the end of the run, she goes home and I come here. That’s it. There’s no interest I’m aware of, either way. Your letter indicated you had other interests… I have no interest in anyone else.”
Karen listens in respectful silence, a bit unusual forher.
“I don’t know what I said,” she says with a dismissive flick of her hand, “so I’m not going to dwell on it. I’m glad to be back, happy to see you and nothing has changed as far as I’m concerned. How about you?”
“I’m still trying to catch up,” I reply shaking my head. “But I’m sure glad you’re back… I’ve missed you.”
“Talk’s cheap… prove it, Buster.”
Same old Karen.
***
It seemed as though I shut my eyes and the alarm went off at the same time. I don’t want to know how late it got last night… I would probably admit myself to a hospital. My shuffle-run is moving me along, but not with much grace or speed. I see Jennifer in the distance, standing at the end of her drive. As I approach, she matches my stride, which is no big deal, and we continue to shuffle in silence. I would not be surprised to see a couple of old ladies rocket by us, their walkers shooting up a rooster-tail of sparks as they push them down the road. That’s about where my sense of motion is right now.
Less than thirty minutes later, we again approach her drive and without comment, we both slow to a walk. I’m not sure there’s any perceptible difference in the two speeds.
“Come to the house with me if you would. I want to talk about a few things.”
I nod in agreement and we turn into her drive. We are almost to her house when she begins.
“I don’t know quite how to say this, but I want to tell you what’s on my mind.”
She walks to the steps and leans against a stone pillar that frames one side of the doorway.
“Is there anything serious between you and Karen?”
Chalk one up for A.J. Apparently I don’t know what’s going on, but I have a feeling I’m about to meet his friend, Jack Shit.
“I guess the answer to your question is: yes and no. I realize I’m not making much sense, but that’s the way it is. I met Karen last summer and we dated for a while before she left for Europe. At times I have been uncomfortable in our relationship, for various personal reasons, which I won’t go into now, but we have no formal relationship as such.
“Karen dated when she was in Europe, but she says there was nothing to it. I guess I believe her. However, we did have a misunderstanding while she was away which led me to believe she was serious about someone else. Until last night I thought she was still with that other person, whoever he is. As you may have guessed, last night was a surprise to me… I did not know she had returned. And even if I had known she was back, I would not have expected to see her out here, or anywhere else for that matter.
“So, whatever we have, it isn’t formal, but I guess it’s serious… sort of. There’s no talk of marriage or engagements… and I’m too old to go steady. In fact, I think I’m too old for the whole damn business… but that, too, is another story.”
Jennifer has listened in her quiet, intense manner. We stand in silence for what seems like forever before she speaks.
“Thank you. I think you have answered my question. Now I have two more questions. First, would you like some breakfast before you return?”
“No thanks, Jennifer. I have to shower and get cleaned up. I’ll eat something later.”
“Okay. Second, will we still see each other now that Karen is back? For my part, I hope we can.”
I’m a little taken aback.
“Of course, why not?” I answer. “I assumed we would see you this weekend. We’ll call you later today and make plans.”
She takes my hand, leans forward and kisses me on the cheek, barely brushing the edge of my lips. I think I need some advice, counseling or whatever. I’m not sure I completely understand what’s going on here. Either A.J. is a lot smarter than I’ve been giving him credit for, or he just lucked out and guessed right. Or maybe I should look up this Jack Shit guy and see if he can explain it.
CHAPTER 22
It has been a productive morning chasing down something I should have looked into a long time ago. I don’t know why I didn’t get after it before this… probably figured it was none of my business. What went down between A.J. and Monte wasn’t my business… then. That’s no longer true. Now I want to know as much about him as I can, because I know one day our paths will cross again. I have taken it upon myself to review Monte’s activities while he worked here. There isn’t much of a paper trail except for the checkbooks and the minimal financial journals he maintained. But there’s enough to get an idea of what happened and how he did it.
Monte’s plan had been simplicity itself. Everything he did was right there in the open for anyone to see. They didn’t even have to know what they were looking for. I think Monte simply trusted A.J. to never bother to look at the books. His first move was to borrow money from A.J. and then sign a note for the amount taken. So far everything would appear to be above board. Each withdrawal was made at a time when large amounts of money were coming in from tour events or royalties. Later on he would make a journal entry to convert the loan to a bonus. Hell, he was even paying taxes on the amounts taken… all with A.J.’s money of course. The net to Monte was all in the plus column. And we’re not talking about petty cash. Monte took tens of thousands of dollars every time he exercised his right of withdrawal. Nice work if you can get it.
I don’t blame him for wanting his job back. The only problem with all this was that A.J. had no idea about loans, withdrawals, bonuses or anything else. Also, speaking of petty cash, it showed heightened activity during these same periods. The petty cash fund was way too large and had virtually no documentation to show where the money went. My guess is Monte used a good portion of that fund for walking around money.
Monte’s justification to A.J. was that he had been working hard and since he both needed and deserved the money, he just went ahead and took it since he was certain A.J. would have no objection. After all, A.J. was getting the long end of the profits and now with the restaurants making money, an operation completely outside Monte’s range of responsibilities, A.J. had even more money to share. It was only fair.
A.J. had hired Monte early in the game, but well after he had started his climb to fame and fortune. Eager to share his good fortune with the men he grew up with, he hired friends whenever possible. All had worked out except for Bear and Monte. Lionel and Billy are excellent examples of those who succeeded.
They are hardworking men who are grateful for the opportunity and extremely loyal to their friend and employer. All this is true in spite of the constant bickering. A.J. knew Monte had a streak of larceny in him… he just figured Monte would never steal from him. Obviously, he figured wrong.
However, once the problem was discovered, A.J. was quick to move to correct it. It was over as far as A.J. was concerned. He knew he could never trust Monte again. Keeping him around after learning of Monte’s theft would be like having a snake in the house. A.J. believes in the old saying: if you don’t want to get screwed in business, then don’t do business with a crook. The only trouble is… how do you tell who the crooks are… in advance? The incident has left its mark and A.J. is now convinced that whenever there is a lot of money around, sooner or later someone is going to try to take it. Unfortunately he’s probably right. Whether business or politics, few remain honest when there’s easy money there for the taking.
I think we have gone a long way to prevent this kind of thing from happening again. In contrast with A.J.’s previous organization, we have put more sophisticated controls in place over all cash receipts as well as the bank accounts. My goal is to have A.J. comfortable with every aspect of the business so that he can control things in my absence. This type of operation should never be dependent upon any one person. I want a system that can stand on its own, nomatter who is running it.
***
The weekend has passed in a nice leisurely pace. Karen decided to leave around mid-day so she could get organized for the week ahead. She asked me to call her tomorrow evening… perhaps then she would have a better idea of what her schedule would be like for the remainder of the week.
I really haven’t had the energy to do anything useful, so I have spent the rest of the day taking it easy. The kids have been a constant source of amusement. I finally took them for a walk around the grounds to tire them out. My strategy seems to have worked, for they are now yawning and acting pretty sleepy. There’s nothing like fresh air to quiet kids down and draw off some of their infinite supply of energy. Because their energy is so abundant, children don’t bother to manage it as adults do. They simply go until there isn’t any left and then they rest until the reservoir is refilled.
The trouble with my strategy is that I seem to run down more quickly than the children even though I am actively managing my meager reserves. Returning to the house, I quickly unload the kids on Sheri and Martha, Mary has the day off, and then make my way to my quarters. Time to recharge these old batteries.
Philip is my name, but moody is my game. I’m pretty aimless right now. Restless, too, I guess. A ten minute semi-nap is all I can manage. I don’t feel like working and I don’t want to waste the evening watching TV. The Jacksons deserve to have time alone this evening since A.J. is leaving in the morning. I should eat something, but I’m not really hungry. I’m not into any books… but the ringing telephone might offer a solution to my malaise. Timing is everything! I thought I was tired, but boredom is even worse.
“Hi, it’s Jennifer. I have some extra food over here and I was wondering if you were looking for a handout.”
Somebody must be looking out for me. No one has to ask me twice. A quick shower and I am on my way.
Jennifer greets me at the door with one of her radiant smiles and without another word escorts me into the living room where a bottle of white wine is chilling in the bucket. She pours two glasses without asking and gestures towards the sofa, inviting me to take a seat. So far, ‘hello’ and ‘hi’ are the sum total of our conversation.
She returns the bottle to the bucket and slowly walks over and sits at my side, but far enough away so we can easily talk. The more I see of Jennifer, the more I realize how attractive she is. She favors casual clothes and this evening is no exception. She’s a bit taller than Karen, more curves, but all the right parts in all the right places. And there I go again, compare, compare.
“I suppose I should explain my actions of late,” she begins. “I guess I have been having such a good time since returning that I never stopped to think why. A.J. and Sheri are a lot of fun.”
She looks away at the ceiling and then down at the table. She smiles and returns her eyes to mine before glancing away once again.
“I have never known anyone like A.J. He’s a four year old kid in a thirty year old body… he’s just full of it. You always know you’re going to have a good time when you’re with him. I don’t mean to imply he doesn’t have his serious moments, but I just think he prefers to have fun if he can.
“You’re different,” she continues. “You work for A.J., but it’s quite obvious you are your own man. And it’s plain to see you really like him. I’m sure you care for the rest of the family, too, but there seems to be some sort of special bond between you two. He even has you acting like a kid now and then.”
“A.J. can bring out the kid in anyone,” I reply with a laugh. “If the kid’s there, he’ll find him.”
“I suppose you’re right,” she replies, “but I want to talk more about you, because you happen to be my problem right now.”
My face must betray my reaction.
“You look confused and I guess I can’t blame you. I’m bewildered, too. You see I did not bother to think about any of this until Karen showed up. When she kissed you, it bothered me and it shouldn’t have. Suddenly it made me realize that all the fun I have been having since I returned from Europe is due in large part to you, too. It’s not just the Jacksons. We have seen a lot of one another in the short time since we met and I guess I was beginning to take you for granted… that you would always be there for company. My company… my unofficial date, so I wouldn’t be the odd girl out. I knew you weren’t my date, but we were sort of a twosome. And I was never the odd-girl out… or at least I never felt that way.
“Karen made me realize I shouldn’t do that… take you for granted. You two had a relationship prior toher going to Europe and it’s apparent from her point of view, at least, that your relationship still exists.”
“I tried to explain part of that yesterday,” I reply, “but… “
“Philip, you do not have to explain anything,” she says holding up her hand. “You have done nothing wrong. There’s no impropriety on your part… you have been a perfect gentleman. Perhaps a bit too perfect… at least in my case.”
She smiles and her eyes twinkle.
“If things have gone too far with Karen, please say so and I will close the subject forever. On the other hand, if you feel you have the freedom to include another woman in your life, then I would like to continue to see you and find where that takes us.”
I pick up my glass and swirl the wine about in a gentle circle. Holy cats! Does A.J.’s friend, Jack, know about this part?
“I’m not sure what I should say,” I begin in absolutely the lamest manner I can manage. “A couple of days ago, I was convinced there was no relationship of any sort between Karen and myself. You know what happened next, an apparent misunderstanding on my part.
“From my perspective, you are everything any man would want in a woman, but I have never permitted myself to think of you in those terms. When we met, whatever relationship I’d had with Karen had just gone sour… I thought… and I wasn’t in the mood for a new female companion under any circumstances. I guess that’s part of what I was trying to say that first night when I took you home. Basically, Karen and I seem to be back where we were before she left. I admit, I’m still a bit confused about some things, but there’s no question I care for her. But, as I said before, there is nothing formal between us. I don’t mean to play word games, it’s just that we have no plans or arrangements.”
I can’t help but think about Karen’s last statement on this subject… formal or informal, we have an understanding and she has honored it. Has she? Am I? She was away five months, almost three with practically no communication of any
sort, come on, Philip, come to! It’s just that when I see her, all the other stuff goes out the window and all I can think about is the moment… all I want to think about is the moment.
“Can I think about this for a while?” I ask, continuing to limp and evade as much as humanly possible. “I have feelings for you, I’ve just never allowed them to surface. But I don’t want to kid either one of us, and I don’t want to mislead Karen. I have some things to sort out.”
I pause trying to think of some magical words that could make sense out of all this, but they elude my grasp. My voice trails off with, “That’s the best I can do right now.”
“That’s good enough,” she says smiling and in a way that makes me think she is trying to understand. “I really haven’t been fair, surprising you like this. You deserved some warning. But Karen was my surprise… so I guess I’m yours.”
“It’s a nice surprise,” I say, not quite knowing exactly what I mean when I say it.
We lapse into silence for several moments. There seems to be something else coming, but I have no idea what it could be. I have enough on my plate for the time being so I’m not going to try too hard to figure it out. If she doesn’t bring it up, I’m not going to dig for it.
“I think I should tell you something else,” she continues as if reading my thoughts.
Maybe I’m not going to have to figure, or dig, or do anything of the sort. Jennifer hasn’t finished with me yet. She looks away, obviously struggling with instincts or emotions… unsure how to proceed.
“As I’m sure you know, I am a fairly wealthy woman… and a cautious one as well. I learned a long time ago that things and people are not always as they seem. You are a mystery to me, Philip. There are things about you that just do not add up… based upon what Sheri has told me about you and what I have seen and have learned on my own.”
