“I’m sorry, Ms. Wentworth.” Jim stood at attention.
Jadie enjoyed it. “Forget it, you little clone. It’s good to meet you. Don’t disrupt the class again.”
“No Ma’am. It was a one-time misjudgment.” Jim kept his eyes straight ahead. “I’m glad to meet you and Mr. Arlington. I look forward to seeing you both tonight at Casablanca Night.”
“You’re a charmer, Jim,” Jadie replied. “Back to work! Drop and give me twenty!”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Jim dropped down and did twenty while everyone else returned to the sets being led by Jadie’s assistants at the front. He finished and blended into the next set with Temple.
“I recognize a Rick Cantelli setup when I get bombed by one. I hope this was a one time introductory phase, Rick.”
“Sorry, Jadie, Jim and I didn’t have much to do while waiting to get some lab work done,” I explained from my back, doing leg lifts. “I coached him through a few zingers that happened to work out as if I’d scripted them.”
“You should be ashamed. I have to admit… the boy is entertaining, even when I’m on the receiving end, you old dog!”
“It was good, Rick,” Ken added, hugging Jadie away on their helping route through the class. “Good meeting you too, Jim.”
By the end of the class, Jim and Stacy were accepted into the mix. Stacy had stayed quiet, working out in sync with everyone else, hardly breaking a sweat. Yep. Prison is a life lesson for the ones who don’t ever want to go back, especially at sixty. Stacy had enjoyed the lighter side, watching Jim play out what she’d seen me work with him on at the lab, but had kept all outward indications to herself. I know she felt Lois’s eyes on her. Karen was the first to speak with Stacy after the class, having gone through the workout as best as a woman seven months pregnant could.
“Are you doing okay, Stacy?”
Stacy smiled. “Much better, Karen. I have something now in Jim I never had before. He’s made all the difference in the world. Today, on the job, I had my doubts about all of this shitty world on the outside. Not anymore.”
“He’s a special kid. I hope Rick doesn’t tell tales.”
Stacy sighed. “You and me both, sister.”
That was offensive. “I will have you know I do not tell tales on anyone. You did good, G-ma. Didn’t she, Jim?”
Jim moved to hug Stacy. She gripped and held onto him with both arms. “She did real good, Pa. You geezers are in shape.”
“I hope you weren’t talking about me, young man.” Trish pointed a warning finger at him.
“Anyone over thirty is a geezer to me, Ms. Rocha,” Jim replied, straightening into an at attention stance. Yeah… I told him to come to attention each time he interacted with adults in our rather special group.
Temple had been enjoying the hell out of her younger counterpart’s adlibs. She laughed the hardest at Jim’s age parameter. Trish grabbed her by the ear.
“Excuse me, little missy! Do not encourage Rick’s young sock puppet. It won’t go well for you. He doesn’t need the extra encouragement.”
Jim clasped Trish’s ear gripping hand as Temple danced her fake pain dance. “Don’t Ms. Rocha!”
I didn’t script this one. Trish let Temple go, surprised at Jim’s solemn appeal. “It’s okay, Jim. We’re just playing around.”
Jim broke into a big grin. “I know, Ms. Rocha. Pa knew you’d react to anything I did in a serious way. He really knows all of you so well, I-”
I sealed his little mouth off gently to hoots and catcalls from our cohorts. “Easy, young Jedi. It is not a good thing to reveal our every strategy.”
Jim gestured with a thumbs up as to his understanding to the howls of those still with us. By then, Ken and Jadie had worked their way to our area of torture. Lo, surprisingly quiet the whole evening since Jim aced her, enjoyed the evening’s workout time more than I remembered. She, like everyone else, focused their attention on Jim, who was trading Sally Waters’ one liners with Temple. Jim knew all the funny lines from the show to Temple’s surprise. They were feeding them back and forth to each other without missing a beat, drawing a crowd of normally happy to go home workout participants into staying for the show.
Lo and I saw Alex Winton and a new bodyguard slip into the room, mostly because we had Bone working the case until Casablanca night. If he’d been at the door, there would have been no slip-ins. That Trish didn’t take notice was worrisome, but she was enjoying the show between Jim and Temple. Winton could hear the lines being traded, most of them making fun of him and his character in the show. He jammed his way through, mostly angling his pixie like body sideways. Not for the first time did I wonder why they hire undersize costars in the first place for parts in TV series shows. I kept my eye on the new bodyguard. I knew the munchkin couldn’t hurt anyone… not with Trish there. The bodyguard was a replacement for a guy I’d grown to admire and call a friend, Norton Ambers. Apparently, Nort didn’t lean on people at Winton’s beck and call. He tried instead to do his job by getting his young client to avoid ill-conceived stupidity like this.
Alex pushed into the space between Jim and Temple, rage the significant highlight on his features. “I heard your spiel on Entertainment Tonight about us never in my wildest dreams being a couple, you stupid bitch!”
“You take that back!” Jim couldn’t help it. He was the white knight. I hoped I could raise him so he wouldn’t be too disappointed when he found out no good deed ever goes unpunished. In a split second, my young clone was in between the slightly smaller Winton and Temple. “I…I thought you were a good guy on the show.”
“Get out of my way, you little shit!” Alex tried to push past, but Jim didn’t move.
Winton looked around at the unsympathetic faces surrounding him. The bodyguard had moved forward through the crowd, only to have Lois and Trish bookends at his side. They looked at me. I shook my head, and they eased away with the glimmer of knife blades disappearing back into folds of clothing. I’m not un-protective of Jim. I knew Winton couldn’t hurt him, and the bodyguard wouldn’t. Winton grabbed Jim’s t-shirt in a fist.
“Don’t make me have to bitch-slap you, punk!”
If Winton had been smart he’d never have put himself in a position where he was threatening a young girl and a twelve year old kid. He wasn’t smart, and now young Alex was trapped. It made him madder, which was a bad thing. Jim didn’t move. Winton slapped him hard enough to jolt Jim’s head sideways and bloody his lip. The response was a left hook under Winton’s ribcage, putting him on the floor in a fetal position. I saw the look of continuance on Jim’s face. He was going to plant a tennis shoe into Alex’s side. Apparently Jim had learned already it’s never wise to let your opponent make a comeback in an ass kicking contest. I stepped in between the prone Alex and my Grandson.
“Wrong place, wrong time, young Jedi.”
“Get…get him!” Winton cried out to his bodyguard, who helped the gasping Winton to his feet.
“I don’t beat little kids, Sir. It would be wise to leave here now. This doesn’t look good. There are always video clips of this type of incident.”
The bodyguard knew the right tune to play. Winton’s eyes widened. He maneuvered painfully to his feet, pointing at our onlookers. “If this ever gets on YouTube, I will sue the person responsible for everything they’re worth.”
Sam waved his iPhone at Winton. “I have it on here. Leave now, and I won’t immediately upload it to YouTube. Don’t waste your time with threats to me. I could buy the studio you’re contracted to and kick you to the curb.”
Winton had enough. He let his much smarter bodyguard guide him out. I imagine this kind of thing is what got Nort fired. The bodyguard met my look of empathy with a tired shake of his head as he led Winton out. After the bodyguard and his client left the room all hell broke loose near my mini-me. Jim was cool with sarcastic interplay, but I think he found the hero image a bit disconcerting.
Jim held his hands in placating form. “I…I didn’t want A
lex to hurt Temple. It’s not a big deal. I’ve been out of line here. I’m sorry to disrupt your workout, and then mess with Temple’s co-star. I’m sure she could have handled him.”
“I’m thinking we can all agree the entertainment part of tonight was pretty solid.” I put an arm around Jim’s shoulders. “It’s all good, and no one got seriously injured. See you all on crappy Monday.”
One woman in our workout crowd was aghast. “Aren’t you going to file charges against Winton for striking your Grandson?”
Jim approached the woman with a smile. He’s a natural. “Honest Ma’am, I don’t want any charges brought against Alex Winton. I…I thought he was bigger. Thank you, though.”
The woman chuckled, all thought of dark lawsuits, and celebrity exposes forgotten. “I’m glad your Grandpa brought you tonight. I hope you’ll be a regular, Jim.”
Jim shook her outstretched hand with a grin. “Sure… I’ll be back. This is the best.”
Lois joined us as the adults exited. “I can tell by the way Shortcake is looking at you she wishes you were over the age of consent, kid. I should make her drop and give me fifty for her impure thoughts.”
Jim looked startled, glancing over at Temple. She was blushing, but outraged. Apparently, Spockella, the mind munch, had deciphered an unintended thought. To her credit, Temple shook it off, hugging Jim.
“Thanks, Jim. No one’s ever taken my part like you did tonight. You are a lot like Pop. Don’t listen to Lo. She’s the devil.”
That pronouncement drew audible expressions of agreement. I shook hands with Sam. “Thanks for defusing young Winton. I appreciate it, my friend.”
Sam gripped my hand with an easy smile. “I can’t stand the sight of that little prick. I’ve watched some episodes of Temple’s sitcoms with him since meeting her. I have to fast forward through the parts with him in it or my barf reflex kicks in. Jim gave me closure.”
Now that was funny. Yep. I could see why Trish liked him so much. “He did adjust Mr. Winton a bit. I think Jim’s been through a few more situations than I anticipated. Jim adapts so fast, he’s a little scary.”
“Yeah, he does.” Sam leaned in closer. “Did you really prep him with those stunts he pulled, Rick?”
It seemed like a good idea at the time. I didn’t know Jim would be scary good doing them. “Guilty as charged, Sam.”
“I meant every word to Winton, Rick. I know your firm has a lawyer, but if anything evolves from his crap, or anything to do with Jim’s foster care problems, I’ll help in any way you’ll allow me. Please ask if you need any assistance in either matter.”
Yep, I like this guy. “I appreciate that, Sam. We’re hoping to go at Jim’s problem through a different approach which will land his foster parents in prison. I like your input on Winton. I think you made a real impression on his hobbit butt.”
Sam laughed in appreciation of my Winton summation. “He is a repulsive little jerk. Jim sure took the wind out of his sails though.”
I smiled at my very popular Grandson. “Yeah he did. Sometimes in life we find a purpose that transcends everything else. Jim is a life changing factor, Sam. He is a treasure I’m not letting be harmed under any circumstances short of my death. It would be good if that unfortunate happening becomes reality, I would be very appreciative of any outside protection and caring for the kid.”
Sam stuck out his hand again, and I grasped it. “Done deal, Rick. Trish and I will make sure nothing ever happens to Jim… ever.”
Money talks and bullshit walks. Sam has the money, so I figure my position as cuckold actually has garnered my Grandson a special connection. “Thank you. It means more to me he’d be looked after than you could ever know.”
Sam smiled. “Count on it with my word, Rick. I’m glad we can be friends.”
“It would only be if something happened to both Lois and I. If you and Trish can help, that’s what family’s for. Thank you.”
“Trish told me how much you and Lois have done for her after all the past life problems she’s had, and the rather unique business she was in before.”
I glanced at Trish, laughing at something Jim was saying. “She’s as complex as any woman I ever met, and next to Lo, maybe the deadliest. Be careful in both word and deed, Sam.”
My warning startled him. “She wouldn’t hurt me. I know it.”
“I doubt she would either, but there’s no use taking chances, my friend. I’ll see you tonight at the restaurant.”
“Sure, Rick… see you then.”
I hope I hadn’t chilled Sam, but Trish would be a woman you reasoned with or walked away from. I don’t think screaming matches with a former contract killer would be grounds for sleeping on the couch – or better yet sleeping in the next state. Stacy hovered on the outskirts of the crowd enjoying the banter as I could hear Jim now doing Alex Winton lines from the ‘Dark Waters’ TV series with remarkable alacrity. Temple was laughing so hard, she forgot her lines at times. Much to the crowd’s amusement, Jim prompted her which made her laugh harder.
Stacy gripped my arm as I joined her. “He…he’s so incredible, Rick. I’m almost afraid to enjoy his being with me for fear it will all end… and I dreamed the whole thing.”
I understood her fear. Cantelli-land had truly been a place of darkness and shadow with only small breaks in the cloud cover in past decades. I never questioned it. I simply enjoyed the sun in my face for however many seconds it lasted. “Jim’s not a dream, Stace. The one thing I am sure of is we need to enjoy our young smartass ‘Bringer of Light’ until for some reason we can’t. If you waste your time worrying about the moments being snatched away, you’ll miss the good times.”
Stacy leaned her head into my shoulder. “I’m a mess. You’re right. I hope I have the sense to keep my stupid ass in line.”
Yeah, me too. “I’m not going anywhere, Stace. I plan to give Jim every chance. We’ll help him get into sports, band, acting, or anything he shows a passion for. That’s what grandparents do, G-ma.”
Stacy chuckled. “I never thought of it like that, being a self-indulgent bitch for decades. Wow… baseball games… soccer… or even marching band – it will be a full time job. Maybe I won’t have time to be a self-indulgent bitch.”
“One step at a time, G-ma. I guess we’d better collect our young star. He has a rather eventful evening ahead.”
“You go ahead, Rick. I don’t want to piss off either Lo or Trish, even by accident. I’ll be fine waiting for you.”
Yep… Stace is right. It will take a while before either of us can be comfortable with that complicated past. “It will get better, G-ma. I have faith you’ll earn your way back into a real life.”
Stacy reached out to cut me off. “Do…do you really mean that?”
I hugged her to me. I’m too damn old for pretense. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. Wait here, while I gather the young stud muffin.”
Stacy didn’t let go. “Thank you… for all of this.”
“You didn’t abort our daughter, Stace. Because of that, we have Jim, and a new world ahead of us.” I framed her face with my hands. “Thank you.”
She let out a startled sob, and kissed me as if we were decades younger with our future ahead. Maybe it was. I let the kiss go on until I almost forgot where I was. I forced her to arms’ length. “I’ll be right back, Stace.”
Stacy rubbed at her eyes quickly. “Go ahead.”
Lois had been watching us. I could tell from the smiling nod I saw her give me as I made my way through the entertained crowd to the movie star and my grandson. Maybe I wouldn’t have to worry about Lo killing Stacy when I’m not looking. Jim had a lot to do with that turn around, but it’s never good to take too much for granted.
“Pa!” Jim grabbed my arm. “Temple wants me to be in her next movie!”
“He acts out lines better than Alex ever dreamed of,” Temple said.
There was a smattering of applause from our workout group who had been enjoying the show
. “Thanks, Temple. He does take to this entertainment business with more interest than I expected. I have to work with him on situations where he needs restraint.”
“You working with him on restraint in his actions is the same as a blind guy teaching race car driving,” Trish nailed me to the enjoyment of our friends.
“Okay… okay, maybe that’s the wrong wording. C’mon, kid. We’ll skip the locker room and get our showers at home.” Jim obeyed after a last hug goodbye from Temple, who would be seeing him in a couple hours anyway… damn kids. “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”
My Romeo and Juliet riff garnered some laughs. We waved at the Cantelli-land gang heading for the showers, and joined Stacy.
“You made me very proud to be your G-ma, Jim. I’ve heard a lot about Casablanca Night at the restaurant. How’s your lip?”
Jim felt it as an afterthought. “It feels okay. Winton hits like a girl. I’m glad Pa stopped me. I…I get real mad sometimes. I was going to make him cry. I get to see Temple again. She’s going tonight, and she said she’d sing for us too. I know I’m way too young for her… but gee, she’s wonderful.”
I put an arm around his shoulders as we walked out, shifting my gym bag to my left shoulder. “Patience, young Jedi. Not everything is out of reach because of years. Sometimes being a friend who can be counted on means more than anything. Temple’s never had a young friend like that.”
Jim glanced at me with wide-eyed shock. “I…I can be her friend to be counted on.”
“I believe you can, Jim. Take all of this new business slow and easy. It will be hard because I remember how it was when I first met your G-ma.”
Stacy grabbed my arm. “I saw this big lug in school, and I couldn’t think of anyone else. The real problem was he saw me, and he felt the same way. Like your Pa says, it would be best to have patience in all things. We didn’t. You already know how our impatience turned out. Your Pa and I can help you see the world in a different light if you’ll let us.”
“So you and Pa were really hot for each other, huh?”
“Jim!”
The little turd chuckled. “Sorry, G-ma. I know a lot about stuff. I think it’s great you two loved each other for so long. It means maybe Temple won’t forget me if I’m always there for her… even if she sees other guys.”
Rick Cantelli, PI: Into the Darkness (Rick Cantelli, P.I. Detectives Book 3) Page 12
